As part of our Fiji experience, we decided to leave the main island for the day and travel out to Plantation Island (part of the Malolo Lailai Islands) by boat. We were driven by minibus from the resort to Denarau Marina, where we got our first look at our transport for the day. The boat was a lovely little white catamaran with blue sails. It was well equipped, with beanbags and large cushions for everyone to sit on, and we were served drinks by the crew. We set off quite early in the morning, and motored towards a large reef where we were due to stop and snorkel.
After an hour or so on the water, we arrived at the reef. We then put on our snorkelling gear and got in. Again, the water was similar to taking a warm bath! The crew also got in, armed with a loaf of bread, and guided us towards the reef. Once we got close they took out some slices of bread, and the fish descended upon us. If you held the bread in your hand, you could actually get them to eat it directly from your hand. I took lots of pictures of the fish, so have selected a few of the best ones for the blog. The highlight of the snorkelling though was finding a purple starfish. We had seen quite a few in the sea when we visited the Cook Islands, but weren't sure whether they'd be harmed if we picked them up. The crew however assured us that it would be ok, and we had a couple of photos with the starfish.
Once our allotted snorkelling time was up, we carried on to Plantation Island. The island itself is very small, but still manages to claim an airport, 9-hole golf course and 3 resorts to accommodate tourists. Once we had docked at the wharf, we taken up the beach for a BBQ-buffet lunch. The food was delicious, plenty of fresh fish and other grilled meats, pasta salad, fresh fruit, and a very yummy potato salad which I had several helpings of!
While we were eating, we were entertained by a small 'band' which consisted of 3 men (one of which was our part of our crew). One had a guitar, one had a wooden box to use as a drum, and the third had what looked like a bow, which was used like a double bass. They were very good, and definitely kept us entertained throughout lunch.
After stuffing ourselves full of food, we decided to do a bit of exploring. We walked along a small dirt track that ran parallel to the beach and had a look at some of the accommodation. Most of the buildings were small holiday cabins, one of which had a hammock outside. I took full advantage and had a few minutes recovery after dragging my belly all the way from the dining area.
Once fully rested, we wandered down to the beach front and went for a swim. The beach was lovely and sandy, and again, the water was nice and warm. I did a bit more snorkelling, but mum and I mainly just lay in the water enjoying the warmth.
The boat journey back was a lot of fun, as the wind had picked up so there was quite a bit of water sloshing up over the sides. We also decided to sail back rather than motor as the wind was going in the right direction. To keep us entertained, the crew took some palm leaves and used their knives and craft skills to create various items. I got a bracelet, another girl got given a ring, and one of the crew even made a small rowing boat complete with moving oars. It was very clever! Unfortunately we couldn't take our jewelry back to New Zealand as customs would never allow them through, but the bracelets did take pride of place in the bedroom for the next few days.
Stay tuned for Fiji part III....
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