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82 Explore I FIJI FIJI I SAVUSAVU

FIJI ISLANDS

Savusavu !"# t Savusavu Travel a little further afield on your next trip to Fiji and get to know the locals

83 KORO SUN RESORT KORO PHOTOGRAPHY Explore I FIJI

he young girl’s warm brown eyes light up as she looks down at the protected Tbay below her island home. “It is so beautiful and peaceful here,” she says, smiling. “Every night, I watch the sun set over the water and I feel so lucky. Savusavu is paradise to me.” We are climbing the bumpy, winding road with our cab driver Bobbie and his daughter and son We discover this to be More to their home, perched true during our nine-day high in the tropical hills stay at Savusavu, where tourists overlooking Savusavu, a we see only a handful have found town on the south coast of other tourists during of , Fiji’s our regular trips to town. us but it second-largest but less- With a population of less still has the 84 frequented island. than 5000, Savusavu’s My family and I met village-like charm, magic vibrant culture, natural Bobbie days earlier CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: when he drove us from beauty, warm people and Families find a warm welcome in Savusavu; view to the marina; the shack of an airport laid-back way of life is children on their way to school; at the island’s largest enchanting. Edgewater bures at Koro Sun. town of to our Resorts reinvented accommodation at US motivational speaker Savusavu. and author Tony Robbins Many visitors opt to owns Namale Resort fly directly into the tiny at Savusavu but there Savusavu airport – a are no international 50-minute inter-island hotel chains, upmarket flight from – but boutique shopping or we enjoyed every second kitsch tourist attractions of our scenic 90-minute here. We stay at a drive through remote family-owned boutique villages and lush green resort called Koro Sun, a mountains, past myriad sprawling 150-acre former colourful shacks and copra plantation with friendly locals waving virgin rainforest on one and yelling the greeting, side and the aquamarine “Bula”. waters of the Koro on “We are known as the the other.

hidden paradise of Fiji,” Owned by the hands-on ISTOCKPHOTO.COM Bobbie says proudly. Young family for the past “More tourists have found 15 years, Koro Sun offers a us but it still has the range of accommodation PHOTOGRAPHY magic.” from original Fijian Explore I FIJI

$#% &'s ( )e *+,

85 garden bures to overwater to coming to work and villas, and the resort’s meeting new people.” famous adults-only Life lessons Edgewater bures. At the primary school The US-based owners in the seaside village of foster a strong sense of Nagigi (population 150) community with the the next day, the teachers surrounding villages and told us that many of the were instrumental in children have to leave helping rebuild villages home very early in the after Tropical Cyclone morning to travel to Winston devastated the school from neighbouring area in February. villages. They asked us “Our guests are looking questions and sang songs, for something more their joy infectious. authentic; luxurious We had heard the but also rustic,” general school was in desperate manager Margaret need of stationery and Rayawa says. “We brought a bag of supplies, attract those wanting to plus a rugby ball that was experience the real Fiji soon thrown around the and all it has to offer. The playground. beauty of Savusavu is in The pristine reef, the authenticity of the visible from the school’s people. Tourism is not playground, beckoned such a big thing here, so later and we paddled our staff look forward kayaks out to the reef, Explore I FIJI

Fijian kids at play. BELOW: Traditional Fijian bures accommodation.

passing smiling locals $o -, hand-line fishing for their ./ 0! lunch. As we snorkelled, our four-year-old son shrieked with joy each time he saw a brilliant blue starfish, a colourful fish, or a piece of coral. He was not as excited when he saw reef shark darting below him, and opted to snorkel on my back. Kava currency The following day, our guides Solo and Romano drive us to visit Vuadomo Village, where we offer a gift of kava root to the locals in return for a visit to the waterfall. 86 The tiny, self-sufficient village is peppered with multi-hued bures and the locals laugh as our sons chase chickens around the gardens and marvel at a bamboo raft used for nightly fishing trips. The 10-minute walk to the waterfall is just as scenic as the falls themselves. Along the way, Solo points out of the surroundings. kava plants, passionfruit A trip to Koro Sun’s vines, wild chillies and Rainforest Spa – where a ginger. We are greeted by cascading waterfall and a cascading waterfall and native birds provide the waste no time cooling off background music – for in the fresh water. its signature banana-leaf Savusavu offers many body wrap is also adventures – fishing, an option. The tiny, an oven, lined with diving at Namena Island dining palms and hot coals, and Marine Reserve, a visit The food in Savusavu is self-sufficient cooked for several hours. to J. Hunter pearl farm, also a delicious surprise. village is And we eat lunch a few exploring local villages, We enjoy Koro Sun’s times at popular curry

kayaking on the island’s smoky, traditional lovo peppered with house, Country Kitchen, SUN RESORT KORO ISTOCKPHOTO.COM, tranquil salt lake – or the feast, where an array of multi-hued across the road from the opportunity to relax and meats and homegrown marketplace.

enjoy the natural beauty vegetables are placed into bures Despite its dubious PHOTOGRAPHY Explore I FIJI

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Aerial view of Koro Sun Resort. INSERT: Young Fijian boy fishing. BELOW: Savusavu’s waterfalls.

name and dilapidated Perfect play date entrance, one of our most One of the highlights memorable meals is at of our stay in Savusavu 88 Surf’n’Turf in Savusavu is meeting affable local town. It might be the local Jope on a fishing trip. He fine dining restaurant but invites us to his home so there’s definitely no need our kids can have a play to dress up, and the big date with his boys, who timber deck overlooking are the same age as ours, the water is great for the following day. families. Jope picks us up and We loved chef Vijendra drives us to his scenic Kumar’s mud-crab curry village where we are and the kingfish sashimi. welcomed into the visiting Savusavu for As a parting gift, the The staff is on laid-back family’s home. Jope offers more than 40 years. staff at Koro Sun give ‘Fiji time’ here, but if kava and his wife cooks for She loves that it is still our two sons each a you’re patient enough to us as we watch our boys very much “bush Fiji”. coconut tree and let them stick around for dessert, play. Much loved by Koro help plant them on the the homemade coconut The kids couldn’t Sun staff and locals, grounds. Now we have the ice-cream is well worth understand each other but Zelma, or “Nau” as they perfect excuse to go back the wait. they bonded over a game to Savusavu with our boys affectionately call her, For fresh fruit and of rugby, chasing chickens and watch how the trees travels alone and stays in produce, the Savusavu and sharing food. Later, have grown. a bure that has a plaque farmer’s market is a hive my husband and I agree bearing her name. of activity, especially the people in Savusavu “I have no family so I Travel info on Saturdays, the main have an unrivalled market day. We loved think of the people here generosity of spirit. chatting to the locals as my family,” she says. Jetstar has great low fares to Fiji from Adopted family SUN RESORT KORO ISTOCKPHOTO.COM, selling everything “I come away feeling Sydney. from organic fruit and We meet 84-year-old refreshed, very loved, To book, visit vegetables, fish and spices Zelma Gartner, of but very sad because I’m JETSTAR.COM

and arts and craft. Victoria, who has been leaving my family.” PHOTOGRAPHY Explore I FIJI

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