Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Malolo Lailai
The third-largest island of the Mamanucas,
Malolo Lailai
is surrounded by picturesque sandy
beaches. On its west side is a sheltered bay separating the island from its larger sister, Malolo.
Tucked into the bay are several resorts, restaurants and the
Musket Cove Marina
(daily
8am-1pm & 2-5pm; 666 2215, VHF CHL 68). In mid-September the Fiji sailing sea-
son culminates here in the week-long
Musket Cove Regatta
, featuring race days as well as
plenty of partying. The low grassy hills on the north side of Malolo Lailai are crisscrossed
with walking tracks with stunning views looking back to Viti Levu and out over the Mama-
nucas.
When Australian prospector
John Thompson
sailed to Fiji in 1872 he purchased Malolo
Lailai for fifty muskets and five hundred pieces of gold from the landowners on the neigh-
bouring island of Malolo. In 1903 the island was leased to the Won Ket family who worked
the land as a successful copra plantation for 63 years using Chinese labourers - a
Chinese
cemetery
can be seen in the hills. In 1966, with the collapse of copra prices, the island was
sold to its present owners, the Smith and Raffe families, both of whom pioneered the region's
tourism industry building successful
holiday resorts
.
