©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Mamanuca & Yasawa Groups Includes ¨ Why Go? Bounty Island .......118 They’re but a streak on the map, the 50-odd islands that Beachcomber Island ..119 make up the Mamanuca and Yasawa groups are a behemoth Mana ...............120 of beauty that pack a powerful – and paradisiacal – punch. Though they’re easily accessible from Nadi, the region is Matamanoa .........122 home to everything far-flung-tropical-island daydreams are Modriki .............122 made of: rustling palms, obscenely blue waters, blinding Castaway Island .....123 white sands and local smiles just as bright. Incredibly, this Malolo ..............123 eden is open to all; no matter your budget, you’ll find quality Kuata & Wayasewa ...128 accommodation and million-dollar views. The 20 or so picture-perfect coral atolls and islands of the Waya & Around ......130 Mamanucas arc west through the large lagoon formed by the Malolo Barrier Reef and Viti Levu. It’s a treasure trove of surf breaks, sea turtles, reef sharks and vast schools of Best Places to Eat multicoloured tropical fish. To the north, the volcanic islands of the Yasawas reward ¨ Navutu Stars (p133) visitors with blue lagoons, exquisite beaches, technicolour ¨ Mantaray Island coral gardens and craggy landscapes aching to be explored. Resort (p132) ¨ Botaira Beach Resort (p133) When to Go ¨ Travellers Tea House Mamanuca & Yasawa Groups (p136) °C/°F Te mp Rainfall inches/mm 40/104 16/400 12/300 Best Places to 30/86 Stay 8/200 ¨ 20/68 Coconut Beach Resort 4/100 (p135) ¨ Beachcomber Island 10/50 0 J FDM A M J J A S O N Resort (p119) ¨ Blue Lagoon Beach May–Oct Gen- Oct–Dec Fewer Jan–Mar Steamy Resort (p136) erally sunny travellers, greater green wet season; dry days, with choice of accom- expect some ¨ Navini Island cool(ish) nights modation; evening transport delays Resort (p120) that make for rainstorms and in stormy weather. ¨ Castaway Island good sleeping. humidity increase. Resort (p123) 114 MAMANUCA GROUP # 0 20 km Yawini ‘Tropical paradise’ might be the most hack- e 0 10 miles 444Yasa4wa neyed cliché in the travel-writing world, but there’s no getting away from it here: S O U T H Sawa-i-Lau Cave #5 the Mamanuca islands tick every box, with P A C I F I C brochure-blue seas and beaches so brilliant 4O C E A4 N 4Tavewa4Na4cula \# they’re Hollywood celebrities unto them- Matacawalevu #4 Blue selves. With romance, relaxation and a dis- YASAWA Lagoon 44GRO4UP74Yaqeta 4 proportional number of fantastic resorts on Naviti offer, the Mamanuca group is unsurprisingly Viwa #8 Manta Rays one of Fiji’s most popular destinations. MA Though they’re valued more for their nat- 44Yasaw4a #f7 4444 M Flyer Narara ural attributes than any contribution they ANUCA GROUPS YASAWA & make to the national culture, nobody could Waya \# accuse the Mamanucas’ beauty of being 44Wayas4ewa #6 W4aya Villa4ge Home4stay 4 (Waya Lailai) Kuata shallow: kaleidoscopic coral reefs and mass- es of marine life await those who take the 444444plunge into their crystal-clear waters. De- spite the subsurface calm, the Mamanucas are also home to a collection of world-class Modriki Tok6oriki 6 Treasure surf breaks. 4#2\#44Island4f# #\ 4 Lautoka #3 Back on sand, the islands have enough Mana facilities, activities and adventure oppor- Castaway MAMANUCA #\#3 tunities to satisfy every day-tripper (and 4GROUP4Isl4and 4f# #– Malolo Lailai #] there are a lot of them). Those who come to M Nadi stay are welcomed with a bellowing bula! AMA Cloudbreak6 & #1 6 and sunny hospitality, whether they choose 4Resta4urants 44 family-friendly, couples-only or budget ac- NU commodation. ca Life here bears little resemblance to the GROUP 444 Mamanuca & Yasawa realities experienced by most Fijians. Only Groups6 Highlights6two resort islands, Mana and Malolo, sup- 1Waxing up your board – the mighty port Fijian villages, though tourists out- surf breaks of Cloudbreak (p115) and number locals. Not that they mind – almost Restaurants (p115) await. all resorts lease their land from local com- 2Re-enacting your favourite scene from munities and so, while heavy physical and Tom Hanks’ Cast Away on Modriki (p122), metaphorical rain clouds may hang over where the film was shot. the mainland, the sun always shines on the 3Treating the kids to a holiday they’ll magical Mamanucas. never forget at Treasure Island (p120) or Castaway Island (p123). 2 Activities 4Frolicking in the fluorescent waters of The Mamanucas are all about water sports the Blue Lagoon (p135). and extreme relaxation. Whether you are 5Catching a water taxi (or joining a staying for a week or visiting for a day, non- tour) to the magical, mystical Sawa-i-Lau motorised water sports (like snorkelling, Cave (p137). windsurfing, kayaking and sailing in cata- 6Living like a local at a Waya village marans) are nearly always provided free of homestay (p130). charge. However, the moment an engine is 7Island-hopping on the Yasawa Flyer fired you can expect to be billed. Village trips (p127) to see if the sand is any whiter at or snorkelling on the outer reef cost between the other end of the island chain. $25 and $50 per person, and reef-fishing 8Diving off a boat and doing your best trips average around $150 to $170 per hour to keep up with the giant manta rays for four people. Island-hopping tours cost (p131). anywhere between $80 and $200 per per- son, depending on how many islands are visited and whether lunch is included..