Fiji Islands Travel Guide | Discover the Islands

The Yasawas

The Yasawas are a chain of islands linked together geographically, historically and culturally. Consisting of seven main islands and numerous smaller islets north-west of Lautoka they stretch in a north-easterly direction for more than eighty kilometers and are separated by narrow expanses of what is known as Bligh Water.

The Yasawas are a paradise for not only cruisers, yachties, divers, packpackers and of course the Fijian inhabitants, but also those who are looking for an exclusive retreat and total anonymity from the pressures of fame and fortune. Almost every Yasawa Island has its own fabulous beach especially around Blue Lagoon (more on that shortly) between Tavewa and Nanuya Lailai.

The larger islands of the group are Waya Island, the highest in the group, Tavewa Island, renowned for its natural beauty, Turtle Island, an exotic and exclusive recluse for the rich and famous, Sawa-i-Lau Island with its limestone cave, Nanuya Levu, home of yet another exclusive honeymoon resort, Naviti Island the largest of the Yasawas and Viwa, the most remote of the sister islands.

The Yasawas wasn’t always tourism orientated. Until 1987 it was the policy of the then government that the Yasawa Group was closed to land-based tourism and was restricted to cruise operations with passengers unable to leave the ships up until the 1950s. Due to its freehold real-estate status it wasn’t long before small budget resorts commenced operations.

The lifestyle for the locals over generations has been subsistence based however with the advent of tourism into the group, local entrepreneurs diversified and now the Yasawas are dotted with small resorts and backpackers.

A Taste of the Islands

Kuata Island – Scenically spectacular you can climb to the top of its highest summit (171m) for a spectacular view of the entire region. A small resort is on the island with great snorkeling.

Wayasewa Island – Hiking and scuba diving are the main attractions. You can hike to the peak of Vatuvula Peak which takes about 1 ½ hours. The island is home to another small resort built on two levels.

Waya Island – If you’re an avid hiker Waya is the place for you as it is the highest in the chain. It has nice beaches and here you can enjoy true Fijian life in its most natural form. One of the best walks in the South Pacific is a two-hour jaunt on a trail from Yalobi to Nalauwaki village.

Naviti Island – The largest of the Yasawas and is the residence of one of the group’s highest chiefs. Soso village church contains fine wood carvings and on the hillside above there are two caves containing the bones of ancestors.

Tavewa Island – The most beautiful of the group with great swimming and snorkeling inside a protected reef. In the late 19th century an Irish man named William Doughty married a lady from Nacula who was given Tavewa as a dowry. This couple are the forefathers of the current population of Tavewa consisting of Doughtys, Bruces, Murrays and Campbells.

Nacula Island – Is the 3rd largest of the group and is home to the Tui Drola, the chief of the central Yasawas. The island boasts numerous lodges, resorts and basic backpackers to great flashpackers. Some of Fiji’s best snorkeling is available here.

Nanuya Lailai Island – The island is best known for Blue Lagoon Beach and is often frequented by cruise-ship passengers with yachts mooring offshore. The island is the location for many resorts from those catering to the rich and famous to those with simpler tastes and similar budgets.

Did you know?
Blue Lagoon was the site for the filming of the 1991 romantic epic “The Blue Lagoon” starring Brooke Shields a story about two teenagers marooned on an island who fall in love. It has a slightly Romeo and Juliet tflavour as both ultimately kill themselves after being stranded in a boat trying to escape the island mistakenly thinking their baby son is dead.

Sawa-i-Lau Island – There is a large cave on the island lit by a large natural skylight in the top. You can swim in a deep pool with an underwater opening leading back into a smaller cave. In the movie Blue Lagoon, Brooke Shields runs away to this cave.

Yasawa Island – The highest chief of the group resides on this island. The island is home to one of the world’s most exclusive resorts and is known to be completely discreet as to its guests and their comings and goings.