Our arrival in Fiji this morning brought us into a different world—out of the great triangle of Polynesia and into the first of the large islands of Melanesia. On the beautiful garden island of Taveuni we were welcomed into a traditional village with a kava ceremony presided over by the regional chiefs. It was a serious, solemn ritual, followed by some very lighthearted dance performances from the school children. After a delicious snack of local specialties we had a choice of remaining in the village for music and handicrafts or a short hike to a lovely waterfall and swimming hole.
4/27/2024
Read
National Geographic Orion
Beqa Island, Fiji
Today we explored the lovely island of Beqa, which is part of Fiji. The day started with a visit to a small village by the coast and an optional hike to a neighboring village. The hike took us up a hill and provided beautiful views of the ocean and the bays below. Along the way, we looked for birds, visited a kava farm, and learned a bit about local plants. We even visited the village school, which had a small library and playground for the kids. After we finished the hike, we had a delicious lunch on board National Geographic Orion then we took Zodiacs ashore at a new location. When we pulled up on the beach, we were greeted by a chorus of singers from one of the villages. The music was beautiful, and we all enjoyed listening to the group sing and play their instruments. We shared a bowl of kava with our greeting party and then were treated to a special ritual – firewalking! Men from the village showed us their traditional practice of walking over extremely hot rocks that have been heated by a strong fire. It was impressive! It was our last full day on this trip, and we certainly made the most of it.
