Mamanuca Group
Prime island resort destination in Fiji
Palm fringed coral islands and excellent beaches
Sailing, diving, snorkelling, water-skiing, parasailing etc.
World-class surfing - Cloudbreak
Numerous day trips from Nadi and Lautoka
Introduction
The Mamanuca group of islands, clearly visible from the west coast of the main island, is the main centre for a fiji vacation / holiday. The furthest of the islands, Tokoriki, is less than 20 miles from Nadi International Airport. There are almost 20 small island resorts to choose from and each has its own distinct market. What they all have in common is the vacation atmosphere - relaxation on the beach, water activities, the sunset bar and night entertainment.
The group consists of a dozen or so small volcanic islands and many more tiny coral islands just large enough to support a small resort. The sea surrounding the islands is sublime: its colours are gorgeous and it's beautifully warm, excellent for snorkelling and diving, and full of sea life. Most Mamanuca resorts have excellent facilities for the water enthusiast, including PADI dive masters, sea kayaks, deep sea fishing and parasailing. This is the place to go to be pampered - a vacation to unwind.
The group has two specific attractions apart from the island resorts - Malolo Lailai has a scenic and fully serviced marina which is very popular with overseas yacties from May to October. Surfers head for the world-famous breaks off Namotu and Tavarua in the south of the group. Overall, the Mamanuca Group has some of the best beaches in fiji and is excellent for diving and snorkelling. The following gives a summary of the islands:
Volcanic Islands
These islands have either rolling grassy hills or steep rocky summits with tropical vegetation. They all have good beaches, some have local Fijian villages and the larger islands are good for exploring with excellent views of the surrounding islands.
Malolo Island, the largest in the Mamanuca Group, has several good beaches to explore as well as the sandy beach alongside the resort. There are several local villages on the island and trails throughout the island and to summits. It is also possible to wade across to neighbouring Malolo Lailai at low tide.
Malolo Lailai hosts two of the larger island resorts in Fiji. The bay and marina are extremely scenic, particularly between May and October when many overseas yachts call in. The island has some excellent beaches as well as an easy trail to the island's summit for a great view. Along with Malolo and Mana islands, these are the only resort islands in the Mamanuca Group that offer good exploring.
Castaway has a good sandy beach alongside the resort. The island's coast is otherwise rugged with several small cove beaches.
Waidigi is a small outcrop of rock with 360O panoramic views. There's a gorgeous fine white sandy beach leading into exquisite shallow turquoise water. What makes this tiny island so appealing is its absolute privacy. One private villa and two chefs.
Mana Island has the largest resort in the Mamanuca Group. There are two good beaches, one with lots of beach and water activities and the other much quieter. The island can be easily walked around in a couple of hours making it an excellent destination for beachcombing. There is also an easy trail to the island's summit for excellent views.
Matamanoa Island has a fine white sandy beach almost all the way around the tiny volcanic island. It is blocked on the western tip by a large protruding rock which is home to several bird species.
Tokoriki Island Resort has an excellent long sandy beach with steep tropical hills as a backdrop. The private island is about 160 acres making it excellent for exploring by foot. There are four islands around Tokoriki which are inhabited solely by traditional Fijians living in small villages and can be visited through the resort. One of these villages is famous for traditional pottery making.
Mamanuca Accommodation
Coral Islands
There are plenty of archetypal South Pacific islands in the Mamanuca Group - tiny coral islands covered in palm trees and encircled by white sand. Most of these charming islands have been claimed by the tourist industry. Resort locations include Tavarua and Namotu (both for surfers), Navini, Beachcomber and Treasure. As far as beaches go they are beautiful to marvel at but too restrictive for the beachcomber as most can be walked around in under five minutes. However, all resorts make sure there are plenty activities to keep tourists happy - kayaking, sailing, parasailing, jet ski boats, snorkelling and more... or simply relax and be pampered.
Mamanuca Accommodation
Uninhabited Tivua and Aqualand are tiny coral atolls too small for a resort. They have become popular day-trip destinations.
Day Tour Operators
Off Treasure Island, a sandbank becomes exposed at low tide and makes an interesting spot for visiting.
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Getting There
All island resorts can be reached by boat within an hour from Nadi. South Sea Cruises and Beachcomber Cruises have fast catamarans to all the major resorts and from these, the smaller resorts transfer you to their islands by speed boat. For a more casual transfer, join a day cruise to your destination seeing the sights on the way.
Sunflower Airlines fly to Malolo Lailai and Mana every hour from Nadi - the views are excellent and fares cheap. Island Hoppers (helicopter), Turtle Airways (seaplane) or Coral Island Air (seaplane) will charter you to wherever you want to go.
Local Airlines
Local Cruises
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