Written by Robert Van Pelt
To reach the Yasawas today you must first fly to Nadi, on the big island of Viti Levu, Fiji. From there you travel by high speed catamaran out to the various islands in the chain and are greeted by natives in ponga type boats with outboard motors. The locals will then take you back to the resorts which are located in close proximity to the native villages. The simple resorts themselves are owned and operated by natives under direction of the village chiefs who still govern these islands.
These same islands were used in the movies entitled “Castaway” with Tom Hanks and “Blue Lagoon” with Brooke Shields. The book Robinson Crusoe was also written about the Yasawas. When I saw the huge native footprint in the sand (see attached photo), I understood why Robinson knew that it was not his own. The natives seem perfectly adapted to island life. They even enjoy a peaceful relationship with the sharks which they hand feed with a portion of their daily catch. It is a little discerning when you are diving in these waters to have sharks swim right up to you looking for a hand out.
The only non native residents that I met while in the Yasawas were a Danish Man who was able to survive by choice for 6 months on one of the remote islands living off the land without any supplies. The local chief admired his outdoor skills and granted him permission to build a home and become a permanent resident. The other person was an elderly lady of Australian ancestry who was born on the islands and lives pretty much like a native herself. The yachts that visit Fiji must confine themselves to the main islands as the Yasawas are off limits to uninvited guests pretty much the same as 1789.
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