Islands of Fiji

First things first: There is no island of Fiji. Instead, Fiji is an island nation of about 300 islands, from small remote islets that seem caught in an old South Pacific time warp to some of the modern world's most exclusive private resort islands So, where to go? Actually, the real question is how do you want to spend your time? Divers can pick and choose from some of the best diving locations in the South Seas (the best known, Taveuni, is legendary for its wall dives), while surfers have long favored several world-class reef breaks off Tavarua island in the Mamanuca chain just west of Fiji's largest island, Viti Levu Some of Fiji's finest beaches line the Coral Coast on Viti Levu's western coast, but true romantics (and movie buffs) may prefer the “Blue Lagoon” bays of Yasawa Islands to the northwest. (Yes, Brooke Shields romped here.) Those drawn by the traditional cultures of Oceania may simply be content to explore Vanua Levu, the chain's second-largest (and largely undeveloped) island, and historically preserved Levuka, the former 19th-century capital on the lush neighboring isle of Ovalau. And if you've ever heard Isa Lei, the hauntingly beautiful farewell song that Fijians sing to visitors leaving an island, you know that the melody, and the islands, tend to stay with you.