“Bula” from Fiji 👋
Wow! The change from the chill of Queenstown to the humidity of Nadi was intense… it was also raining and the combination of heat and damp was strange after being somewhere where the air is so fresh and crisp.
What a welcome from the local people though – a band serenaded us as we came through passport control and welcoming smiles were seen on every face. Thanks to our complimentary shuttle service from the hotel to our apartment, we soon got settled in and popped over to the sister hotel for some dinner.
(pool was meant to be closed but they were kind enough to let us use it)
The next morning, we were up and out again, this time heading to the harbour where we were taking a catamaran over to Malolo Lailai (also known as Plantation Island). This part of our adventure we weren’t doing alone – the Ongers family (Russ, Vicky, Annabelle and Nathan) were coming too and we were thrilled to spend more time with them.
We were a bit early to check in, and the kids were desperate to get in the water, so we left our luggage and made our way to the beach for a couple of hours.
We got checked in to our rooms as soon as we were able to, and not a moment too soon for ravenous children! We didn’t hang about too long though, as there was far too much to do and many places to explore!
Following the gorgeous sunset, we headed inside for a Fijian cultural dance show – which featured a men’s “war dance”, both a men’s and a women’s “fan dance” and some wonderful drumming and singing.
Martin stayed at the bar to watch the England vs Nigeria football game, so Kate and the kids headed home in the dark – trying to avoid the frogs!! There are lots of the endemic Fijian ground frogs to be found here, they literally cover the ground at night so you have to be careful not to step on them!
I think we all fell asleep pretty quickly that first night – tired out from all the snorkelling and fun in the sun!
Day two dawned and we were ready to go again – the ocean was calling, as were all the inflatables, pontoons, canoes etc!
Us four Coyles had a brilliant time splashing about on the inflatables and leaping into the water from various heights. We also loved snorkelling and the air pontoon halfway across the sea to the little mini island behind. During our snorkelling exploring we found blue starfish, tropical coloured fish of various shapes and sizes as well as a yellow and black sea snake that slithered through the coral as we watched. We were very thankful to discover such lovely marine life. 🐠🪸
The canoes/kayaks also have clear plastic bottoms so you can see down into the sea while you’re paddling around, which is really fun.
After hours of watery fun, we headed back to our room for some lunch and a bit of time out of the sun. Kate and Vicky snuck away for a little walk and a catch up in a hammock by the sea… sharing a hammock wasn’t the easiest, and our methods of getting in and out were definitely on the less glamorous side!!
That evening we headed off to the nearby Muscat Cove for supper. Delicious burgers, salads and pizza – and Elijah can vouch for the tropical smoothie!
After supper the little Ongers were off to bed, so we left them at their room (we’re next door) and headed to the bar and jetty area to see what was going on, and hoping to catch the “torch lightning” that we read about in the schedule. We must have missed the torch lighting, but we enjoyed chilling on the jetty (Sylvie used it as both a catwalk and a staging area for her singing/rapping!) in the dark and just soaking up the atmosphere and cool evening breeze.
Day three pretty much followed the same pattern as the day before – pool fun, ocean exploring, yummy food and lots of laughter!
We had planned to have a final supper together at one of the restaurants, but also stopped at the tiny local market as the girls wanted to spend some holiday money (both bought bracelets).
Day four came round far too quickly – time for a last run (for Martin), a last swim, a last photo, a last smoothie and a last cuddle.
Having to say goodbye is just the worst! We feel really lucky to have been able to spend this time together, but it doesn’t make the farewells any easier.
So it was back to the sun and sea for the Ongers family, and back on the catamaran for the Coyles. We were heading back to Nadi for the night, before catching our flight back to Auckland tomorrow.
Instead of spending all afternoon just lazing about at our hotel, we decided to head into Nadi for a little shopping and sightseeing. We had hoped to go to the local craft market, but our driver dropped us off at a clean, tidy shop (with air-con) that was clearly there for money-flashing tourists and not quite what we’d envisioned. As we left the shop and headed up the street, the change was immediate… suddenly the warm, bustling streets full of locals gave us a “real Fiji” feel. Naturally (and sadly maybe?) Martin and Kate became a bit more alert and made sure the children stayed close. Interestingly, Sylvie said she was a bit uncomfortable, which shows how much of a “tourist bubble” exists in these kinds of places. It was good to see local businesses and people though, and something we feel is important for the children to experience.
The other thing we decided to do was visit the Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple, a colourful Hindu temple and one of the town’s biggest landmarks. Many of the local people are descendants of the Indian immigrants who arrived here when Fiji was part of the British empire.
And that’s about it for our time here in Fiji – back at our hotel tonight for a shower and some supper (spoiling our children with a pot noodle tonight!) and then in the morning we’ll be heading back to the airport. One snag with our hotel room is that we’ve somehow ended up with just a double bed and one single – so it’ll be a squeeze for Martin, Sylvie and Kate tonight! However on the plus side, we have a (unexpected) complimentary voucher for the buffet breakfast in the morning – and if one person can make use of a buffet breakfast it’s a growing teenage boy!!
“Vinaka” Fiji – we’ve had a wonderful time!
Coyle Family Adventures 