1. Shark Diving in Pacific Harbour: Dive with up to eight species of shark including blacktip, whitetip and grey reef sharks, as well as up to 400 species of tropical reef fish off the coast of Viti Levu. Divers have to be PADI qualified. Remember to book early with Aqua-Trek as places get snapped up quickly! 2. Monuriki Island: The Mamanuca group of islands to the west of Viti Levu is the Fiji of brochures and movies. In fact, Monuriki Island was used as the setting for the 2000 Tom Hanks movie, Cast Away. With white sands fringed by rocky outcrops, the island is one of the most romantic things to do in Fiji. We booked through our Mamanuca hotel and were lucky enough to have it to ourselves (hence Peter’s customary silly video). Ask your hotel about excursions or book via Seaspray. 3. Camping on Beverly’s Beach: Ok, so the facilities nearly broke Kia, but the setting is so beautiful, she’s happy to recommend this place anyway. Set right next to the ocean, this charming little campground is run by Tila with occasional help from her relatives.

Ask your taxi driver for Beverley’s Campground (everyone knows Tila). 4. Tavoro Waterfalls and Lavena Coastal Walk: Tavoro comprises three waterfalls, each with natural swimming pools. The first is relatively easy to access and comes with a changing area and picnic tables. The second and third, however, can only be accessed with a 30-minute climb which while certainly not difficult may challenge the less fit among us. courchevel laptop backpackIt’s worth the climb though. dragon wyvern backpack for saleThe Lavena Coastal Walk is a longer trek and offers views of tropical forests and black sand beaches. red oxx backpack reviewTo get to Tavoro and Lavena, simply hail a bus and ask the bus driver to drop you there.backpack yasawa islands

5. Drink Kava with locals and yachties in Savusavu: Fijians’ favourite drink, Kava, is a cloudy white colour and tastes peaty and inoffensive… at first. After a few ‘tsunami’ bowls though, it will start to settle heavily on your stomach so just don’t be pressured to keep up with the locals! Savusavu in Vanua Levu is the perfect place to kick back for a few days and get a taste of every day living on Fiji.audi velocity laptop backpack 6. Diving or snorkelling Rainbow Reef: The Somosomo Strait which runs between Taveuni and Vanua Levu is one of Fiji’s most renowned dive destinations, earning it the title of ‘Soft Coral Capital of the World’. alpenlite backpackStart with Rainbow Reef which blooms with colour from nine metres all the way to 20 metres at its sandy bottom. Book via Taveuni Ocean Sports.

7. Yasawa islands: Strewn across 90km of reef, these 20 volcanic islands present Fiji at its breathtaking best. Traditionally a backpacker favourite, it has become more resorty in recent times, but retains enough character to warrant a visit. Have a look at Awesome Adventure Fiji for an island-hopping pass. 8. Great Astrolabe Reef: If you have the time and budget, head out to the seldom visited Kadavau group. Its highlight is undoubtedly Astrolabe, a 100km-long barrier reef – the fourth biggest in the world. It is home to reef sharks, manta rays and a stunning array of canyons and crevices. 9. Levuka, Fiji’s first capital: This charming town in the Lomaiviti group of islands was Fiji’s earliest European settlement. It’s left behind its wild colonial days, settling for a more laidback feel but is worth a visit if you have some down time. 10. Fiji Museum: Our first impression of Fiji Museum in Suva was ‘Wow, it’s small‘ but don’t be fooled: there are many hidden rooms and exhibition areas behind the main hall brimming with interesting facts, fabrics and artefacts: easily worth a couple of hours.

Make sure you try some Indian food in Fiji. Forty percent of the FIjian population is ethnically Indian so there is some fantastic, authentic curry on offer. Language: Fijian, Fijian Hindi, English Visas: Free / 30-day issued at border with proof of onward travel for UK, US, AUS visitors and others; see visa requirements for more details Time zone: GMT +12 (BST +11) Emergency codes: Police 917, Medical 911 Capital city: Suva, Vitu Levi When to go: The cooler Fijian winter from May to October is the most popular time to visit. However, with Australian, New Zealand and Fijian holidays within June to August, this period is busier and more expensive. The shoulder seasons either side of these peaks are ideal. The wetter summer months from December to April come with high humidity but are quieter and cheaper.Back To Meet The Team As a self-confessed travel geek, a career in the travel industry seemed the obvious choice when the time came to hang up my backpack and get a “real job”!

I spent my formative years poring over maps and globes, day-dreaming of exotic destinations, although our family holidays were generally spent sheltering from the rain in obscure parts of the UK. An early ambition of mine was to travel to each country of the world in alphabetical order, but I soon realised the Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola and Antarctica weren’t particularly practical destinations, so that idea is still on the back burner for now.   While my role as Sales Manager at Turquoise gives me limited opportunities to work directly with our guests, I am never happier than when trying to work out the logistics of a complicated itinerary. I recently found myself enjoying the challenge of how to get some of our guests from Moscow to Easter Island with as few stopovers as possible, avoiding countries that required a visa for Russian citizens – something only a true geek would take pleasure in. My favourite Turquoise destination is definitely Fiji, specifically “Paradise 1” beach, truly paradise on earth and accessible only to guests of the beautiful Yasawa Island Resort.