Experience Fiji's local flavors and traditions in a unique new way during this cruise up the Navua River by long boat, along with a kava ceremony, folk dancing and lunch in a local village.

Enjoy a scenic drive through Suva, en route to the Navua River, where you will embark an open longboat for a scenic journey upriver. Your cruise will be highlighted by endless mountain ranges, a thick tropical rain forest abounding with bird life, deep gorges, cascading waterfalls, and exotic fauna and flora. You can take a refreshing swim in one of the pools created by the river or under the Magic Waterfall during one of your stops.

Visit Raiwaqa Village, located on a 14-mile-long island at a height of almost 1,000 feet above sea level, you will be welcomed by warriors and villagers with a traditional Fijian kava ceremony and after, tour of the village. Along the way, you will learn about the village’s history, native crops and medicinal plants. You will also have an opportunity to mingle with the villagers and purchase local handicrafts. Watch war dances performed by the men and typical folk dances by the village women. Why not join in and learn some new moves? You’ll also be treated to a typical Fijian lunch cooked in an underground oven.

OVERVIEW

Soar through the tree canopy on a series of ziplines high above the forest floor for a bird’s-eye view of the Wainadoi River Valley. After a briefing on how to maximize the experience, you will be harnessed onto the first zipline and step off an elevated platform into the wild green yonder. All you need to do is sit back in the specially designed seat with your hands free and feet dangling. Feel free to scream as you will reach hair-raising speeds while racing through tunnels cut out of the tree canopy and across a mountain stream far below. Don’t blink because the scenery will go by fast. Each of the eight ziplines will present a different sort of adrenaline rush, ensuring that there will never be a dull moment. At times, you will be more than 100 feet above the tropical forest floor.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Race through the rainforest on a series of eight ziplines, each one a different experience.
• Experience the exhilaration of flying through the air as high as 100 feet above the ground.
• Soar high above a mountain stream and through tunnels carved out of the tree canopy.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Follow a winding path through a heavily forested nature reserve and swim in a natural pool fed by a mountain stream. The venue for your adventure will be Colo-L-Suva Forest Park, which a lush rainforest blankets. Established in 1872, the reserve is a veritable sanctuary for tropical flora and fauna, which the guide will describe. About the only non-indigenous plants are the now-towering mahogany trees that were planted to stave off erosion following a period of aggressive logging in the 1940s. Avian species are abundant and you may spot birds such as the Fiji goshawk, orange-breasted honeyeaters and scarlet robins. Even if you don’t see a sulphur-breasted musk parrot, you might hear its raucous screech from deep in the jungle. Similarly, the endemic barking pigeon can easily be recognized by its distinctive call. At the end of the trail, you will find a clear stream-fed pool of water where you can swim.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Walk through Colo-L-Suva, a nature reserve teeming with wildlife, especially birds.
• Learn about the indigenous flora and fauna, which the guide will point and describe.
• Swim in a cool mountain pool in the heart of the forest.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing with a swimsuit underneath.
• Bring a towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Become immersed in Fijian culture at a village on Takalana Beach, where you will watch a dance performance known as meke and see tribesmen walk over white-hot stones. During the welcome ceremony, you will be offered a cup of kava, which will make for an excellent introduction to the culture as it is the national drink. The dance portion of the entertainment will convey traditional island life through legends and stories. As revealing and mesmerizing as meke is, few performances can compare to walking barefoot across a bed of steaming stones heated to a blistering temperature. As you will see, the fire-walking Sawau tribesmen from the island of Beqa will fearlessly perform the feat without suffering even the slightest injury. It is a centuries-old ceremony but the reason why the firewalkers aren’t burned has yet to be determined. A bit of free time at a handicraft market will follow the show.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Gain insight into the culture and legends of Fiji through a meke dance performance.
• Marvel at the Sawau tribesmen as they fire-walk across steaming white-hot stones.
• Taste kava, the national drink of Fiji, during the welcome ceremony at a seaside village.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Travel up the Navua River on a motorized longboat to swim beneath a waterfall and enjoy lunch at a rural village. The open-air, wooden longboat is ideal for cruising the Navua, which gently winds through a naturally beautiful rainforest. Once you reach the cascade, you will disembark for a refreshing swim and to relax along the riverbank. Few settings are quite so idyllic and serene. You will see how Fijians live in the surrounding landscape by visiting Koromakawa village. After a traditional warrior welcome, you will sit in on a kava ceremony, which honors this national drink of Fiji made with a certain crushed plant root. Preparing kava can be a complex process and drinking it was once reserved solely for chieftains and priests. Your lunch – known as a lovo feast – will also be prepared in a traditional way as the ingredients will be wrapped in leaves and cooked in an underground oven.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore the Navua River in a wooden longboat and swim beneath a waterfall.
• Visit a rural Fijian village and get a glimpse into the local culture and lifestyle.
• Watch the villagers ceremonially prepare kava, the national drink of Fiji.
• Enjoy a traditional lovo feast in which the food is cooked in an underground oven.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

See the highlights of Fiji’s capital on a panoramic drive that presents the most meaningful historical landmarks and shows how the city has changed over time. One of your first impressions will be from a lookout that offers a sweeping view of the urban landscape and your cruise ship as a reference point. You will also drive through the town of Tamavua on Suva’s outskirts and for contrast pass the Laucala campus of the University of the South Pacific. The stately Presidential Palace that serves as the residence of the president of Fiji reflects Suva’s colonial past as its architecture is Georgian. For an even deeper dive into the past, you will browse the Fiji Museum, whose collection ranges from artifacts dating back 3,700 years to cultural objects from more recent times. Free time follows, during which you can shop by the waterfront for fashions, handicrafts and other fine Fijian merchandise.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy an introductory drive through Suva that passes the capital’s key landmarks.
• Delve into Suva’s history by browsing the highly informative Fiji Museum.
• Shop in the collection of stores near the waterfront during free time.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Spend hours enjoying one of the finest beaches on Fiji’s southern coast with no schedule to follow other than your own. The drive there will set just the right tone for relaxing as you will travel along meandering Queens Road, through a forested landscape, across the glass-smooth Navua River and on to shimmering Rovodrau Bay. The small town of Pacific Harbour overlooks the beach there. Although the guide will suggest things to do, you will be free to enjoy this serene oasis however you please. The turquoise sea will be hard to resist as the waters are typically calm and perfect for swimming. Other options include strolling along the shore, stretching out on the sand and basking in the sun and relaxing in the shade of a coconut palm. The ambiance at Pacific Harbour Beach is wonderfully laid-back and the setting couldn’t be more photogenic.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Relax for hours on a tranquil, somewhat remote beach along Fiji’s southern coast.
• Spend your time at the beach doing whatever you please at your own pace.
• Admire the natural beauty of southern Fiji on the panoramic drive to and from the beach.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing with a swimsuit underneath.
• Bring a towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Spend hours relaxing at a four-star oceanfront resort and enjoying a wealth of amenities that include swimming, shopping, snorkeling and dining.

An approximately 45-minute drive takes you to the island’s southern coast, a fertile land of rolling green hills and sugar cane plantations. Upon arriving at the Pearl South Pacific Resort, you will have free time to enjoy the abundant amenities. With no schedule to follow and hours to relax however you please, the experience should be wonderfully refreshing.

You might swim in the freshwater pool or the ocean, shop the boutiques, join in a game of volleyball, or simply relax and bask in the sun. The resort is right on the beach, a long stretch of pristine sand. There are other activities available at an additional charge such as kayaking, jet skiing or snorkeling. The waters are usually crystal-clear and teeming with marine life.

A complimentary buffet lunch will be served at one of the resort restaurants. You can expect the dishes to be authentic Fijian and flavored with fresh spices. There may be roasted or barbecued meats, rich curries, exotic vegetables, and succulent seafood marinated in lime juice or coconut milk. Fijian cuisine tends to be simple and exceptionally fresh. During lunch, you can enjoy a traditional music and dance performance.

After approximately 4- hours at the resort, you will transfer back to the pier.

Travel through Suva to Nasali landing at the Rewa Delta. Board longboats and travel down-river, passing grassy plains and villages before arriving at Naililili Parish. The local priest will invite you into the beautiful Naililili Church, built by the early Catholic Missionaries in the early 1800’s. Take a guided walk which includes a visit to the school where there is the opportunity to meet the friendly school children. Learn fascinating facts about this historical site which have only recently been unraveled by the dedicated school teachers.

Board your longboat for a short transfer to Waivou Village where the friendly village warriors will greet and escort you to the main village hall. Enjoy their welcome, extended in the form of a kava ceremony and fascinating cultural display. Experience village life on your guided tour around the village, as the villagers sing their national farewell song to mark the end of the tour.

Enjoy an unforgettable half day tour where you’ll meet the locals and learn some of their customs and special rituals.

Journey to Sawani Village where on arrival, the friendly villagers come forward to welcome you with a garland and serenade, as is the tradition. Fijian warriors in traditional dress provide an escort to the village meeting place to join the village Chief and other menfolk in the customary preparation of kava, a Fijian ceremonial drink. Learn about Fijian history and way of life, view traditional arts and crafts demonstrations such as mat, basket and hat weaving, coconut husking and scraping and enjoy a guided walk around the village.

For those looking for a laidback city tour, taking in all the greatest sights and some shopping, this one’s for you. Suva offers a number of great shopping outlets, as well as sightseeing with colonial and modern architecture set around the beautiful Suva Harbour.

Leaving from the port, your guided scenic drive takes you past Government House, the official residence of the President of the Republic of Fiji. See the Australian High Commission, Saint Giles Hospital, the Walu Bay industrial area, Parliament House, the University of the South Pacific and the National Sporting Centre where the 2003 South Pacific Games were held. You’ll also make a stop at a lookout point for a panoramic view of Suva Harbour.

Along your sightseeing drive, you’ll stop at Nausori Market where you will take in the true local culture. Here you can meet local farmers selling their fresh produce to the public, browse the many stalls and take some photos. After an opportunity to browse and take photos. A shopping stop will be made along the way before returning to your ship.