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Sunday Tasmanian, Hobart 23 Sep 2018, by Craig Tansley

Escape, page 30 - 762.00 cm² Capital City Daily - circulation 36,212 (------S) Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence. ID 1012516229 BRIEF OUTRIGGER INDEX 1 PAGE 1 of 3 THE FIJI TIME FORGOT Some of the South Pacific’s most pristine islands are just half an hour from bustling Nadi CRAIG TANSLEY he tiny Cessna taking me to the treatment rooms are barely 5m Blue Lagoon, the 1980 film starring Yasawa Islands lands with a from the sea – all but a handful of the a teenage Brooke Shields, was filmed bounce onto a grassy runway workers here are from the village five at the Sawa-I-Lau Caves in the that angles downhill to the minutes’ drive away. On Sunday, I join northern Yasawas. Travelling by boat sea. I’m bundled into a 4WD them at a church service there, where here to the entrance of a deep and driven along a muddy they’re dressed in neatly pressed chamber, I swim beneath the cavern Ttrack that winds its way past a village trousers, button-up shirts and ties, into tiny chambers of blue water lit up and through a tract of coastal forest by their hair Bryl-creamed sideways and by sunlight shining through holes in the owner of the Yasawa Island Resort their voices as rich as opera singers. the limestone ceiling. and Spa himself, then escorted to a A hilly landscape is perfect for villa built metres from its own white- WHO SHOULD VISIT THE hiking, and there’s kayaking – from sand bay. Before I’ve had time to look YASAWAS? quick paddles to multiple-day-and- around, I’m taken by speedboat past Yasawa Islands have accommodation night tours. Visitors can swim with dozens of deserted beaches flanked to suit every type of traveller. In recent sharks and manta rays. by black rock cliffs, rolling grass hills times, no-frills flashpacker and Backpacker resorts have given rise and coconut trees; for lunch to a backpacker resorts have been built for to night-time options at resort bars – beach which disappears with the tide. more intrepid (and younger) from crab racing to fire dancing and Since I flew out from Nadi, I’ve travellers. But there are middle-of- sunset tube cruises. barely seen another person, except a the-road, three and four-star options THE MAMANUCAS: HOW ARE local bloke free-diving for lobsters for for couples and families. THEY DIFFERENT? lunch. That’s typical in the Yasawas. Then there are five-star offerings. After four days in the Yasawas, I take a Though Yasawa Islands start just a Despite their relative isolation, the flight back to Nadi and travel by ferry few kilometres further north from the Yasawas have been home to some of to a private island resort in the Mamanuca Islands (which are closest Fiji’s finest luxury resorts for decades. Mamanucas. Castaway Island is one to Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu) being The most famous of them is Turtle of the smallest of the 20 islands (seven here is like travelling back in time. Island, the first of Fiji’s luxury private of which sink with the tide) which Only opened to land-based tourism island resorts; the vision of American make up the island group. Landing on since 1987, even cruise passengers businessman Richard Evanson more the wide, sandy beach, I am greeted permitted to travel through these than 40 years ago. Today it’s still one by Castaway Island Resort staff islands weren’t always allowed to set of Fiji’s most exclusive resorts, with who’ve come out to sing to me. foot on land. And so the Yasawas space for just 14 couples. While the Mamanucas are home to remain some of the most unaffected There are numerous excursions islands with modern marinas of all the Fijian islands. They may be and adventures for travellers boasting fancy yacht clubs, bars, just half an hour away from Nadi by throughout the 20 islands of the restaurants, cafes and grocery stores, plane, and two hours by ferry from group; but the Yasawas are best for these islands are some of the most Denarau (depending on where you’re travellers who prefer to leave the pristine in the South Pacific. We may staying – the northern islands of the normal attractions behind. You won’t be close to Nadi here, but this is where Yasawas take longer to get to), but find the bustling bars of Fiji’s Coral Hollywood comes to depict South locals still live in traditional villages Coast here, or the restaurant scene of Seas desolation. Castaway was filmed and there are no shops, banks or cafes Denarau. Most activities centre here on Monuriki, and Survivor has (outside of the resorts). I’m staying at around swimming, diving and come to these islands more times Yasawa Island Resort and Spa, and snorkelling. Surfing is rarely than any other destination. Castaway while it’s five-star and I eat seafood attempted; though I find chest-high Island’s resort is on a tiny islet circled cooked for me at a table on the beach, waves out in front of the resort, surfed by tropical rainforest. My villa is built and am beautified at a day spa where by only a handful of surfers. Sunday Tasmanian, Hobart 23 Sep 2018, by Craig Tansley

on its own beach, and each day at ESCAPE ROUTE dawn I walk across the sand to a speedboat which takes me to some of the best surfing waves on Earth. Big southerly swells push up to the reefs MAMANUCAS along the southern edge of the Mamanucas, then break perfectly AND YASAWAS across narrow, shallow reef passes. Breaks like Cloudbreak rate among GETTING THERE the world’s top 10 surf spots. Some Get to the Mamanucas via ferry service days I take a short speed boat ride to from Denarau Marina or water taxi. the floating bar and wood-fired The Yasawas can be accessed by a daily pizzeria hangout, Cloud Nine, built ferry service. Plane fly to both islands. out over the reef. There’s plenty of STAYING THERE action in the Mamanucas if you want it – from jet ski safaris to fishing and The only way in to Yasawa Island sail boats that come to your island. Resort and Spa is by air. yasawa.com And there’s no better place for diving Castaway Island is an hour from or snorkelling anywhere in the Pacific. Denarau Marina by ferry, outrigger.com/hotels-resorts/fiji/ THE WRITER TRAVELLED COURTESY OF TOURISM castaway-island/castaway-island-fiji FIJI AND YASAWA ISLAND RESORT & SPA For more information: fiji.travel

MAMANUCA SURFING

TRANQUIL BEACHES Sunday Tasmanian, Hobart 23 Sep 2018, by Craig Tansley

CASTAWAY ISLAND Castaway Island is one of the smaller islands in the Mamanuca group, a place for some of the best waves on Earth. The relatively isolated Yasawas have pristine beaches perfect for secluded bliss.

PICTURES: MATT C. BAUER, YASAWA ISLAND RESORT & SPA, TOURISM FIJI