Eco Tourism in the Yasawa Islands
For many people a vacation isn’t just a chance to get away from the stress of work and day to day life, it is a chance to see parts of the world that they do not get to see everyday. Even more so, it is a chance to see nature. It is a chance to see a different environment then the one that you are used to.
Fiji is an island nation consisting of over 300 islands, and 500 islets situated in the beautiful south pacific. There are few places on earth quite like it. The Yasawa islands, on Fiji’s north western side, is a chain of islands that have been wonderfully preserved in their natural environment. Up until the late 1980’s, the Fijian government restricted land based tourism in the Yasawa islands. This allowed the islands to keep free of the modernization we see in so many other places in Fiji, and across the south pacific.
The Yasawa islands are now dotted with sustainable resorts ranging from budget friendly “backpacker” resorts to all-inclusive luxury resorts. This means the Yasawa islands has something fro accommodate every vacationers needs.
There are also many islands in Yasawa with nothing except local Fijian villages, and some islands that are completely uninhabited. If you want to see the South Pacific as it was before mans intrusion, this is the place to visit.
Formed by volcanic activity millions of years ago, the Yasawa islands have a unique landscape with diverse settings. Visitors can enjoy diving around beautiful soft coral reefs or in the majestic Sawa-i-lau caves, a limestone cave formation said to be the resting place of a Fijian god. Visitors can hike through lush rainforests, or climb towering mountain peaks. Visitors can visit remote villages and experience a culture much the same as it was when the first Fijians arrived here thousands of years ago.
Experiencing the Yasawa Islands
If you want to experience eco tourism in the Yasawa islands of Fiji, the first thing you need to do is choose a resort to stay at. As we already mentioned, the resorts in the Yasawa island chain cover any budgetary need and vacation style. However, it is important to pick a resort that is sustainable, and works with the local Fijian villages to ensure the beauty of the Yasawa islands will be around for generations to come.
You will also need to think about transportation. There aren’t many roads in the Yasawa islands, and there are no bridges connecting any of the islands. You can get around by boat if you want to spend most of your time on the water, but if you want to spend your time seeing the sites, then a seaplane ride might be the best option for you.
Turtle Airways has several flights per day between the resorts in the Yasawa. Many of them can pick you up right at the beach of the resort you are staying at. Turtle Airways flights can bring you to most of the “must see” sites in the Yasawa island chain, and get you back to your resort in time for dinner. If there is a place that you want to see that isn’t a part of Turtle Airways regular service, they also offer custom charters.
Seeing the natural beauty of Fiji’s Yasawa Island Chain is easy with Turtle Airways. If you are interested in eco tourism in the Yasawa islands, then give Turtle Airways a call today.