Canoe, Kayak and Raft

Fiji Sea Kayaking

Fiji is an island nation comprised of 322 islands spread over 88,089 square miles. The Yasawa group is a chain of 16 islands and is located north-west of Fiji's main island, Viti Levu. It is here in the Yasawas that we spend our time, kayaking between the islands, camping on isolated beaches, snorkelling the coral reefs and staying in small native villages getting to know the friendly locals. This is a trip that will appeal to all your senses, giving a well earned break from the stresses of modern life.

The following itinerary should be seen as an approximate guide only. Please note that weather conditions can cause alterations and delays to our itinerary.

Day 1: Arrive Nadi. Take a taxi to the Waterfront Hotel (Lautoka). Approximate cost is $25 Fijian. Flight arrivals vary so a briefing will be held at 8:00pm at the bar of the Waterfront Hotel. If your flight arrives after this, please advise flight details so we can arrange an alternate time. We will issue watertight bags and give a trip briefing for approximately an hour so it is a good idea to eat dinner before. Dinner on Day 1 and breakfast the next morning are not included in the trip cost.

Day 2: Early breakfast at approximately 6:00 am. After breakfast our boat / seaplane transports us approximately 45 miles. out to Tavewa Island and the Blue Lagoon in the Yasawas. The combination of reefs, close island grouping, and shallow waters create the stunning aqua colours for which this area is famous. Our Fijian hosts will make us comfortable at their island home, providing a dining bure and grassy campsites. After customizing our kayaks and getting acquainted with our expedition gear we'll have an instructional paddling session before a short excursion in the lagoon. Watching the sunset from the beach in front of our tents is a great way to end the day. This evening we enjoy a tropical barbecue with our host and sample some fine Australian wines.
****If you have chosen the sea plane option we will transfer from the hotel to our float plane for a 7:30am flight. The flight is half an hour, very scenic and gives you a great overview of our entire paddling trip. Seaplane passengers will arrive several hours before those taking the boat and one guide will accompany you. This will allow time for snorkelling and exploring the island before the rest of the group arrives.

Day 3: Load our expedition craft and weather permitting, we paddle 9 miles to Navotua. With favorable tides we'll have lunch where fringing reefs run directly off the beach. After a refreshing snorkeling session we round the point of Nathula Island and head for the small village of Navotua, our most northerly point. The villagers of Navotua are particularly friendly, and the special warmth and reception we receive in this village has made it our favorite spot. Personal escorts will show us through nearby plantations and the village, where we can observe the making of mats and perhaps the building of a Fijian bure( hut). If the winds are too strong we will only paddle what is comfortable and then transfer to an accompanying boat to cover the remaining distance. This is our first long day paddling so we utilize a local boat to carry equipment and it allows us to ease in to the activity.

Day 4: We paddle 1.8 miles to Sawa-I-La, a scenic island with sharp limestone peaks and saltwater caves that make for fascinating exploring. We round out the day with afternoon entertainment provided by the village and an invitation to join the chief for a social kava party in the evening. (Kava is non-alcoholic drink with mild, numbing effects)

Day 5: We paddle 6 miles to Vawa Island, an uninhabited island with beautiful white sandy beaches. We have the afternoon to explore the island and enjoy its many snorkeling sites. We camp underneath coconut palms and we can even try our hand at climbing some of the low coconut trees to secure vital ingredients for our tropical punch!

Day 6: A day of leisure to relax, explore nearby reefs, climb the island peak or just laze on the beach.

Day 7: Paddle back to Tavewa, exploring the many inlets and bays of Nathula en route (11.2 miles). Time permitting, we can snorkel off the back of the island. Tonight we enjoy a wonderful Fijian lovo, which will have been baked in the ground all afternoon.

Day 8: We load up our transfer boat for our journey back to Lautoka. We arrive in Lautoka in plenty of time to clean up and go out for our celebratory meal. Savouring the last flavours of the South Pacific is a great time to reflect on the trip and dream about our next adventure! Overnight at the Waterfront Hotel.

Day 9: Trip concludes.

Price - AU$1920 per person twin share. Includes all meals, except in Lautoka

Dates - 2004 - May 22-30, JUne 5-13, June 19-27, July 3-11, July 17-25, July 31-Aug. 8, Aug. 14-22, Aug. 28-Sept. 5, Sept. 11-19, Sept. 25-Oct. 3, Oct. 9-17

Your tour cost includes:
-Hotel accommodation at the Waterfront Hotel on a twin share basis for the nights listed in the trip itinerary.
-Internal boat and bus transfers excluding airport transfers.
-Two person expedition kayaks, paddles, life jackets and safety equipment.
-2 person tents (kayaking only).
-Sleeping mats (full length thermarest pads)
-Watertight containers
-Professional Guides
-All meals except in Lautoka where you will need to provide two dinners and two breakfasts.
-Group first aid kit.
small group of 8-12 people.

Your tour cost does not include:
-Items of a personal nature such as postage and laundry.
-Meals in Lautoka as outlined above
-Alcoholic beverages.
-Airport taxes on departure from Nadi.
-Travel insurance.
-Airport transfers.

FITNESS REQUIREMENT
The activity of paddling could be compared to brisk walking or cycling. The degree of difficulty of the trip will depend on the weather we encounter. The sea and weather conditions in the Yasawas are predominantly stable but some days may require a full days paddling due to prevailing winds. An "average" paddling day will range from 3-5 hours and we mix in some rest days for relaxation and exploration. The fitter you are generally, the more you will enjoy the paddling so it's a good idea to begin some form of regular exercise well before the trip. Walking, jogging, cycling, aerobics and swimming are all worthwhile methods for achieving a reasonable level of fitness.