Bula!
The Fiji Islands
are “IN” as a safe, fun, and enriching vacation destination
for those who are celebrating special occasions. Family group travel
and special birthdays seem to be what we are seeing most.
For the family,
safety is important. The delightful warm welcome the Fijians offer
to you and your children will captivate your hearts and soul. Taking
the family to Fiji for a family reunion, a multi family summer vacation
or family Christmas.. Offers your children enriching experiences,
creating memories that will last a lifetime. The Kids Clubs and Fijian
caretakers allow you, the parents, to have a little alone time to
do your thing.. While the kids are having so much fun.. Your children
might just ask you to extend your vacation.. They won’t want
to leave. Experience the culture, the snorkeling, the diving and all
the fun and unqiue things to do.. All of this in a country whose people
are gentle and laugh from the heart.
Birthdays... We
recently helped a client have an “un” 40th birthday...
She left from Los Angeles the day before her birthday, flew over the
date line and landed in Fiji the day after her birthday. So, she never
turned 40! We’re working with a family traveling to celebrate
Mom’s 60th birthday. And then there is me.. Myself.. Turning
50 this year. What’s a girl to do...
My girlfriend,
Susan, and I travel yearly for our birthdays. Last year it was New
Zealand. The year before it was Tahiti. The year before that was Fiji.
And the first year that we discovered that we had to make it a ritual
to travel on our birthdays was in 2000. We went to France and Italy.
This year I turn 50 so I choose the destination. Next year she turns
50 and she has that already planned. It’s back to Italy.
In Sept, Susan
and I will venture to Tonga to stay at FaFa
Island Resort and then to the Vava’u Group, on a dinky little
white sand island with 4 bungalows, Mounu
Island, and we will be swimming with southern hemisphere humpback
whales every day. This is MY dream.. To swim with the whales. We enjoy
the northern hemisphere humpbacks in Hawaii and I have been mesmerized
by them for 30 years. I’ve kayaked next to them, had them swim
under my kayak and gone on whale watches on all islands. THIS YEAR..
I’m getting in the water with them. After a week in Tonga we
fly to Fiji where we will go to the island of Kadavu. I have many
fond memories of Kadavu, my first Fiji diving, my first Fiji parrots,
sunsets, Thava (the chief’s son) playing guitar and singing
to the Fiji moon. The perfect white sand beach of Dive
Kadavu. Kayaking around the island (we used to operate a 7 night
kayak trip there), shell collecting (after the big storms!) and the
delightful experiences with the remote village people. During our
4 nights in Kadavu, we will kayak, hike, snorkel, dive and go to my
favorite village, Natokalau, for a Meke and Lovo (dance and feast)
and let my feet remember what it is like to do the “tra la la”
or as we say.. The Fiji 2 step. I hope to see Loraini, Tomasi, young
Soqe and all the sweet people of this village that stole my heart
in the days we kayaked there. We called them the Happy Smiley Village..
As the men wore the little flower in their ear and would whip out
guitars and the mini “lali” (drum) and play/sing up a
storm. On this portion of our journey, we will also stay at Tiliva
on Kadavu. Located on the western shore, it is an area of pristine
white sand and sunsets. We will also spend the day at Papageno
Resort so we can experience their unique version of Kadavu. We
will be picked up early one morning to have breakfast with them. We
will hike their meandering jungle trails behind the small resort then
enjoy a massage (each) before lunching and then napping in our day
“bure”. At 3pm or so we’ll be taken back to Dive
Kadavu.
After Kadavu we
have been invited to be pampered at one of Fiji's newest luxury island
resorts, The
Royal Davui in Beqa. But before that.. We are set to go on Rivers
Fiji on their Upper Navua Adventure. Rivers Fiji offers 3 trips,
2 of which are day tours and one multi day/multi sport. I enjoyed
the Upper Navua last year and figured it was a MUST to take Susan
on. It’s about 10-12 hours total with traveling time to the
top of the river where you start. The scenery is spectacular with
waterfalls cascading down beside you, easy 2-3 rapids to cruise through
(few ever fall off the rafts!) and deep gorges with prehistoric giant
palms jutting up into the tropical sky. You don’t see a sign
of humanity until you get closer to the bottom. The take out is at
a village that exists on the rivers edge. You get to chat with the
fine village folks before the 4 wheel bus drive out of the reserve
area. It is great! The closest place to stay for this trip is a funky
little place called the Lagoon
Resort. Situated in Pacific Harbor along one of the waterways,
this clean and nicely maintained small hotel type resort is perfect
for pre/post Rivers Fiji. Rumor has it that it used to be a brothel
for Korean visitors and before that.. I think some Middle East country.
I stayed there last year and tried to use my imagination. It worked.
Pacific Harbor is a lovely VERY Green area (Green = rain in case there
is any doubt). The Lagoon Resort has a nice restaurant and there is
a fun local place for good food right there in the complex.
So, after a whole
trip of less than 5 star accommodations (but lots of 5 star experiences)
we are going to take a Plunge into Fiji at Royal
Davui Island Resort. This little island sits off of the Island
of Beqa. Home of Fiji’s fire dancers and where you also find
Beqa Lagoon Resort and Lalati Resort. Royal Davui is on Stewart Island
(just off from Pacific Harbor about an hour by boat) and has soft
white sands unlike it’s Beqa neighbors. Boasting 20 Villas w/
private plunge pools.. Susan and I will lavish ourselves for 3 days
... No less than the Royal Treatment. Stay tuned for our reports and
book with us early as this one will sell out quickly (ask for Pre-opening
stay 7/Pay 5, Stay 9/Pay 6 specials.). For those who dive and want
luxury.. This is IT. Beqa is known world over as one of THE places
for diving in Fiji. Great snorkeling.
We will enjoy
our transfer back to Nadi.. Book a day room and off to Chefs for dinner
in Nadi town. This is one of the best restaurants in the Nadi area.
Then we’ll be wisked away to our flight back to Honolulu. Once
we’re home.. More fun starts. The following weekend my husband
and I head out to the Sea Ranch Cottages of Hotel Hana Maui. Sept
12 commemorates my 30th year anniversary in Hawaii and one of the
first places I spent lots of time camping and just fell in love with
was.. Hana. So we will continue to celebrate my birthday and my 30
years in Hawaii. Later this year, in November.. Not really a birthday
adventure but THE BIG TRIP... We are off to Southern Africa to have
the most incredible vacation we’ve ever taken. We are celebrating
our 15th anniversary and what a better way than to REALLY break out
of the box and go to Africa.
Lori
Evans, in my office, is also
celebrating her 50th birthday with her girlfriend and they are going
to Fiji. We will be there part of the same time but passing each other.
Stay tuned for her fabulous birthday itinerary which includes Wakaya
and Wadigi to name just a couple. Hiapo
Cockett from our office will
be celebrating his 40th birthday in Fiji in October. Stay tuned...
FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS
for your special occasions... Step out of the box, explore and enrich
yourselves with new experiences. It often takes special occasions
to get us to plan unique escapes. Go for it... Travel gives us so
much more than material gifts. It gives us experiences and memories
that last a lifetime! Of course, shopping along the way is kinda fun
too! :)
And, of course,
we hope you will allow us to plan your Fiji travel experiences and
any other Pacific Island travel. We also offer Hawaii, Australia,
New Zealand, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Luxury Belize, Africa and more.
We might be located in paradise (Hawaii) but we sell the world.
Cheers to all
of our special occasions.
Melissa McCoy
Click
here
for Melissa McCoy Travel Articles
Click here
for Fiji Resort Reviews
\\\\
