With direct flights from Singapore to Nadi that will take you to the paradisiacal archipelago in the South Pacific in just 10 hours, you should tarry no further with booking your trip
By Mavis Teo
Fiji is the stuff that inspires movies. In fact, the legendary Blue Lagoon (1980) that propelled Brooke Shields to fame was shot at Turtle Island in Fiji. The iridescence of the Fijian waters, the powdery texture of the sand and the lush, idyllic beauty of the tropical forests on land set the standard for all castaway-type of movies. To divers and lovers of marine life, there are even more reasons to visit Fiji. The waters surrounding the islands of Fiji are teeming with fish species and a wide diversity of corals, both soft and hard. It’s a heaven for underwater photography enthusiasts.
Photo: Barefoot Manta Island
2. Learn about marine conservation
The increase in tourists who are keen to visit unspoiled destinations and see beautiful wild creatures is a double-edged sword. More visitors equate more destruction. Plastic waste is also a huge problem for marine life. Therefore, many of the resorts in Fiji are committed to marine conservation and education. Barefoot Manta has a very comprehensive programme that allows guests to learn more about what can be done to make seeing marine life a more uplifting experience, and also protect their dwindling numbers. The Marine Biology tour conducted by resident marine biologist Rob McFarlane is very thorough and engaging. Guests learn about about how coral is crucial to the marine ecosystem and food chain. Divers may also help to clean giant clams by brushing algae off them. A resident of the dive centre that guests must meet is Lady, a five-year old-hawksbill turtle. When she was rescued by a fisherman, she was found entangled in a mesh of nets and had also eaten plastic. She was not only in a poorly state, she was also producing a lot of gas that was trapped under the shell, making it impossible for her to swim. She could only float when I saw her. Even though she couldn’t speak to us, visitors could feel her pain. Lily is a sad reminder of the harm that plastic causes marine life.
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