Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
South of Waiyevo, and an hour and a half by road from Matei, is
Nabogi Ono Farm
, a
hundred-acre fruit farm run as an ecological reserve. This is the most accessible place on the
island for regular
bird-spotting
and the only place outside Bouma National Heritage Park
where the native forest almost reaches the coast. Offshore is a pristine section of reef which
you can visit on a guided half- or full-day tour (book in advance) which includes a
snorkel
safari
; the full-day option also features birdwatching and a rainforest trek.
Vuna Lagoon
Three kilometres south of Nabogi Ono Farm is
Paradise Taveuni
, the main resort in the area.
There's no beach but the resort's
dive operation
visits both the Rainbow Reef and the rarely
explored dive sites off
Vuna Lagoon
. The lagoon is a good site for novice divers with lots of
coral heads and reef fish but without the steep drop-offs or strong currents found at Rainbow
Reef. The picturesque
Namoli beach
is fifteen minutes' walk north and you can also reach
the blowhole at Matamaiqi in about ninety minutes.
ACCOMMODATION: VUNA LAGOON
Paradise Taveuni
888 0125,
paradiseinfiji.com
.
The beautiful hand-crafted bures
here are made from coconut palms, and the restaurant ser
ves lo
cal cuisine blended with
European flavours. The on-site diving facilities are excellent.
F$750
Vuna Lagoon Lodge
888 0627.
This family-owned guesthouse has a peaceful location fa-
cing the lagoon. There a
re th
ree roo
ms, o
ne with private bathroom, and a larger occasionally-
used dormitory. Dorms
F$25
; rooms
F$75
The Matamaiqi Blowhole
Buses from Naqara heading to Navakawau Village pass the blowhole but head back to Naqara via the inland
road; it's possible to walk from the
Vuna Lagoon Lodge
South of Vuna Lagoon and its village, jet-black rocks litter a promontory known as the
South
Cape
, where Taveuni's last volcanic eruption spilled into the sea around 500 years ago. The
highlight of the area is the
Matamaiqi Blowhole
, an unpredictable beast which occasionally
spouts jets of sea water 15m or more into the air - it's most likely to perform on the turn of
the low tide. Watch to see what the seas are doing for at least five minutes before getting too
close to the blowhole.
