Before coming to Fiji, I had the idea of a country full of long sandy beaches, beautiful corals and blue waters. After spending several weeks in Suva and checking out a few beaches on the main island, Viti Levu, I was yet to find my "ideal Fiji". Until the day I went to the Yasawa Islands.
The archipelago is made up of several small islands with white sandy beaches. The most difficult part was to choose the right island for us. In the end we decided to stay in Matacawalevu, near the famous Blue Lagoon, in an eco-lodge called Waitui Basecamp.
I normally don't like camping, but this was more a case of glamping. Their tents were great: fancy, clean and comfortable in a beautiful tropical garden.
Glamping was actually a very good way of enjoying the beautiful nature of the island.
For those who don't like camping, there are also some small cabins on the top of a panoramic hill. That's a pretty nice view to start your day with!
Our first excursion was to the Blue Lagoon, where the famous movie from the 80s was filmed. As you can see from the picture, the beach clearly deserves its name. The blue of the water and the white of the sand create a wonderful contrast.
The beach was so peaceful. I took these pictures on the Saturday of a long weekend and there was almost nobody around: the only footprints in the picture below are mine! Apparently one or two days per week cruises pass by for a few hours but you just need to know the days and avoid them.
After snorkelling, sunbathing and strolling on the beach, we were given the most thorough coconut demonstration we could have expected. We tried coconuts of all ages: young, middle-aged and old. The spongy texture of the germinated coconut flesh was really surprising. The one below was the dessert: the bounty, a real classic!
New day, new excursion: time for a picnic on a secluded beach! Just the two of us on a white sandy beach with blue water and black volcanic rocks. The snorkelling was beautiful, with big coral formations and colorful fish. We also saw a reef shark, always an exciting sighting.
During my wanderings I saw a thirsty hermit crab drinking water from a coconut shell. How cute!
Time to go, unfortunately. This is what the beach looked like from the boat.
On our last day we visited Toki's organic farm where Waitui buys its fruit and vegetables. Everything looked so good that I did my grocery shopping there to bring back to Suva. The Swiss chard was my favourite (but the cabbage made for a better photo).
And here's our super friendly and enthusiastic guide: Arturo.
"Once discovered never forgotten". Talking about Fiji?
