Travel for Teens: Fiji Service and Adventure
Location
Fiji: Nadi
Description
Our Fijian adventure takes us to two spectacular island chains, where well spend our days snorkeling, diving, sailing, kayaking, feasting on traditional foods, meeting locals, soaking in Fijian culture and volunteering at a Fijian school. Come with us to this unbelievable island destination for a mix of fun, relaxation, adventure and cultural immersion that were sure youll never forget!
Days 1 - 3: Los Angeles
As the group flight takes off, the trip officially begins! We lose a day crossing the international date line.
Days 3 - 4: Nadi, Viti Levu
We arrive the morning of day 3 and begin by sailing between the islands of the Mamanuca island chain where Castaway and Survivor were filmed. Stop on a private island to jump in the water for snorkeling, emerge for lunch and fight jetlag in the afternoon with beach volleyball and sunbathing. Return to our hotel on the mainland for your first Fijian feast before we leave for the Yasawa island chain.
Days 4 - 15: Yasawa Islands
Waking the next morning we will hop on a catamaran bound for Nacula Island, one of the furthest north in the Yasawa island chain. We will spend three full days here immersing ourselves into the laid back rhythm of Fiji time! Brilliant sunrises and sunsets beg for the attention of your eyes and camera. Preparing a traditional lovo (Fijian feast) will give you new appreciation for the local fare. Paddle across the sea in a glass bottomed kayak to the neighboring blue lagoon and dive beneath the waves to explore the pristine reefs and underwater ecosystems.
Returning to our island home, we are greeted with tea and cakes, vestiges of the days of British rule. In the late afternoon we'll enjoy some volleyball, rugby, ultimate Frisbee or laid back hammock time. Our trip will also involve day trips to the neighboring islands for village visits where you have the opportunity to talk to villagers who may never have traveled further than 20 miles from the island in their entire lives. On these neighboring islands, we have partnered with a local school where we will complete a renovation of the local elementary school over course of several days. The project will take approximately 35 hours to finish. You will have the chance to connect with the local village where we are performing our service in ways you never imagined. We finish our time on the islands with a relaxing swim in the famous limestone caves of Sawa-I-Lau.
Then we travel by catamaran to our second stop, Nanuya Balavu to enjoy snorkeling and scuba diving in its world-class house reef. The morning after we arrive, hopefully, we will be greeted by the furious drumming signaling that manta rays have been spotted feeding in the channel just off the shore. We will throw on our wetsuits and snorkel gear, board a boat, and jump into the current for the adrenaline rush of a lifetime: a swim above and next to these gentle, majestic animals whose wing spans can reach up to twenty feet!
The last Yasawa Island, Waya Lailai, has the tallest peak of any of the islands we will visit. The night we arrive we will have a bonfire on the beach before getting a few hours rest. The next morning we take an early morning hike up the 2nd tallest peak. Sunrise with a thirty mile view makes the early wake up absolutely worthwhile. After breakfast we will venture off shore to a coral reef where we will have the ultimate in adrenaline experiences: swimming with reef sharks (with our expert guide, of course!). These beautiful animals will be curious, but keep their distance from you. Landing back on shore for lunch, you will be completely in love with the islands and never want to go home; but the trip isn't over yet...!
Days 15 - 17: Nadi, Vitti Levu
During the final two days of the trip, we tour the largest of the islands in the Fijian Archipelago, Vitti Levu, with the help of local guides, who will give us real insight into the Fijian way of life. Stops at archeological sites uncovered in the sand dunes, traditional Fijian pottery demonstrations and hot mud baths will acquaint you with the joys and hidden beauty of the mainland.
Highlights
- Earn 35 hrs community service credit working at a local school
- Scuba dive or snorkel through a vibrant coral reef teeming with marine life
- Learn to cook a traditional Fijian meal
- Celebrate our visit with a traditional Meke and feast
- Try drinking kava
- Kayak around the blue lagoon and swim into sacred limestone caves
- Swim with sharks off Waylailai island
- Learn about the medicinal plants and fruits used by natives for hundreds of years
- Sail and kayak in the turquoise water between amazingly beautiful islands
- Explore lush rainforests and discover secluded waterfalls in the Fijian interior
- Stay right beside the beach on two different islands