FIJI ISLANDS: DIVE & SERVICE and MARINE ECOLOGY ADVENTURE

Fiji is paradise in the Pacific, complete with volcanic mountains, coral reefs, waterfalls, hiking trails, and single lane dirt roads that transport us back to a simpler time.

Join us for an amazing opportunity to live alongside the Fijian people in a traditional beachside village setting. When we arrive, a “sevu sevu” welcome ceremony inducts our group into the tribe for the duration of our stay. We eat meals in a communal setting where our village family spoils us with inspired banquets full of fruits, breads, and native dishes. The villages we work with have mapped out the priorities for health, education, marine ecology and community facilities. We work alongside our hosts – lending our time, labor, and financial support. Our days include the learning to SCUBA dive above fiji’s colorful reefs, volunteer projects, adventure activities, and introductions to traditional, local customs, crafts, and games!

We spend several days scuba diving the world-class dive locations of Northwestern Fiji. From our incredible beach accommodations, we spend our day scuba diving in the “Soft Coral Capital” of the world. Beginner divers gain their Open Water Dive Certification. With its bathtub-warm tropical water, perfect underwater visibility, and amazing marine life, Fiji is the perfect environment for diving and learning about marine biology.

After gaining our PADI open Water Diver certification. A boat excursion takes you Island hopping through the beautiful Yasawa Islands meeting local naturalist guides who help us to understand these amazing creatures we encounter, and the environmental issues that they face. You will have a change to swim with Manta Rays, catch fish for dinner a beside a beachside bonfire and camp in safari style tents on the beach under the stars of the southern cross.

Your time in Fiji will forever be an example of communal village life, a way of life that may soon be lost in time. Join us to explore this special culture, discover underwater worlds and meet people who will always be in your heart, and discover what it means to have a truly profound travel experience!

Trip Overview

Category
Adventure Travel, Cultural Exchange, Leadership, SCUBA Diving, Volunteer Service
Location
Fiji Islands
Grade
Moderate
Days
17
Nights
16
Accommodation
Beach Resort, Beachside Camping
Transportation
Private Bus, Ferry
Max Altitude
Sea Level
Air Travel
Escorted Group Flight Options
SCUBA
PADI Dive Certifications
Av. Group Size
14 students & 2 chaperones

Days 1-3

Viti Levu Island Orientation

Our beautiful beach eco-resort on Fiji’s Sunshine Coast serves as a wonderful base for orientation, getting to know one another. We hit the local market to barter for our colorful sulus, or sarongs, the national dress of both men and women in Fiji. We join Zip Fiji for an incredible canopy zip line experience and thrilling adventure, It is not only GREAT FUN, it also provides a unique opportunity learn about fiji's tropical ecology and is a great team building activity for building our supportive group culture for the exiting weeks to come.

Days 4-18

SCUBA Dive Certification, Marine Ecology and Cultural Exchange

Next stop is the world famous Yasawa Islands and an amazing opportunity to live alongside the with warm, caring, Fijian people in a traditional community setting. When we arrive, a “sevu sevu” welcome ceremony inducts our group into the tribe for the duration of our stay. We stay in a resort setting adjacent to the village as a community which allows us to manage our health and safety while still being able to fully immerse in the fijian village culture. We eat meals in a communal setting where we create inspired banquets full of fruits, breads, fresh seafood and native dishes that we gather alongside our local hosts. The villages we work with have mapped out the priorities for health, education, community facilities and protecting their valuable marine environment. We work alongside our hosts lending our time, labor, and financial support. During the past 20 summers, we have built nurses’ stations, constructed and restored community buildings and classrooms, led classes teaching English to village kids, and worked with marine biologists to preserve the coral reefs and incredible marine environment. These are meaningful, grassroots projects where we work side-by-side with the village families who directly benefit from our efforts. We live and work at the relaxed pace of ‘Fiji-time’. Our days include the learning to SCUBA dive above fiji's colouful reefs, volunteer projects, adventure activities, and introductions to traditional, local customs, crafts, and games! Fiji is paradise in the Pacific, complete with volcanic mountains, coral reefs, waterfalls, hiking trails, and single lane dirt roads that transport us back to a simpler time.

Days 8 -12

Island Excursion

After an incredible stay in your beachside village home, We take a boat excursion Island hopping through the beautiful Yasawa Islands meeting Local naturalist guides who help us to understand these amazing creatures we encounter and the environmental issues that they face. You will have a change to swim with Manta Rays, catch fish for dinner a beside a beachside bonfire and camp in safari style tents on the beach under the stars of the southern cross. A hike to a tropical rainforest waterfall with views of the Pacific is a perfect place to reflect about our time on the Fijian Islands before departing for home. Your time in Fiji will forever be an example of communal village life, a way of life that may soon be lost in time. Join us to explore this special culture, discover underwater worlds and meet people who will always be in your heart, and discover what it means to have a truly profound travel experience!

Highlights

Outcomes

PLEASE NOTE: As a result of COVID-19 related boarder restrictions, we are unable to run our FIJI adventurers at this time. We wish our Fijian friends well are are happy to hear that they have done such a great job containing the virus. We look forward to visiting again soon and seeing Fiji's smiling faces and sandy beaches. Our Fiji Programmes run in April, July, and Sept/Oct. Programmes will be open for enrollment as soon as restrictions are lifted and we have assessed that it is appropriate to travel. Please contact us if you wish to add your name to the July session list as space is limited. No payment will be required until we have notification that travel restrictions will be lifted and have accessed that it is safe to move ahead with the programme.