Island Cruising with Blue Lagoon

Rain isn’t exactly something you look forward to before the start of a week-long luxurious Blue Lagoon cruise through pristine Fiji waters. Yet here it was, as we set off from Lautoka, hanging all around us as thick dull cloud, permeating the air with a fine drizzle.

We’re in good hands though, and the crew of Fiji Princess easily warm the air with their big smiles – the biggest of which came from our Captain Saula Tuiloma. Aboard, there is a good mix of travellers from all corners of the Globe – some of them Southern-hemisphere first timers. Name tags provided to us at check-in make introductions easy, and it doesn’t take long for us to settle into the relaxed and laid-back atmosphere.

We were on Blue Lagoon’s Historical & Cultural Dateline Cruise – so named because it is literally a journey back in time, and the chance to get a sampling, albeit briefly, from the melting pot of diverse cultures that Fiji has to offer.

Our home for the next week is the MV Fiji Princess, a twin hulled small ship capable of carrying upto 72 passengers. The air-conditioned cabins are spacious enough for two to be comfortable, and feature ensuites, bar fridge, safe and TV’s.

No tour is complete without a guide, and we were blessed with two… Allan Griffin, Deputy GM Operations of Blue Lagoon, and Alan Roxborough, a wizened local and as colourful a character as you’d ever expect to have the pleasure of meeting. Between the two of them, they had our trip well-covered.

Our first stop Nananu-i-Ra, an island off Viti Levu’s northern coast, was merely a chance for a snorkel and coral viewing in surprisingly warm waters, before retiring for Champagne and hors d’oeuvres on the Sky Deck and a sumptuous four-course Captain’s Dinner.

The next morning we depart for Levuka, Fiji’s old capital, on the island of Ovalau. It began as a whaling town with lookouts stationed high up in the surrounding escarpments. Fire signals were lit upon sighting whale pods, whereupon those stationed on the beach would row out to harpoon their quarry, before drifting back to shore with the prevailing currents.

Later on, it became a key trading hub for the islands. In its heyday, there were as many as 50 rum-houses spread across its small spit of beach, and the endless stream of empty rum bottles made it practically impossible for ships to enter the harbour on an ebbing tide!

Ironically the escarpments that helped make Levuka the hub of Fiji, themselves contributed to its downfall when, due to lack of space, the capital was moved to its present site, Suva.

Levuka today is a quaint old town, rich in history, with many old buildings still standing… including the Royal Hotel, which dates back to the late 1850s and has the proud title of the oldest operating hotel in the South Pacific.

From there, we sail overnight through to Fiji’s third largest island, Taveuni. Renowned for its flora and fauna, Taveuni also has the distinction of being one of the three islands in Fiji that has the 180° Meridian passing through it, and it is off Waiyevo that we anchor to begin our half-day bus tour of the island.

Our first stop is a split sign where one can move between yesterday, today, and tomorrow – depending on which time zone you’re in! A couple of minutes down the road is Wairiki, and the 100-year-old Holy Cross Church. Built with fired coral, lime and sand, the building also features stained glass windows imported from France. The church and its windows have stood the passage of earthquakes, hurricanes and time remarkably well, and make for a picturesque stop.

Our final destination, Bouma National Heritage Park, is about an hour away, and gives us an opportunity to see some stunning scenery as we follow the coastline to its famous waterfalls. Here, surrounded by calls from a variety of birds, the icy cool pool at the base of a 40-metre tall waterfall is a welcome respite from the tropical heat, and it is with a little reluctance that we get moving again.

Back onboard the Fiji Princess, we now head North for the island of Kioa. Purchased by the people of Vaitapu, Tuvalu in 1946 due to overcrowding on their home island. The population has grown to about 600, from the original 61 that first moved, bringing their language and culture to their new island home. A strong emphasis is placed on preserving their Polynesian traditions, and although they have made adjustments from the fish based existence of a coral atoll to one that places equal emphasis on agriculture, their way of life is little changed. They still remain accomplished sailors, and their hand-built outrigger canoes are used in everyday life.

It is at Kioa, that our journey moves from the historical to the cultural aspect of the trip. In keeping with tradition, we were met by about two dozen islanders who paddled out to greet us with a haunting chant that rang out over the calm waters of the bay. After thrice circling around our vessel, they escorted our tenders into shore, and welcomed us with beautiful hand-made garlands.

In cultures without a tradition of written language, song and dance play an important part in passing on legends and history from one generation to the next, and here it is no different. Packed into the village hall, we were treated to a colourful and emotional performance rarely seen by outsiders – for there are no hotels here, and visitors to the island are few and far between.

The next morning, we are in Rabi, anchored in stunning Prince Albert Cove, and compared to the previous days hectic schedule, it is here that we took the chance to slow the pace down significantly. Rabi, like Taveuni, also has the 180° Meridian running through it, and is home to Banabans who were forced to move there after WW2 from Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati with their island home decimated from years of phosphate mining. Theirs is a Micronesian culture, and like the Tuvaluans on Kioa, have had to adapt to their new surroundings from a coral atoll existence. While their history does not exactly make for pleasant reading, they have still managed to thrive, even though relatively cut-off from the outside world.

Today, the population numbers around 5,000 between the four villages on the island, and their economy relies on copra, remittances from relatives, and the occasional visit from yachties and Blue Lagoon Cruises. Their dance troupes are held in high regard throughout Fiji, and we were in for a treat at the primary school where the energetic choreographed performance from the young children blew us away.

Very few people, including Fiji locals, have the opportunity to see Rabi or Kioa, and fewer still have the chance to visit our next destination, Druadrua, off the secluded northeast coast of Vanua Levu (Fiji’s 2nd largest island). We are here for a Fijian village experience. Fiji is well known for its penchant for Rugby, and here pride of place for the small community is most obviously the rugby field that, although at a slight slant, is well kept.

Protocol is important in Fijian culture, and Kava ceremonies must first be performed to accept us to the village. With formalities and a meke (traditional dance) out of the way, we are free to mingle and take a tour. The welcome’s we have received on Kioa and Rabi have been genuinely warm, and here at Druadrua, even more so. It is a humbling experience, and the happiness of the people touches many. As one emotional passenger put it, “This cruise is making a difference.” Indeed it is – for passengers and villagers alike.

Surviving on a subsistence level by gathering beche-de-mer, the villagers here live simply, without electricity or running water. Although Blue Lagoon’s visits to this area are still relatively recent, improvements are already starting to be seen, with much needed donations from charity organizations such as Variety and Rotary.

Our half-day visit over, we leave our new-found friends to sail over to the next island of Gevo, for the opportunity of a swim and a game of touch-rugby with the crew before heading overnight for our final destination, Blue Lagoons private estate on Nanuya Lailai in the Yasawas.

The day here is spent on the beach soaking up the sun and snorkelling, culminating in a Lovo feast under the stars.

No doubt, this is a memorable trip, with all the classic South Sea scenery one could hope for. What makes it special though is the people you meet along the way.