The Western Pacific - Pacific Crossing Notes: A Sailor's Guide to the Coconut Milk Run - page 368

To Windward: the Lau Group
The Lau group is something of an awakening beauty, since these islands have only opened
to cruisers in recent years. Most sailors wait for a brief disturbance to the trade winds to
head there, grabbing a short period of northerlies or calm days. Make sure you head out at
the first opportunity, since the next chance may be two to six weeks away. Timing your ar-
rival is important, too, since most atolls have narrow passes that can usually only be run at
slack water and in good visibility.
Be warned: the secret is out. Once-isolated atolls now see more and more yachts - even
dozens at peak times. The two most-visited Lau islands are Vanua Mbalavu (map, #5) at
the northern end of the chain and Fulanga at the southern end. Other atolls of the Lau group
have trickier passes and therefore fewer visitors.
Local chiefs levy modest visitor's fees, but who can begrudge them a chance to finance
school fees and community improvements? These remote villages generally operate outside
the cash economy, so the fees are well appreciated and apparently well spent, with chiefs
and elders allocating funds. Other than this fee, we went a month without spending a cent
in the Lau, trading small goods for fresh fruit.
Many cruisers rate Fulanga's incredible lagoon as Fiji's top spot, and we're inclined to
agree. A huge, sandy expanse dotted with tiny mushroom-shaped islets, it's a paradise for
swimming and kayaking. Some cruisers spend weeks diving, snorkeling, and generally rev-
eling in the scenery here. We were given a warm reception at the main village and later
anchored in fifteen feet of sand in a seemingly endless pool of turquoise water. The visit-
or's fee here is F$50 per yacht.