Visiting Fiji our first stop was the Coral Coast, in the south of the island of Viti Levu.
Transfer from the Airport to the Coral Coast
When we arrived at Nadi international airport our designated taxi driver was waiting for us. ¨Dodó¨, a Fijian descendant of Indians who was quite friendly. While drove along the winding coastal road through the thick rain, Dodo confessed to be a Celine Dion fan. To prove it he exposed us to several consecutive loops of his mp3 disc, period in which I counted the Titanic song at least 3 times.
Scuba diving in the Coral Coast of Fiji
Music aside, Dodo told us some interesting facts about the landscape and the fijian culture. He made us notice how the landscape was changing, having a well-marked transition between the western dry zone and the wet eastern zone. He told us that 30% of the population of Fiji has Indian roots, mostly descendants of immigrants who arrived around 1900 to work in the sugarcane plantations. Apparently, there is a rivalry between the Indian and native communities, although much less than in the past. We also talked about sports and it turned out that the fans of rugby are native Fijians while the descendants of Indians prefer soccer.
Waidroka Bay Resort
After two and a half hours, we arrived at our accommodation for the following days. The Waidroba Bay Resort is a resort designed primarily for scuba divers and surfers. All the staff is very friendly and they make you feel very comfortable at all times. Every evening, dinner is shared with the rest of the guests and with the staff so that you can breathe a familiar air.
Scuba diving in theCoral Coast and Beqa Lagoon
In the Waidroka I dove for three days. My main objective was to do the famous shark dive in Beqa Lagoon, in which you can see up to 7 different species of sharks (See the post about those dives in https://nitrogenoensangre.com/fiji-buceando-tiburones-beqa-lagoon/ ).
Golden Arche, Coral Coast, Fiji
I also took the opportunity to do other dives which surprised me pleasantly. The first day we went near the Resort to Pipe and Pipe Pinnacle, more than anything to warm up. There I could see how the breaks form several km in the sea and why this place is also so popular with surfers.
On the second day we went to Yanuca Island where I was honestly amazed by the beauty of the dives. First we went to the Golden Arche, one of the most beautiful dives I have ever done. The place is a giant arch completely dense with colored soft corals. The second dive we did in Seven Sisters and the TASU 2 wreck, a very nice fishing boat and the last one in Turtle Head. We made surface stops on Yanuca Island, on a beautiful white beach. At the end of the day, my guide Sam Crouch made me notice the huge smile from ear to ear on my face.
TASU 2 Wreck, Coral Coast, Fiji
¨Kava¨ ceremony
One afternoon we participated in the ¨kava¨ ceremony, a root-based drink typical of the Pacific islands. Kava has a social purpose, when visiting a villa one should carry kava as a gift. It is also a social gathering that serves to relax. During the ceremony, there is a large container where the drink is prepared and it is served in a small bowl for each of the participants to take. Upon receiving the bowl, each participant claps once, shouts “Bula”, drinks all the kava in a sip, and finally claps three times at the cry of “Madaa” . This is repeated in the round until the drink is finished. Kava itself looks like cloudy water and is not particularly rich (it looks like muddy water). If it has an analgesic effect and after several drinks the tongue begins to numb.
Kava Ceremony