Fiji

On January 30th, I finally flew to the islands of Fiji, two days late. I had booked a resort on the southern coast of the main island, Viti Levu, for the first three nights, on the so-called Coral Coast. Fortunately, I was able to change my booking for free because of the two-day delay in my arrival. When I checked online how to get from Nadi Airport to the resort, I was surprised to learn that I had to travel 100 km by bus. I had completely underestimated the size of the Fiji islands. I only knew the main island as a tiny dot on the world map and would never have thought that this island is much larger than, for example, Crete. And I thought I could go around the island in an hour! There are also many smaller islands. Upon arrival at the airport, all passengers were greeted with live music and Bula calls. Bula means 'hello' in Fijian! My resort was beautifully situated right on a palm-lined beach. The staff were incredibly friendly and always addressed all guests by their first names. Overall, there was a very relaxed atmosphere, ideal for relaxing. Nevertheless, over the next few days, I went on two excursions, first to Suva and then to Sigatoka. Suva, the capital of Fiji, is a very bustling city with a few colonial buildings, a beautiful park, and a neo-Gothic cathedral. Sigatoka, only 30 minutes by bus from my accommodation, has a typical market and is beautifully located at the mouth of a river. Near my accommodation, I had originally planned to dive with larger sharks, such as bull sharks, but when I found out that the animals are fed for these dives, I didn't feel like it. Either I see these sharks in a natural way or I do without it!

After three days on the Coral Coast, I wanted to see more of the Fiji islands and set off early in the morning to return to Nadi, from where a boat from the nearby port should take me to the Yasawa Islands. There I wanted to spend 4 nights. First, I drove 5 hours to the very north of the Yasawas to the island of Nacula. There I spent the next two days at the Safe Landing Eco Resort, owned by a very nice family. The meals were always served together with all the guests at a big table, and in this way, I quickly got to know everyone. Unfortunately, it was noticeable at the resort that during the corona time there was no money to maintain the bungalows. Especially the bathrooms were already very run-down. On the first day, together with two Spaniards, I visited the village on the island, where we were introduced to the chief of the village, a kind of chief, who gave us permission to move freely in the village and to take pictures. Unfortunately, I couldn't dive on this island because the dive center was only accessible on foot at low tide, and the price I was offered to pick me up by boat and take me back to the resort was outrageously high. So on February 4th, I drove two hours back to Nadi until I reached the island of Nanuya Balavu, where I spent two nights at the Manta Ray Resort, which had its own dive center. This resort was not as familiar as Safe Landing, but everything was better maintained and much cleaner. The beach was fantastic, and I was able to do a total of five beautiful dives there. The reefs there are colorful and very healthy, there are reef sharks, turtles, and much more to see. I didn't see many fish species on the reefs there, for example, during my dives in Indonesia. Additionally, there are some caves you can dive into.

On February 6th, I left the Yasawa Islands and returned to the main island Viti Levu, where I stayed in my old resort for the last two nights in Fiji. I spent most of the full day I had there in the hammock. In the evening, I tried Kava, the national drink of the Fijians, at a traditional Kava ceremony together with other guests of the resort, including four nice people from Erlangen.

On February 8th, I went back to Nadi Airport, where my flight to Auckland was delayed by two hours. In Auckland, I stayed one more night at the same hostel as before my Fiji stay, and on February 9th, I took a longer walk through the city center. This time, I finally got to take photos of Auckland in sunshine! Afterward, I drove to the airport, where my flight across the Pacific to Santiago de Chile was waiting.

Fiji is a fantastic country to relax and unwind. The people there are incredibly laid-back and hospitable. Unfortunately, the prices are relatively high, although it is certainly the cheapest destination in the South Pacific overall. However, to fully explore the country, you need at least a month. My 9 days were only enough for a first impression.