LikuLiku Lagoon Resort

I haven’t slept this well in I don’t know how long.

Fully rested, I woke ready to face a full day of adventure activities, although I did linger over my fabulous breakfast (mud crab omelet with spicy papaya relish), and the high-speed internet access (oops, didn’t get all my work done before I left home.)

As if catching up on emails on my own private island in Fiji wasn’t decadent enough, I capped off the morning with a totally fabulous Fijian massage performed by MeMe (that may not be the correct spelling of her name.) This particular massage was not so much about kneading sore muscles, but rather lightly massaging me into a blissful state of nirvana. By the end, I was barely able to remember my own name.

Shell Village

Lunch, as expected was too fabulous, and shortly thereafter the island’s activities directors had planned a visit to a local village known as Shell Village. We enjoyed a tour of the area, learned quite a bit of the island’s history, and enjoyed a local handicraft market. So much jewelry, so little Fijian currency.

Kava Ceremony

Of course in Fiji guests are unable to enter a village without first being welcomed by a traditional Kava ceremony. Kava is the national drink, not alcohol, but rather an anesthetic of sorts. Drink a few cups of this and your tongue will become numb.

Kava is hugely popular in Fiji, and most of the Fijian people drink it pretty regularly. The Kava is mixed up in a huge wooden bowl and is always served in a traditional ceremony, where all the participants share a communal drinking cup. Unlike the U.S. where we’ve learned to shorthand many of our rituals, the Fijians always follow the Kava rituals, no matter how informal the setting.

Back at the resort, I had just enough time for a dip in the ocean and a cool down in my plunge pool before cleaning off in my outdoor shower stall. Unsatisfied with my cleanliness, I then headed to my inside rain-shower for a final splash, before dressing for dinner.

Before heading out, I simply had to sample one or two (or was it three) of the freshly baked white-chocolate macadamia nut cookies the housekeeping staff had left in my room.

Viva the “Wash Down”

The evening slowed down with a gorgeous view of the sunset from the beachfront bar, where we also enjoyed the traditional lighting of the torches program. Following the torch lighting, the resort held their own Kava ceremony, and not wanting offend anyone, I had to drink four or five (ahem, or was it six) cups of Kava.



Here we learned the delightful Fijian tradition of the “wash down.” Simply put when a long night of Kava drinking leaves you feeling slightly groggy, an early morning visit to a bar and a sample of Fiji Bitter beer, or any other alcohol, will help you wash down the Kava and leave you feeling like a new person.

Dinner tonight was a barbecue buffet. The buffet part featured numerous fabulous salads, including the Fijian Kokoda, a type of ceviche served with coconut milk. I, of course, was distracted by the all-you-can-eat shellfish platter and chomped down my share of oysters, crab and shrimp. I almost didn’t make it to the barbecue where you could order from a variety of meats (steak, lamb, chicken, prawns, fish) but am really glad that I found room for the grilled prawns!

Over Water Bures

Having a little more energy tonight than last night, Janna and I walked Barbara back to her over water bure so we could see how the sea life looked at night. The low tide was dramatic, but so perfect for viewing the many, many animals below.

It was mesmerizing, like being in our own private aquarium, and we witnessed reef sharks, sting rays, shrimp, squid and many, many fish at play. Before we knew it, we’d spent two hours just watching the fish below. Just incredible.