The Mamanucas are a group of small islands just off the west coast of the main Fijian island of Viti Levu. This side of Fiji is very different. Being on the leeward side of the big island, the land and air are both drier and it has much less of that tropical feel we had grown accustomed to, so we wouldn’t be going on any muddy hikes here. It’s kind of like the difference between the Hilo and Kona sides of the big island of Hawaii. The upside is that it is much, much sunnier, but the downside is that where you find the sun is where you will also find all of the resorts. These islands are the closest ones to the international airport so access for tourists is also much easier here than elsewhere around Fiji.
All of the islands are short day hops apart, so it was easy to move about quickly without much planning or preparation.
Overall, I’d say our visit to The Mamanucas was highlighted by the people we spent our time with rather than the destinations themselves, and as a cruising destination it’s mostly forgettable and you could easily skip it and not miss anything about the Fiji experience. Of course, the sunny weather was a nice change, although it did come with the trade off of being surrounded by tourists and resorts. We certainly don’t regret our decision to spend time here but we are mostly glad to have been able to spend the time with family and friends.
Gresham Family Exodus 