Page 60 - Melanesia
P. 60

ijian cooking school - A fantastic experi-   to wander freely - you’ll meet many of the      go. Crystal clear waters below, the sun on
                                                  villagers and particularly the children as      your back and the peace and quiet – nice!
F ence where you will learn how to cook           they go about their daily life. The Ratu (or
                                                  Chief ) may even welcome you.                   S wim with manta rays (May to October)
some traditional Fijian dishes by actually                                                             - If you are lucky enough to experience
preparing the meal yourself. The food             G uided summit walk to amazing island           this, you will talk about it for decades to
reflects Fiji’s South Pacific neighbors with             peaks - This is one of the more strenu-  come! Swimming with manta rays has got
influences from Polynesia, India, China and       ous excursions on offer but so worth it! The    to be one of the most amazing experiences
Western worlds. Traditional foods include         southern Yasawas have rugged volcanic           the natural world has to offer. Between
root vegetables and delicious fresh fish, co-     peaks with summits that provide magnifi-        May and October these majestic creatures
conut cream and vegetables (many resorts          cent views out over the surrounding islands     glide through the channel between Nanuya
grow their own). A dish that you must try         and ocean. The best time to be at the           Balavu and Drawaqa Islands. They pass
is the marinated fish dish called Kokoda          summit is sunrise or sunset. Not only is it a   through nearly every day on the change
(pronounced ko-kon-da). You’ll crave it           cooler time of day, it also lets you see na-    of tide to feed. Of course, they are wild, so
forever more! The best part is getting to eat     ture add her magic to an already awesome        we can’t guarantee you’ll see them but if
it along with your fellow chefs!                  scene. Don’t forget your camera!                you do, no photograph will prepare you for
                                                                                                  that first sighting of them in the water in
F ijian village visit - A real treat for travel-  G uided kayaking trip - A number of the         the beneath you. The mantas don’t seem to
     ers is being welcomed into the local vil-           Yasawa Islands offer guided kayaking     mind swimmers so there’s a good chance
lages. All Fijians are very strongly rooted to    trips. These fun-filled excursions venture      your encounter will be a lengthy one as
their culture, their land and their mataqali      away from the resort and head out to the        they turn and glide in the waters beneath
(family). If it sounds like something for         very best spots in the area. Your guide will    you huge mouths open as they feed on the
your bucket-list, is important you respect        know the best route to take, the best snor-     plankton.
customs and go to a village with a guide          keling spots, the loveliest beaches and be
who can tell you the correct protocol and         able to tell you of life in the Yasawas as you
introduce you to the villagers. The tours of
villages are very relaxed and you’ll be able
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