With over 300 islands in its archipelagoes, Fiji has something to offer for almost everyone.  From resort lodging to huts in rural Fijian fishing villages, a stay in Fiji can be as pampered or extreme as you like.  On my way home from Australia, I decided to stay over in Fiji for seven days.  Wanting a bit of adventure, coupled with a few days of pampering, I chose to stay on 2 different islands, Wailailai and Beachcomber.  Now most travelers have heard of Beachcomber Island, notoriously known as the party island, but Wailailai, that’s a different story.

Like most travelers, I flew into Nadi (pronounced Nan-di) where I stayed over for one night, making arrangements through my hotel to catch a ferry out to Wailailai the next day.  One of the smaller islands in the Yasawa Group, located to the west of Vitu Levu (the main island), Wailailai offers visitors a taste of traditional Fijian life.  The ferry ride took about 3 hours, and is not for the faint of heart.  The ride was rough and at times wet, and I constantly counted myself lucky that I do not suffer from seasickness. 

As we pulled into the dock, small thatched roof huts, a sandy white beach and a huge mountain bursting from the center of the island greeted me, along with the toothy grins of the local Fijians, who were eager to help me carry my backpack ashore.  Wailailai is probably one of the most rustic of the Fijian Islands.  Although there was running water, there was no hot water.  The thatched roofs of the huts provide some protection from the elements, but they did not keep the spiders and other creepy crawlies from coming in (it is advised to use the mosquito net provided, and make sure it is completely spread around each corners of your bed).  There were no restaurants, simply the one eating area where traditional Fijian cuisine was served three times a day.  The ringing of a large bell would signal meal time. 

It was quite easy to fall into the quiet and slow routine of Wailailai life.  Early to bed, early to rise, I spent my days lounging on the beach, snorkeling around the coral reef about a hundred yards off shore, or hiking to the tops of the mountain.  I must give one bit of advice, however, do not believe the locals when they tell you that the hike to the tops of the mountain will only take about 30 minutes.  Maybe for someone who knows the trail and has hiked it several times, but for the average traveler, it takes about an hour and a half.  It is not the most difficult hike, but it is uphill, through sometimes rough terrain.  My hiking partner and I planned to climb to the top in order to watch the sunset, assuming we would have plenty of time to make it down before darkness completely covered the island.  Obviously the hike took us much longer than anticipated, but we decided to stay for the sunset anyway, thinking we could make it down faster than the way up.  The views and the sunset were spectacular, and as the sun slowly disappeared over the horizon, we began to make our way down again.  However, in the fading light, we quickly lost the trail, only noticing our folly when we almost walked straight through a spider web, with a palm sized spider, hanging out in the middle of it.  At that point, my mental state quickly deteriorated, turning from mere annoyance and frustration to down right panic.  Everywhere I looked, I came face to face with the biggest spiders I had ever seen, and to top it all off, night was descending faster than we had anticipated.  Not knowing which way to go, my only thoughts were to head down and avoid the spiders.  I found myself stomping through bushes, crashing through tree branches, all in hopes of getting back to the village before nightfall.  Luckily, we eventually found the trail, managing to avoid all the spiders, and we stepped out of the jungle into the village, just as the dinnertime bell was ringing.

The next night, I had the chance to participate in the traditional kava ceremony, an event that hasn’t always been open to women.  I was invited, with other visitors, to a rather large hut, where we all sat around in a circle, chatted and passed around a bowl of Kava, a drink made from a local root.  The Fijians, smash the root up in a large bowl, and then pour it into a smaller bowl, which is then passed around in the circle.  Each individual finishes the bowl, and then passes it to the next person when it is refilled.  When receiving the bowl, you say “Bula,” a common Fiji term that can mean just about anything, from “Hello” to “Thank you,” gulp down the drink, pass the bowl, and then clap three times.  To be honest, the kava tasted a lot like muddy water, but they say it has a numbing effect, and after two or three bowls, I will admit that my lips were a little numb, and I felt chattier than usual. 

Sadly, the next day, I was scheduled to depart from my rustic home and head to the resort island of Beachcomber.  I bid farewell to my new found friends, threw my pack onto the boat and headed off.  About an hour away from Wailailai, Beachcomber is a member of the Mamanuca Group, which is known for its dry, warm weather and large tourist resorts.  A much smaller island then Wailailai, Beachcomber provided a totally different lifestyle.  A large bar/restaurant dominated most of the island, and a huge open air dormitory was located just behind it.  Smaller huts, which slept six to eight people, littered the perimeter of the island.  Every morning at 8 am, they served a delicious breakfast buffet that consisted of fresh fruits and juices, and other typical American cuisine.  You could order eggs cooked to order, toast, coffee, even pancakes.

Due to the size of the island, there was not much to do; you could walk around the edge of it in about 20 minutes.  You could book day long dive trips from a dive shop on the island, but not wanting to shell out the money, I snorkeled off the beach instead.  To be honest, the snorkeling did not compare to Wailailai.  I lounged in the sun, read my book, and mostly did what I had gone there to do.  I partied.  Margaritas, sangria, beer all flowed freely.  Drunken games of beach volleyball occupied the days, and at night the bar, featuring a traditional Fijian band and dancers, drew in the entire population of the island.  The dancing would continue into the wee hours of the morning, and the next day, at 8 am, we would wake up to do it all over again.

Three long and strange days later, it was time for me to catch the ferry back to the main island, in order to catch my flight back to the States.   Considering that I only had seven days in Fiji, I felt satisfied that I had experienced all I could.  By visiting Wailailai, I had the chance to experience traditional Fijian life, and discover the natural beauty that Fiji has to offer, and by going to Beachcomber, I got to end my year long adventure with a bang.

**All Photos by Sharon Miller

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