These Iguanas are so well camoflaged, they can literally disappear right in front of your eyes....
Showing posts with label Kadavu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kadavu. Show all posts
Oct 2, 2012
Kadavu Iguana
One of our Matava members of staff saw a local villager wandering by with a couple of Kadavu Iguanas and persuaded him to part with them. We were delighted to release them and snap off a few pics before they disappeared into the foliage...
These Iguanas are so well camoflaged, they can literally disappear right in front of your eyes....
These Iguanas are so well camoflaged, they can literally disappear right in front of your eyes....
Jan 31, 2012
Great Place - TripAdvisor
Great Place - Review of Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort, Kadavu Island, Fiji - TripAdvisorWe stayed 5nights at Matava, going home on Nov. 17. I have nothing but praise.Matava was perfect for us, but do your homework to see if it's for you. If you want blowdryers, boutiques, pools and fancy, skip this. Kadavu is gorgeous, and Matava provided us with everything we needed. The setting is stunning, and our bure felt very private. The showers were nice and warm, good pressure and I had enough water. Food was absolutely amazing. Bed was comfy and a mosquito net was provided.There was no a/c, but we didn't miss it. The breezes were more than fine to cool us off.We had an oceanview bure (bulubulu) and it was perfect. I didn't see the inside of a honeymoon bure, but was glad I didn't have to trek up all those steps every time I wanted something, though the views are spectacular from there.If you're on the fence over which bure to get, please be assured that the oceanview is very nice.The wonderful folks at Matava take excellent care of you. My brother called them and told them I was celebrating my 50th birthday, and they surprised me with a beautifully decorated birthday cake and singing.If you've read any other reviews, you know Maggie is an absolute hoot. George is too. All the staff were friendly and helpful. Loved, loved the meke!! (fyi a spa is in the works)We don't dive, but love to snorkle and kayak. There was tons for us to do, and we had the place to ourselves in the day. We signed up for the adventure package incldg 1 day kayak. Loved all of it!Waya Island is a very short kayak away, with gorgeous beaches, some of the best snorkeling I have ever done, and privacy.I could go there every day of my life and be an extremely happy woman! If this is your style, for God's sakes go! Do not miss it!
Jan 3, 2012
Once in a lifetime holiday! TripAdvisor
My Husband and I stayed at the Matava November last year and I am counting down the time until we can get back there. I was certified as a scuba diver there and my teacher was brilliant! One on one training - what more could you ask for!
The food was "to die for" and being a foodie didn’t expect such wonderful & new culinary delights!!
Our Hostess with the mostess “Maggie” was so warm, friendly & funny I would go back just to spend another week with her! Love Ya Mags!!.
The Directors Richard, Adrian & Stuart well who could ask for better people to get to know and enjoy such wonderful company with! Bula Guys!!
The accommodation was peaceful and comfortable and all the staff were fantastic! As a first time diver I couldn’t ask for a better place to learn to dive! Can’t wait to see you all again soon!
XOXOXOX JULIE & DAVID XOXOXOX
Review of Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort
Dec 11, 2011
Mar 18, 2010
Matava is fully operational after Cyclone TOMAS
Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort is 100% fully open after the cyclone passed Fiji on Tuesday 16th March 2010
KADAVU, FIJI ISLANDS - 17 December 2009 - On Monday 15th March 2010 Fiji was hit by a Category 4 Tropical Cyclone, TC TOMAS. The cyclone passed over the northern islands and well to the East of Kadavu Island.
Although the resort experienced high winds and heavy rain, no damage was done to the resort at all, apart from the loss of some thatch from the corner of the roof of the dive centre.
The guests and staff spent the whole day playing cards, board games and reading books safely in the Main Bure while Maggie served breakfast, lunch and dinner as normal. We even had some divers toughen up and go shore diving in the 'teeth' of the bad weather on Monday and Tuesday and get some great pics of critters on The Critter Junction dive site!By Tuesday 16th March we were once again fishing, diving and trekking as normal, in glorious sunshine with not even a slight breeze!
The cyclone passed well east of Kadavu and was over in a couple of days of strong winds and grey weather.
Due to flight safety reasons, Pacific Sun did postpone its flights for a couple of days, but have now fully resumed services to Kadavu from Nadi. All flights to and from Kadavu from Nadi International Airport are currently fully resumed and we have have had clients fly in and out of Kadavu today (Wednesday 18th March 2010).
We appreciate your patience in these matters, and rest assured that we are all fine and 100% fully operational at Matava - Fiji's premier Eco Adventure Resort.
Here is a pic taken by Adrian this morning from the deck of Mango, one of our Honeymoon Bures:
Richard, Adrian, Jeanie, Stuart & The Team @ Matava
Jan 21, 2010
MV Clipper Odyssey
Matava Resort recently had its first cruise ship visit when the MV Clipper Odyssey visited and disembarked 75 passengers into the waiting arms of Matava Resort staff.
Our guests for the day went on one of three activitity trips organised by the resort. About 25 guests were taken out to the Great Astrolabe barrier reef for a snorkeling experience of a lifetime aboard our resort dive boats.
25 guests went on a birdwatching trek through the island's rainforrest and bush to seek and successfully find and photograph the islands 4 endemic bird species. (Kadavu Musk Parrot, Kadavu Fantail, Kadavu Honeyeater and Kadavu Whistling Dove)
Finally, another large group were guided to our local Fijian village where villagers greeted our visitors with a traditional Fijian kava ceremony and put on a traditional 'Meke' before everyone took a dip in the village's spectaculor waterfall.
The cruise ship visit was and extraordinary success and all visiting passengers enjoyed a special day that they will long remember.
We look forward to extending this reef, birding and cultural experience to future cruise ship passengers.
May 20, 2009
Kadavu Island forum: Snorkeling at Kadvu - TripAdvisor
Upapalmtree in Fiji
"Matava- the astrolabe hideaway. Great place, great snorkelling ,great people. They will go out of their way to help you!"
Kadavu Island forum: Snorkeling at Kadvu - TripAdvisor
Jul 2, 2008
Matava Featured in M2 Magazine
Matava - Matava Featured in M2 Magazine
Matava was recently featured in Mel Lowen's article in M2 Magazine in New Zealand.
See pdf:
Jun 30, 2008
Outdoor Travel Adventures - Kadavu Classic
Kadavu Classic
7-day Adventure Around Remote Kadavu Island for $1670Grade: 2 | Soft to Moderate
Country: Fiji
Activity: Kayaking
2008 Price: from $1670 per person
2008 Dates: Mar 30; Apr 6; May 1, 12; Jun 29; Jul 6; Aug 17, 31; Oct 26; Dec 7
Over seven days and six nights we combine world-class sea-kayaking and snorkeling with treks through rain-forests, visits to isolated villages, picnics on beaches, side-trips and surprises. We overnight in small, simple resorts, and spend one night as guests in a village. No camping! The beautiful marine environment and lush, tropical landscape of Kadavu are both the back-drops and the star attractions of the Kadavu Classic.
Day 1
At 11am we rendezvous at Fiji's Nadi International Airport, in time to board the 45-minute Sun Air flight to the island of Kadavu. From there a 1-2 hour scenic boat ride will ferry us along Kadavu's coastline to Waisalima Beach Resort. Time for a sea-kayaking refresher course, and/or a swim /snorkel off the beach.
Day 2
We have a great day trip planned: sea-kayaking along the coast and up into the mangroves at the head of Kavala Bay, then trekking into the rainforest for a refreshing swim under a towering waterfall, before returning to Waisalima Beach Resort for another night.
Day 3
A big day of sea-kayaking: across the channel to the island of Ono, and then around the coastline, through schools of flying fish, to the village of Naqara. We will be ceremonially welcomed by the chief and the villagers, and invited to share in the sacred drink, kava, and the feast cooked in the underground oven, the lovo.
Day 4
After a fond farewell to the people of Naqara, we continue our journey around the coastline of the island, stopping somewhere special for a picnic lunch. More kayaking after lunch takes us to Kenia Beach Resort, where comfortable beach-front bures await us.
Day 5
The biggest day of the expedition: we cross the channel between Ono and Kadavu then kayak along the coast, stopping to enjoy another picnic/snorkel/siesta session. By the end of the day we're in a resort named Matava, the Great Astrolabe Hideaway. Matava is a unique resort, situated where the rain-forest meets the reef. Luxurious surroundings and adventurous pursuits are a specialty.
Day 6
A kayak journey across turquoise lagoons, and time to snorkel where turtles are often seen. We'll paddle a little further to a nearby village for lunch, rest a little, then follow a trail through the forest to a spectacular waterfall and swimming area. Back to Matava for a special last-evening dinner and a well-earned sleep.
Day 7
More snorkeling for those still keen, otherwise a sleepy morning. Another scenic boat-ride (1 hour) to Kadavu's airport, a farewell to the guides, then a 45-minute flight back to Nadi International Airport and onward travel plans. (Scheduled arrival time back in Nadi: 1.45pm.)
Included:
- Domestic airfare (Nadi-Kadavu-Nadi)
- 5 nights resort accommodation
- 1 night village accommodation
- All meals while in Kadavu, and refreshments throughout each day
- Guided sea-kayaking, plus guided walks, snorkeling trips and other activities on each day
- All sea-kayaking and snorkeling equipment, and tuition
- Professional guides and support staff
- All vehicle and boat transfers while in Kadavu, and motorized support boat services throughout the sea-kayaking sectors
Outdoor Travel Adventures | Kadavu Classic
May 12, 2008
Reality Fiji
Writer: Caitlin Cherry
For: NZ Sunday Star Times
Date: May 14, 2000
Most of us who travel to Fiji only see the tourist version - we stay at resorts and sit beside the pool drinking coloured cocktails.
Few get a chance to really experience Fijian culture. New Zealander Anthony Norris of Tamarillo Tropical Expeditions, has spent many months working closely with the locals on the remote Fijian island of Kadavu, to ensure the small groups they take kayaking around the island get a chance to experience the real Fiji.
Kadavu has no television, few roads and life is dictated by the tides.
The island is almost entirely surrounded by one of the worlds largest reefs - the Great Astrolabe, which protects the waters around the island from the massive Pacific swells, and makes sea-kayaking a pleasure.
Tamarillo takes groups of up to 12 people for an 7-day trip kayaking around Kadavu and nearby Ono, staying in small, simple resorts and in local villages. I took the trip with 2 Americans, an Australian and three other New Zealanders.
The first two nights were spent on Ono, at a small palm-fringed resort called Jona's Paradise. With a small coral reef right by the shoreline, the snorkelling there is amazing. This is where we had our kayaking training, and got a chance to walk with our Fijian guide Petero to the top of the island to see the lay of the land.
We began our kayaking trip on the third day - hugging the coastline we paddled around the southern coast of Ono, stopping for lunch at a beautiful bay where an old man, called Taito, with lots of stories to tell, lives on his own in the small bure he built himself. The support boat carrying our luggage arrived before us, and lunch was ready when we pulled onto the shore.
In the afternoon we kayaked for another couple of hours to the village of Naqara - all the children from the village were there to welcome us as we pulled in to the shore. Naqara is a very traditional village - which meant we had to change into more modest attire, covering our shoulders and legs.
After a lesson from Petero on village etiquette, we headed into the village meeting house.
Our guides offered the villagers a kava root on our behalf, which was ground up to make a huge bowl of kava - and the ceremony began. The taste of kava can be hard to get used to, but it is fairly rude to refuse it - at least not the first time. The four New Zealanders heartily drank every bowl until our mouths went numb.
We then were called away to another room, where the most incredible feast had been put on for us - prawns, stuffed crabs, fish - it is impossible to describe, except to say it was one of the most delicious meals I have ever eaten.
After dinner we returned to the meeting house for more kava and a Taralala - or dance - to music from three guitars. We all danced until the kava ran out in the early hours of the morning.
After a comfortable night in a bure, a delicious breakfast, and a fond farewell to the people of the village, we headed back around the Ono coastline, stopping for some more incredible snorkelling, another tasty lunch and plenty of strong (real) coffee. We then crossed the channel to Kadavu in the support boat.
We spent the night at another small palm-fringed resort - Alberts Place - and in the morning began the trip around the island of Kadavu.
This day was the highlight of my trip - as we rounded the eastern tip of the island we saw two humpback whales, a mother and her calf, just a few metres from our kayaks.
The view from a kayak is totally unique - you get to see the beautiful coastline, cruise through the mangroves, kayak over incredible coral reefs - I saw a reef shark, two rare sea turtles and more shades of turquoise than I knew existed.
We spent the next night at a resort called Matava - which runs diving expeditions out past the Astrolabe reef - and hires out all the equipment needed. It also has a bar - which was a welcome relief for many of the people on my trip.
The moment we arrived at Matava a marathon session of touch rugby began on the beach with some of the local Fijian lads from the area. This was of course followed by another incredible feast.
In the morning we set off in our kayaks on a day trip to the village of Nacamoto. When we arrived another incredible feast was laid out for us - crabs, prawns, eggplant - again impossible to describe - except to say I was in ecstasy.
All of us stuffed ourselves yet again, so we all keeled over for a nap, before taking a scenic walk, over the hills back to Matava, led by one of the villagers.
It was a chance to see more incredible views of the island and the roaring Pacific swells smashing onto the reef in the distance.
After a dip in a river swimming hole in another village along the way, we returned to Matava for our final night on Kadavu.
The following morning we took a boat trip to Kadavu's one small grass airstrip and flew back to the mainland, and Nadi's Tokatoka Resort.
Now this is the Fiji that I knew before - poolside bar, fancy cocktails, hundreds of middle-aged Australians wearing slacks and polyester summer dresses. But it all just seemed so tacky after the experience of the previous days.
What we experienced on Ono and Kadavu is not something a traveller could not do on their own.
Tamarillo have worked very hard to develop relationships with the locals on the two islands - so that we are welcomed into their homes, and looked after as if we were family.
Sea-kayaking with Tamarillo is an expedition for people with a sense of adventure - who want to really experience ALL that Fiji has to offer.
I would do this trip again in a flash.
For: NZ Sunday Star Times
Date: May 14, 2000
Most of us who travel to Fiji only see the tourist version - we stay at resorts and sit beside the pool drinking coloured cocktails.
Few get a chance to really experience Fijian culture. New Zealander Anthony Norris of Tamarillo Tropical Expeditions, has spent many months working closely with the locals on the remote Fijian island of Kadavu, to ensure the small groups they take kayaking around the island get a chance to experience the real Fiji.
Kadavu has no television, few roads and life is dictated by the tides.
The island is almost entirely surrounded by one of the worlds largest reefs - the Great Astrolabe, which protects the waters around the island from the massive Pacific swells, and makes sea-kayaking a pleasure.
Tamarillo takes groups of up to 12 people for an 7-day trip kayaking around Kadavu and nearby Ono, staying in small, simple resorts and in local villages. I took the trip with 2 Americans, an Australian and three other New Zealanders.
The first two nights were spent on Ono, at a small palm-fringed resort called Jona's Paradise. With a small coral reef right by the shoreline, the snorkelling there is amazing. This is where we had our kayaking training, and got a chance to walk with our Fijian guide Petero to the top of the island to see the lay of the land.
We began our kayaking trip on the third day - hugging the coastline we paddled around the southern coast of Ono, stopping for lunch at a beautiful bay where an old man, called Taito, with lots of stories to tell, lives on his own in the small bure he built himself. The support boat carrying our luggage arrived before us, and lunch was ready when we pulled onto the shore.
In the afternoon we kayaked for another couple of hours to the village of Naqara - all the children from the village were there to welcome us as we pulled in to the shore. Naqara is a very traditional village - which meant we had to change into more modest attire, covering our shoulders and legs.
After a lesson from Petero on village etiquette, we headed into the village meeting house.
Our guides offered the villagers a kava root on our behalf, which was ground up to make a huge bowl of kava - and the ceremony began. The taste of kava can be hard to get used to, but it is fairly rude to refuse it - at least not the first time. The four New Zealanders heartily drank every bowl until our mouths went numb.
We then were called away to another room, where the most incredible feast had been put on for us - prawns, stuffed crabs, fish - it is impossible to describe, except to say it was one of the most delicious meals I have ever eaten.
After dinner we returned to the meeting house for more kava and a Taralala - or dance - to music from three guitars. We all danced until the kava ran out in the early hours of the morning.
After a comfortable night in a bure, a delicious breakfast, and a fond farewell to the people of the village, we headed back around the Ono coastline, stopping for some more incredible snorkelling, another tasty lunch and plenty of strong (real) coffee. We then crossed the channel to Kadavu in the support boat.
We spent the night at another small palm-fringed resort - Alberts Place - and in the morning began the trip around the island of Kadavu.
This day was the highlight of my trip - as we rounded the eastern tip of the island we saw two humpback whales, a mother and her calf, just a few metres from our kayaks.
The view from a kayak is totally unique - you get to see the beautiful coastline, cruise through the mangroves, kayak over incredible coral reefs - I saw a reef shark, two rare sea turtles and more shades of turquoise than I knew existed.
We spent the next night at a resort called Matava - which runs diving expeditions out past the Astrolabe reef - and hires out all the equipment needed. It also has a bar - which was a welcome relief for many of the people on my trip.
The moment we arrived at Matava a marathon session of touch rugby began on the beach with some of the local Fijian lads from the area. This was of course followed by another incredible feast.
In the morning we set off in our kayaks on a day trip to the village of Nacamoto. When we arrived another incredible feast was laid out for us - crabs, prawns, eggplant - again impossible to describe - except to say I was in ecstasy.
All of us stuffed ourselves yet again, so we all keeled over for a nap, before taking a scenic walk, over the hills back to Matava, led by one of the villagers.
It was a chance to see more incredible views of the island and the roaring Pacific swells smashing onto the reef in the distance.
After a dip in a river swimming hole in another village along the way, we returned to Matava for our final night on Kadavu.
The following morning we took a boat trip to Kadavu's one small grass airstrip and flew back to the mainland, and Nadi's Tokatoka Resort.
Now this is the Fiji that I knew before - poolside bar, fancy cocktails, hundreds of middle-aged Australians wearing slacks and polyester summer dresses. But it all just seemed so tacky after the experience of the previous days.
What we experienced on Ono and Kadavu is not something a traveller could not do on their own.
Tamarillo have worked very hard to develop relationships with the locals on the two islands - so that we are welcomed into their homes, and looked after as if we were family.
Sea-kayaking with Tamarillo is an expedition for people with a sense of adventure - who want to really experience ALL that Fiji has to offer.
I would do this trip again in a flash.
May 5, 2008
Prime paddling
Writer: Sarah Daniell
For: NZ Sunday Star Times
Date: 5 Sept, 2004
I'm sitting cross-legged in a village meeting house and before me, on a woven mat, is a plate of cake and a jug of lemon tea.
" Kana vaka levu, eat plenty," says Iokimi, an old Fijian guy next to me. "We don't like it when tourists come here and just pick at the food.
"It is not so much an invitation to eat, but an order and I'm not going to argue. We are, after all, in Kadavu (kan-da-vu),which comes from two words: Kana, to eat, and davu, to lie down. Eat and lie down. It could be a philosophy for life.
The genteel afternoon tea party seems oddly juxtaposed with this traditional village scene at Waisomo, in Ono Island in Kadavu, Fiji's southernmost island group. But as we discover over the next five days, it is as much a part of the welcome ritual as drinking kava.
The cakes are cooked, like everything here, over fire. Not for these gastronomes the agony of whether to go for fan or conventional bake. And for five days the food is (with the possible exception of the sea slug cooked in coconut cream) magnificent. In fact, Tamarillo Tropical Expeditions, our hosts, could easily change its name toTamarillo Culinary Adventures.
Anthony Norris, a peripatetic New Zealand adventure guide, discovered Kadavu in 1996 while on a reconnaissance for sea kayaking tours. He set up Tamarillo Tropical Expeditions - the only kayaking business in the area - and was later joined by Marina Mantovani of Italy, and Ratu Joseva, a paramount chief in Kadavu.
Tamarillo has been providing adventures for people of all ages and abilities since 1998. On one trip, the eldest guest was 75 years old while the youngest was 3.
Martinis-by-the-McResort-pool it is not. Kadavu is the real deal. This is largely due to the locals' staunch adherence to traditions and culture. Tamarillo has valiantly risen to the occasion with their sympathetically-designed and well-paced tours and Norris, who explored Fiji's other islands before settling on this quintessential paradise, chose well.
Kadavu is surrounded by the Great Astrolabe Reef was named by explorer Dumont d'Urville who sailed by in 1834 in his boat, the Astrolabe.
The reef, the third largest in the world, protects the white-coral beaches (and kayakers) from the pounding Pacific swells, and its biological diversity makes it a top scuba diving and snorkelling destination. There are whales, reef sharks, sea turtles and magnificent coral.
Kadavu has rainforests, spectacular beaches, mangroves, lagoons, islets, waterfalls, and lovely people. There is one airstrip, transport is by boat, there is no electricity (but there are generators) and - joy of joys -very few telephones.
Despite the best efforts of a wildly gusting south-east wind, our 15-seater plane touches down safely at Vunisea, the "capital" of Kadavu. We then clamber into a boat and motor for nearly two hours to Jona's Paradise on Ono Island, where we will stay for two nights.
Our bure (with ensuite) is beachfront and that night, after feasting and drinking vodka with freshly made lemonade, we fall asleep to the perennial lullaby of the waves.
We are in a state of blissful acclimatisation at Jona's Resort, reading, trekking to the top of the island for a panoramic view of the primordial landscape and the sunset, eating and lying down.
We have our first taste of village life at Waisomo, then on day three we head for the water like baby turtles thrown to the elements, alone in the big blue.
Except we're not alone, of course. There are eight in our group plus four Fijian guides - Petero, Ephrami, Qase (pronounced Gus) and Katherine; one New Zealand guide, Jacqui Pryor; plus Norris and Ratu in the support boat, which carries our luggage, fresh coffee and food so that we may eat and lie down.
My kayaking guide is Petero, which is fortunate for me, less so for him. He steers, I set the pace - or so the theory goes. You don't need the Iron Man gene to be able to kayak successfully, but a basic level of fitness is helpful. We stick close to the shore, gliding between rocks and a spectacular frigate bird soars overhead.
The first leg augurs well. We paddle over glittering water in 20 shades of blue and flying fish skid across the bow of my kayak. It's about 40 minutes to our morning tea stop where we have a snorkel. Petero, ever the gentleman, spears a fish for lunch - a ritual he repeats each day, afterwards cooking the fish over fire on the beach.
We lie around on mats and do the Fijian slap dance (whacking mosquitoes) before beginning the next leg of the trip to the beach owned by Taito, a Fijian with tales of omens and butterflies.
Taito lives in nearby Naqara village but frequently retreats to his bachelor pad beach-cave - surely the most romantic piece of beach-side real-estate in the Pacific.
The day Taito met Norris back in 1998 started out as any other day. He awoke, did his chores and caught a fish for lunch. Suddenly, a swarm of butterflies materialised and swooped in, covering his arms and dancing around him. Butterflies symbolise good fortune, says Taito and it was a sign that he would meet someone special that day. So he set two extra places for lunch. As you do.
Meanwhile, Norris, who was on a kayaking recce with a friend when he rounded the west side of Ono, saw the idyllic beach and Taito waving them in. When they landed on the chalky white sand, Taito said, "I've been expecting you." They've have been friends ever since.
That night we are guests at Naqara, where village protocol is observed reverentially. First there are speeches and a gift of kava root is presented from Tamarillo. There is cake, tea, followed by kava (it is polite to accept two cups) and a mind-boggling spread of local delicacies including stuffed land crab, shrimps, fresh fish,eggplant, rice and salad.
We are all tired, but it's a fitful sleep to the sound of what must be a hundred barking dogs, followed by a pre-dawn chorus of crazed roosters. Throughout the night and into the morning I entertain not very pretty fantasies involving slug-guns, sling shots and neck-wringing.
In the morning, the villagers farewell us from the beach and we head off to confront a bitching head wind. The waves have picked up and we engage in a little involuntary surfing. It's fun and certainly challenging, but just when I think I might bail out and holler for the support boat, our next stop appears up ahead. Timing is everything.
Joe Nalewabau owns a beachfront property and 46 acres of tropical gardens and forest called, appropriately, Somewhere Special. His prescient legacy is more like the Garden of Eden.
Nalewabau is a bespectacled, elegant man, who spends 12 to 16 hours a day toiling in the tropical heat of his sanctuary(so much for eating and lying down) and likes to talk philosophy. He proudly shows me his orchards, vegetable gardens, frangipani trees, avocado trees, coconuts and mangoes.
We wash off the salt under a cold outside shower and have lunch before bidding Nalewabau farewell and starting the day's final run. We must have been as fair a sight as any a vessel under sail: six double kayaks rafted up, with sarongs and a tarpaulin to catch the wind. And better still: no paddling required.
Just 40 minutes later, we make Jona's Paradise before crossing the channel to Albert's Place in the support boat.
The food at Albert's is cooked in the traditional lovo which is similar to a hangi. Just when you think the food can't get any better, it does. There is also a magnificent chicken curry, fresh whole fish, vegetables and rice. We drink bizarre Duty Free concoctions and dance and sing before collapsing under our mosquito nets.
We are grateful for a leisurely kayaking pace the next day, but manage a snorkel. Exhaustion and hang-overs give way to a sense of childish wonderment at the "Nemo" land of coral gardens and coloured fish. Afterwards we have stuffed roti and bhuja on the beach before setting sail for Matava Resort.
Matava should be spelt with an "aah" at the end, because on first seeing this place, with its beachfront bures, exotic gardens and sense of relaxed and unpretentious luxury, you can't help but sigh. There are hot showers, a small library, an outside dining room and more importantly, a bar selling cold Fiji Bitter.
The day we arrived, someone caught a yellow fin tuna and that night dinner is sashimi and a smorgasbord. The food at Matava Resort is legendary, as is the maitre d' - Maggie who is elegant, entertaining and hilarious. Our last two nights here are the ideal finale to a fascinating and challenging week.
We've travelled for a week and never once got in a car; there have been no ringing telephones, no newspapers, no six o'clock news. In the summer months in Kadavu, says Petero, the mango trees drip with fruit. It sounds like the perfect time to return, to eat and lie down.
For: NZ Sunday Star Times
Date: 5 Sept, 2004
I'm sitting cross-legged in a village meeting house and before me, on a woven mat, is a plate of cake and a jug of lemon tea.
" Kana vaka levu, eat plenty," says Iokimi, an old Fijian guy next to me. "We don't like it when tourists come here and just pick at the food.
"It is not so much an invitation to eat, but an order and I'm not going to argue. We are, after all, in Kadavu (kan-da-vu),which comes from two words: Kana, to eat, and davu, to lie down. Eat and lie down. It could be a philosophy for life.
The genteel afternoon tea party seems oddly juxtaposed with this traditional village scene at Waisomo, in Ono Island in Kadavu, Fiji's southernmost island group. But as we discover over the next five days, it is as much a part of the welcome ritual as drinking kava.
The cakes are cooked, like everything here, over fire. Not for these gastronomes the agony of whether to go for fan or conventional bake. And for five days the food is (with the possible exception of the sea slug cooked in coconut cream) magnificent. In fact, Tamarillo Tropical Expeditions, our hosts, could easily change its name toTamarillo Culinary Adventures.
Anthony Norris, a peripatetic New Zealand adventure guide, discovered Kadavu in 1996 while on a reconnaissance for sea kayaking tours. He set up Tamarillo Tropical Expeditions - the only kayaking business in the area - and was later joined by Marina Mantovani of Italy, and Ratu Joseva, a paramount chief in Kadavu.
Tamarillo has been providing adventures for people of all ages and abilities since 1998. On one trip, the eldest guest was 75 years old while the youngest was 3.
Martinis-by-the-McResort-pool it is not. Kadavu is the real deal. This is largely due to the locals' staunch adherence to traditions and culture. Tamarillo has valiantly risen to the occasion with their sympathetically-designed and well-paced tours and Norris, who explored Fiji's other islands before settling on this quintessential paradise, chose well.
Kadavu is surrounded by the Great Astrolabe Reef was named by explorer Dumont d'Urville who sailed by in 1834 in his boat, the Astrolabe.
The reef, the third largest in the world, protects the white-coral beaches (and kayakers) from the pounding Pacific swells, and its biological diversity makes it a top scuba diving and snorkelling destination. There are whales, reef sharks, sea turtles and magnificent coral.
Kadavu has rainforests, spectacular beaches, mangroves, lagoons, islets, waterfalls, and lovely people. There is one airstrip, transport is by boat, there is no electricity (but there are generators) and - joy of joys -very few telephones.
Despite the best efforts of a wildly gusting south-east wind, our 15-seater plane touches down safely at Vunisea, the "capital" of Kadavu. We then clamber into a boat and motor for nearly two hours to Jona's Paradise on Ono Island, where we will stay for two nights.
Our bure (with ensuite) is beachfront and that night, after feasting and drinking vodka with freshly made lemonade, we fall asleep to the perennial lullaby of the waves.
We are in a state of blissful acclimatisation at Jona's Resort, reading, trekking to the top of the island for a panoramic view of the primordial landscape and the sunset, eating and lying down.
We have our first taste of village life at Waisomo, then on day three we head for the water like baby turtles thrown to the elements, alone in the big blue.
Except we're not alone, of course. There are eight in our group plus four Fijian guides - Petero, Ephrami, Qase (pronounced Gus) and Katherine; one New Zealand guide, Jacqui Pryor; plus Norris and Ratu in the support boat, which carries our luggage, fresh coffee and food so that we may eat and lie down.
My kayaking guide is Petero, which is fortunate for me, less so for him. He steers, I set the pace - or so the theory goes. You don't need the Iron Man gene to be able to kayak successfully, but a basic level of fitness is helpful. We stick close to the shore, gliding between rocks and a spectacular frigate bird soars overhead.
The first leg augurs well. We paddle over glittering water in 20 shades of blue and flying fish skid across the bow of my kayak. It's about 40 minutes to our morning tea stop where we have a snorkel. Petero, ever the gentleman, spears a fish for lunch - a ritual he repeats each day, afterwards cooking the fish over fire on the beach.
We lie around on mats and do the Fijian slap dance (whacking mosquitoes) before beginning the next leg of the trip to the beach owned by Taito, a Fijian with tales of omens and butterflies.
Taito lives in nearby Naqara village but frequently retreats to his bachelor pad beach-cave - surely the most romantic piece of beach-side real-estate in the Pacific.
The day Taito met Norris back in 1998 started out as any other day. He awoke, did his chores and caught a fish for lunch. Suddenly, a swarm of butterflies materialised and swooped in, covering his arms and dancing around him. Butterflies symbolise good fortune, says Taito and it was a sign that he would meet someone special that day. So he set two extra places for lunch. As you do.
Meanwhile, Norris, who was on a kayaking recce with a friend when he rounded the west side of Ono, saw the idyllic beach and Taito waving them in. When they landed on the chalky white sand, Taito said, "I've been expecting you." They've have been friends ever since.
That night we are guests at Naqara, where village protocol is observed reverentially. First there are speeches and a gift of kava root is presented from Tamarillo. There is cake, tea, followed by kava (it is polite to accept two cups) and a mind-boggling spread of local delicacies including stuffed land crab, shrimps, fresh fish,eggplant, rice and salad.
We are all tired, but it's a fitful sleep to the sound of what must be a hundred barking dogs, followed by a pre-dawn chorus of crazed roosters. Throughout the night and into the morning I entertain not very pretty fantasies involving slug-guns, sling shots and neck-wringing.
In the morning, the villagers farewell us from the beach and we head off to confront a bitching head wind. The waves have picked up and we engage in a little involuntary surfing. It's fun and certainly challenging, but just when I think I might bail out and holler for the support boat, our next stop appears up ahead. Timing is everything.
Joe Nalewabau owns a beachfront property and 46 acres of tropical gardens and forest called, appropriately, Somewhere Special. His prescient legacy is more like the Garden of Eden.
Nalewabau is a bespectacled, elegant man, who spends 12 to 16 hours a day toiling in the tropical heat of his sanctuary(so much for eating and lying down) and likes to talk philosophy. He proudly shows me his orchards, vegetable gardens, frangipani trees, avocado trees, coconuts and mangoes.
We wash off the salt under a cold outside shower and have lunch before bidding Nalewabau farewell and starting the day's final run. We must have been as fair a sight as any a vessel under sail: six double kayaks rafted up, with sarongs and a tarpaulin to catch the wind. And better still: no paddling required.
Just 40 minutes later, we make Jona's Paradise before crossing the channel to Albert's Place in the support boat.
The food at Albert's is cooked in the traditional lovo which is similar to a hangi. Just when you think the food can't get any better, it does. There is also a magnificent chicken curry, fresh whole fish, vegetables and rice. We drink bizarre Duty Free concoctions and dance and sing before collapsing under our mosquito nets.
We are grateful for a leisurely kayaking pace the next day, but manage a snorkel. Exhaustion and hang-overs give way to a sense of childish wonderment at the "Nemo" land of coral gardens and coloured fish. Afterwards we have stuffed roti and bhuja on the beach before setting sail for Matava Resort.
Matava should be spelt with an "aah" at the end, because on first seeing this place, with its beachfront bures, exotic gardens and sense of relaxed and unpretentious luxury, you can't help but sigh. There are hot showers, a small library, an outside dining room and more importantly, a bar selling cold Fiji Bitter.
The day we arrived, someone caught a yellow fin tuna and that night dinner is sashimi and a smorgasbord. The food at Matava Resort is legendary, as is the maitre d' - Maggie who is elegant, entertaining and hilarious. Our last two nights here are the ideal finale to a fascinating and challenging week.
We've travelled for a week and never once got in a car; there have been no ringing telephones, no newspapers, no six o'clock news. In the summer months in Kadavu, says Petero, the mango trees drip with fruit. It sounds like the perfect time to return, to eat and lie down.
Apr 27, 2008
Kayaking Kadavu
Writer: Bruce Davidson
For: Sunday Herald Sun (Aust.)
Date: May 21, 2000
It's the blue that gets to you. A blue like no other. A blue you can never replicate in photographs. A striking, luminescent, inviting blue.
A blue of dreams and of freedom. The blue of the tropical sea. And when you're skimming across this bright blue just centimetres from the surface, the effect is magical.
You see, we're in Fiji - and we're in a kayak. On an expedition that combines adventure, relaxation and traditional Fijian cultural experiences.
Believe me, this is no package trip to a resort hotel. This is something else, in every sense of the expression. We have joined a sea kayaking expedition at a little-visited Fijian island group - Kadavu - about an hour in a light plane from the mainland airport at Nadi.
For the next week transportation will be in two-person kayaks, journeying from small beach resorts to villages to dive spots, stopping at remote beaches along the way, all the time mesmerised by that amazing aqua.
The seven-day expeditions were started by a couple of young New Zealanders, calling themselves Tamarillo Tropical Expeditions. With experience leading kayak trips out of Wellington, they went looking for a tropical location for the winter - and discovered the delights of Kadavu.
Our group - 11 hardy souls ranging from a child as young as 3 to a retired teacher aged 65 - started the adventuring after landing at the quaint airstrip near the Kadavu "capital" of Vunisea.
It's probably the capital because it is the only town on Kadavu with roads; elsewhere transport is by boat or foot. And it is by motor boat that we travel next - an hour-and-a-half northwards to a small island called Ono, which sits inside the Great Astrolabe Reef, offering wonderful protection from the ocean to create calm and safe kayaking conditions.
Accommodation for the first two nights is at a resort called Jona's Paradise - and as they say, it was paradise by name, paradise by nature. Jona (yes, he does exist) and his family offer those ubiquitous bures (thatched huts for the uninitiated) on a coconut palm-lined beach and excellent Fijian fare.
The next day - after a spot of magnificent snorkelling off the beach at Jona's - we took to the kayaks for the first time.
Now, kayaks are known in the trade as "marriage testers". You've got to work together in these things: the one at the back steers and the one at the front sets the pace. You've got to be in harmony, riding the waves with balance and poise, developing a rhythm and teamwork. I opted to go with my daughter.
Before long, our group was sculling around the coral and rocky outcrops like old hands, ready to tackle the first real day of paddling from Jona's up the west coast of Ono.
Now, don't get me wrong: it's not totally idyllic in these plastic cocoons. It does take some effort to paddle the two or three hours required each day. And we experienced some windy conditions and choppy seas at times, making the going a little tougher. However, two support boats travel along behind, transporting the luggage and food - and there is always the option of a rest from the kayaks by jumping in the boat. A few of our group did so on one particularly windy day.
But there is nothing like gliding into a tiny tropical cove, gazing through crystalline waters at coral and fish, and then taking a refreshing dip to cool off after a session of paddling. Wonderful!
After such a day, including lunch on a beach with its lone inhabitant, a delightful old chap named Taito, we arrived at the village of Naqara.
Naqara is as close as to a traditional Fijian village that you'll get these days. The community lives a basic life, getting income from fishing and growing kava, the plant that is pounded into a ceremonial drink throughout Fiji, and increasingly sought by export markets for medical use because of its narcotic properties.
We were given a ceremonial welcome at Naqara, kava and all, and then treated to a Fijian feast - the lovo. This is where meat and vegetables are wrapped in leaves and placed in a pit of hot stones to steam for an hour or so. The result is combined with many and various other dishes, from whole baked fish, to beef wrapped in leaves with coconut milk, to all manner of vegetable specialities.
Afterwards, we sat around with the villagers, chatting about their simple life and contrasting an existence with few worldly possessions, no electricity and little communication outside the island.
Naqara has been a real find for Tamarillo. As one of the owners, Tony Norris, explained, they simply asked for "food and lodging" for the night. But due to the welcoming nature of the Fijians, the village now turns on a night of entertainment - performances in dance and song, and, of course, kava until you can't take it any more!
"We never know what they are going to do for us next," Tony said. "The village has decided off its own bat to do all this - they are incredibly giving and generous. We just asked for a bed for the night and a meal, and we pay for that. All this other stuff has developed because they appreciate the chance to share their culture with our groups. It has probably been the most rewarding thing about running the expeditions."
Back in the kayaks, we paddled out through the surf and around the top of the island. This was the windy day - and the hardest paddling on the trip. But once around the point, we had the wind at our backs and literally surfed down the east coast.
After a breather at Jona's, the gear, including the kayaks, were loaded into the boats for the trip across the channel to the main island again and on to a small resort called Albert's Place.
Now, if you knew you were about to meet a bloke named Bruce O'Connor, you'd probably form a typical Anglo-Saxon picture in your mind. But Bruce and his dad Albert are big, rugby-playing Fijians. They sport their nomenclature courtesy of a great-great-grandfather - a Scottish whaler who settled on the island and married a local. Photos of the generations on the walls at Albert's make a fascinating study.
Albert and family, well and truly Fijian these days, cater mainly for the scuba junkies who make pilgrimages to Kadavu for some of the world's best diving.
After a night at Albert's, we were back on the water, headed for Matava. This spot was positively upmarket after bures on the beaches and the occasional cold shower. Matava caters for those with the diving bug, and it was here we had the opportunity to delve into the deep blue ourselves.
It hardly seemed possible, but the next day's kayaking was through water even more colourful than before. We explored a series of lagoons among coral and rocky outcrops, the water ranging from rich sea green to a "powder-coated" aqua.
Lunch was at another local village, before abandoning the kayaks for a couple of hours and following a jungle path over a mountain range. Tropical rainforest, bird-life, views to die for.
We arrived at another small village, this one sited on a picturesque inlet and set off with the backdrop of a fabulous waterfall. Time for a freshwater swim before catching a motor boat back to Matava for our final night on Kadavu.
A final snorkel the next morning, and we were off through those lagoons again- this time in motor boats - for the trip to Vunisea and our light plane flight back to Nadi.
We stayed the last night in the luxury of a Nadi hotel, but somehow, it wasn't the same.
Where was the Fijian feast? The palm-frond sleeping mats? The lapping of the waves on the beach? The sense of freedom skimming across the water? The exhilaration of a day where you feel you've actually had an experience, not a holiday?
But there is one thing you can't escape, the imprint in your mind of that magnificent blue.
Bruce Davidson flew to Fiji courtesy of Air Pacific, but he paid for the kayaking expedition himself.
For: Sunday Herald Sun (Aust.)
Date: May 21, 2000
It's the blue that gets to you. A blue like no other. A blue you can never replicate in photographs. A striking, luminescent, inviting blue.
A blue of dreams and of freedom. The blue of the tropical sea. And when you're skimming across this bright blue just centimetres from the surface, the effect is magical.
You see, we're in Fiji - and we're in a kayak. On an expedition that combines adventure, relaxation and traditional Fijian cultural experiences.
Believe me, this is no package trip to a resort hotel. This is something else, in every sense of the expression. We have joined a sea kayaking expedition at a little-visited Fijian island group - Kadavu - about an hour in a light plane from the mainland airport at Nadi.
For the next week transportation will be in two-person kayaks, journeying from small beach resorts to villages to dive spots, stopping at remote beaches along the way, all the time mesmerised by that amazing aqua.
The seven-day expeditions were started by a couple of young New Zealanders, calling themselves Tamarillo Tropical Expeditions. With experience leading kayak trips out of Wellington, they went looking for a tropical location for the winter - and discovered the delights of Kadavu.
Our group - 11 hardy souls ranging from a child as young as 3 to a retired teacher aged 65 - started the adventuring after landing at the quaint airstrip near the Kadavu "capital" of Vunisea.
It's probably the capital because it is the only town on Kadavu with roads; elsewhere transport is by boat or foot. And it is by motor boat that we travel next - an hour-and-a-half northwards to a small island called Ono, which sits inside the Great Astrolabe Reef, offering wonderful protection from the ocean to create calm and safe kayaking conditions.
Accommodation for the first two nights is at a resort called Jona's Paradise - and as they say, it was paradise by name, paradise by nature. Jona (yes, he does exist) and his family offer those ubiquitous bures (thatched huts for the uninitiated) on a coconut palm-lined beach and excellent Fijian fare.
The next day - after a spot of magnificent snorkelling off the beach at Jona's - we took to the kayaks for the first time.
Now, kayaks are known in the trade as "marriage testers". You've got to work together in these things: the one at the back steers and the one at the front sets the pace. You've got to be in harmony, riding the waves with balance and poise, developing a rhythm and teamwork. I opted to go with my daughter.
Before long, our group was sculling around the coral and rocky outcrops like old hands, ready to tackle the first real day of paddling from Jona's up the west coast of Ono.
Now, don't get me wrong: it's not totally idyllic in these plastic cocoons. It does take some effort to paddle the two or three hours required each day. And we experienced some windy conditions and choppy seas at times, making the going a little tougher. However, two support boats travel along behind, transporting the luggage and food - and there is always the option of a rest from the kayaks by jumping in the boat. A few of our group did so on one particularly windy day.
But there is nothing like gliding into a tiny tropical cove, gazing through crystalline waters at coral and fish, and then taking a refreshing dip to cool off after a session of paddling. Wonderful!
After such a day, including lunch on a beach with its lone inhabitant, a delightful old chap named Taito, we arrived at the village of Naqara.
Naqara is as close as to a traditional Fijian village that you'll get these days. The community lives a basic life, getting income from fishing and growing kava, the plant that is pounded into a ceremonial drink throughout Fiji, and increasingly sought by export markets for medical use because of its narcotic properties.
We were given a ceremonial welcome at Naqara, kava and all, and then treated to a Fijian feast - the lovo. This is where meat and vegetables are wrapped in leaves and placed in a pit of hot stones to steam for an hour or so. The result is combined with many and various other dishes, from whole baked fish, to beef wrapped in leaves with coconut milk, to all manner of vegetable specialities.
Afterwards, we sat around with the villagers, chatting about their simple life and contrasting an existence with few worldly possessions, no electricity and little communication outside the island.
Naqara has been a real find for Tamarillo. As one of the owners, Tony Norris, explained, they simply asked for "food and lodging" for the night. But due to the welcoming nature of the Fijians, the village now turns on a night of entertainment - performances in dance and song, and, of course, kava until you can't take it any more!
"We never know what they are going to do for us next," Tony said. "The village has decided off its own bat to do all this - they are incredibly giving and generous. We just asked for a bed for the night and a meal, and we pay for that. All this other stuff has developed because they appreciate the chance to share their culture with our groups. It has probably been the most rewarding thing about running the expeditions."
Back in the kayaks, we paddled out through the surf and around the top of the island. This was the windy day - and the hardest paddling on the trip. But once around the point, we had the wind at our backs and literally surfed down the east coast.
After a breather at Jona's, the gear, including the kayaks, were loaded into the boats for the trip across the channel to the main island again and on to a small resort called Albert's Place.
Now, if you knew you were about to meet a bloke named Bruce O'Connor, you'd probably form a typical Anglo-Saxon picture in your mind. But Bruce and his dad Albert are big, rugby-playing Fijians. They sport their nomenclature courtesy of a great-great-grandfather - a Scottish whaler who settled on the island and married a local. Photos of the generations on the walls at Albert's make a fascinating study.
Albert and family, well and truly Fijian these days, cater mainly for the scuba junkies who make pilgrimages to Kadavu for some of the world's best diving.
After a night at Albert's, we were back on the water, headed for Matava. This spot was positively upmarket after bures on the beaches and the occasional cold shower. Matava caters for those with the diving bug, and it was here we had the opportunity to delve into the deep blue ourselves.
It hardly seemed possible, but the next day's kayaking was through water even more colourful than before. We explored a series of lagoons among coral and rocky outcrops, the water ranging from rich sea green to a "powder-coated" aqua.
Lunch was at another local village, before abandoning the kayaks for a couple of hours and following a jungle path over a mountain range. Tropical rainforest, bird-life, views to die for.
We arrived at another small village, this one sited on a picturesque inlet and set off with the backdrop of a fabulous waterfall. Time for a freshwater swim before catching a motor boat back to Matava for our final night on Kadavu.
A final snorkel the next morning, and we were off through those lagoons again- this time in motor boats - for the trip to Vunisea and our light plane flight back to Nadi.
We stayed the last night in the luxury of a Nadi hotel, but somehow, it wasn't the same.
Where was the Fijian feast? The palm-frond sleeping mats? The lapping of the waves on the beach? The sense of freedom skimming across the water? The exhilaration of a day where you feel you've actually had an experience, not a holiday?
But there is one thing you can't escape, the imprint in your mind of that magnificent blue.
Bruce Davidson flew to Fiji courtesy of Air Pacific, but he paid for the kayaking expedition himself.
Apr 8, 2008
Tamarillo Tropical Expeditions
Tamarillo Tropical Expeditions has been guiding sea-kayaking journeys and study programs around Fiji's Kadavu Island group since 1998.
Kadavu Island offers a remote and unspoiled environment for sea-kayaking, snorkeling, trekking, cultural interaction and learning experiences.
People from all over the world, from 3 to 73 years old, have travelled through these beautiful islands under the friendly and experienced leadership of Tamarillo Tropical Expeditions.
The trips take place in a sparsely-populated region, where a vast barrier reef surrounds an area of lagoons, coral passages, islets, bays, beaches, and rainforest-covered hills.
Here it's possible to see flying-fish, dolphins, turtles, whales (seasonallly), as well as all kinds of tropical and marine birdlife.
As well as sea-kayaking, snorkeling and trekking are important parts of the expeditions. Tamarillo's guides know the best places for all these activities, and are able to take small groups of people to places seldom seen by others.
A range of expeditions is available for groups and individuals. Travelers can book places on scheduled departures (see: 'dates & details' for the full list); groups can book private trips; and student groups can undertake customised study programs.
As well as Fiji sea-kayaking journeys and study programs, Tamarillo Tropical Expeditions offers:
- Italy walking tours;
- New Zealand sea-kayaking and study programs.
Kadavu Island offers a remote and unspoiled environment for sea-kayaking, snorkeling, trekking, cultural interaction and learning experiences.
People from all over the world, from 3 to 73 years old, have travelled through these beautiful islands under the friendly and experienced leadership of Tamarillo Tropical Expeditions.
The trips take place in a sparsely-populated region, where a vast barrier reef surrounds an area of lagoons, coral passages, islets, bays, beaches, and rainforest-covered hills.
Here it's possible to see flying-fish, dolphins, turtles, whales (seasonallly), as well as all kinds of tropical and marine birdlife.
As well as sea-kayaking, snorkeling and trekking are important parts of the expeditions. Tamarillo's guides know the best places for all these activities, and are able to take small groups of people to places seldom seen by others.
A range of expeditions is available for groups and individuals. Travelers can book places on scheduled departures (see: 'dates & details' for the full list); groups can book private trips; and student groups can undertake customised study programs.
As well as Fiji sea-kayaking journeys and study programs, Tamarillo Tropical Expeditions offers:
- Italy walking tours;
- New Zealand sea-kayaking and study programs.
Apr 1, 2008
Misty Gorillas of Kadavu - New Research
One fact usually overlooked by visitors to Kadavu Island are the rarely seen primates that inhabit the inaccessible jungle covered interior mountains.
The original black & white movie 'King Kong' was filmed on the island's South West shore in the shadow of Mt Delainabukelevu, the island's extinct volcano. A nearby world famous surf break is also named after the movie and surfers from around the world come to surf the left hand reef break - King Kong.
Though never seen near the coast, some villagers with plantations on the upper mountain slopes occasionally see evidence that the gorillas have raided their plantations for fruit.
A new scientific mission has been launched to try to track down and research these secretive animals. Head scientist Dr Jouve binhad and his team of researchers and biologists arrived this week on their research ship and set up their base camp anchored off Matava Resort.
We will bring more news if their attempts prove successful.
The original black & white movie 'King Kong' was filmed on the island's South West shore in the shadow of Mt Delainabukelevu, the island's extinct volcano. A nearby world famous surf break is also named after the movie and surfers from around the world come to surf the left hand reef break - King Kong.
Though never seen near the coast, some villagers with plantations on the upper mountain slopes occasionally see evidence that the gorillas have raided their plantations for fruit.
A new scientific mission has been launched to try to track down and research these secretive animals. Head scientist Dr Jouve binhad and his team of researchers and biologists arrived this week on their research ship and set up their base camp anchored off Matava Resort.
We will bring more news if their attempts prove successful.
Misty Gorillas of Kadavu - New Research
One fact usually overlooked by visitors to Kadavu Island are the rarely seen primates that inhabit the inaccessible jungle covered interior mountains.The original black & white movie 'King Kong' was filmed on the island's South West shore in the shadow of Mt Delainabukelevu, the island's extinct volcano. A nearby world famous surf break is also named after the movie and surfers from around the world come to surf the left hand reef break - King Kong.
Though never seen near the coast, some villagers with plantations on the upper mountain slopes occasionally see evidence that the gorillas have raided their plantations for fruit.
A new scientific mission has been launched to try to track down and research these secretive animals. Head scientist Dr Jouve Binhad and his team of researchers and biologists arrived this week on their research ship and set up their base camp anchored off Matava Resort.
We will bring more news if their attempts prove successful.
Mar 18, 2008
Fiji Special from Don
We just couldn't let Don pass us by without highlighting some of his photography work here on Kadvau and Matava, as well as around the world.
"Here are some of the beautiful photos of my trip to Fiji with my diving buddy, Martin. His underwater photography is presented in the underwater section. We were so glad to be in this part of the world and for the chance to meet so many wonderful people."
He was kind enough to send us a hard back photo book for the Main Bure and all the staff to see.
Thanks Don, and we wish you all the best in your new Photo Career!
http://members.iinet.com.au/~don.limbh/index.html
The Team at Matava
"Here are some of the beautiful photos of my trip to Fiji with my diving buddy, Martin. His underwater photography is presented in the underwater section. We were so glad to be in this part of the world and for the chance to meet so many wonderful people."
He was kind enough to send us a hard back photo book for the Main Bure and all the staff to see.
Thanks Don, and we wish you all the best in your new Photo Career!
http://members.iinet.com.au/~don.limbh/index.html
The Team at Matava
Oct 14, 2007
Tamarillo Kayaking Kadavu Classic Oct 2007
14 October 2007
Tamarillo Kayaking Kadavu Classic Oct 2007
Emma, Matt, Lori, Ravua, Ratu
“We have had the best time this week. Matava Resort has been a lovely final restful experience before headin home. Bula vinaka to you al and see you all again soon I hope.”
Emma Beeley
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)