Fiji Homestays Wow !!

Wow – What an awesome experience.

I want to go back – soon. I didn’t want to spend all my time in a 4 or 5 star resort, - I wanted to find the real Fiji.

I found the website fijihomestays.com and explained to them what I wanted to do and they organized a stay for me at two villages.

From the resort after a couple of days of unwinding - I was picked up and taken to Denerau Marina and then taken on about a 5.5 hour boat ride to a village in the Yasawa’s.

The website warned me that this home stay in the village of Marou was not fully functional yet as it was new. What an incredible experience into how people live in a village on an Island in the South Pacific.

Power in the village is by way of a Diesel Generator which is turned on only 3 hours per day at 8pm. The village of Marou still needs to provide some necessities for a Home stay to work successfully, if ladies are to visit, ( like a separate private shower box), but for guys,- showering is currently basically a bucket and bowl of cold water poured over one’s head under the nearest Coconut Palm tree.

Sleeping is on the floor on a grass mats. Eating is done sitting on the floor cross legged also on woven grass mats. Meals were traditional Fijian food with plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and fish. Cooking in the village is all done by out side wood fires.

Communication for the people in the village early morning is by drumbeat and you could hear the different rhythm of dull beats which obviously could be understood by the local village community and possibly nearby villages.

The elders of the village asked me to join them in a Kava ceremony which was such a wonderful, wonderful experience. For those of you that longs for this type of “how the world once was” experience – I suggest Marou – But be aware that village protocol applies and no alcohol is allowed. I WAS SAD TO LEAVE – But I intend to return for a longer stay. It was such a rich and rewarding experience.

Once back on the mainland I was met and driven down to the Coral Coast to a home stay named DANNYS where I spent two more days. Dannys is set up and I’d recommend this village for families -

Saki and Toupu were excellent hosts and just couldn’t do enough for me - I accompanied them out fishing, snorkeling and gathering coconut seedlings for transplanting. Coconut palms take near on 20 odd years to mature. I will be close to 80 before someone climbs the palms I planted.

I could not help notice that boats from the local resort were bringing their guests to snorkel in the water just off the beach outside my cabin – where I relaxed with a cold beer ( Alcohol is OK )

Henry my snorkeling guide said this was because the waters in front of Danny’s has been a marine reserve for past 6 or so years and this is the best snorkeling on the coral coast…I could not agree more as there were huge schools of fish…the giant clams are an awesome site, right off the beach in front of Danny’s.

The home stay is excellent, cabins that have beds, and eating is in the main Dining kitchen area set up with tables and chairs. Again meals were traditional Fijian food with plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and fish. There was a choice for Breakfast from a cooked breakfast eg: eggs in the style you prefer, scrambled, poached or fried through to casual. I was happy with toast and tea.

Water is boiled on an open fire for the separate private shower cubicle.

I would recommend to anyone contemplating a holiday in Fiji to consider spending a few days in a village – To Experience the real Fiji. The stay directly goes to support the village community and positively improves their lives.

Don2k4 New Zealand

Edited by: don2k4

Edited by: don2k4

first post - me thinking advert?

I don't think it is an advert - in my backpacking days I met tourists who were similarly bowled over by the romantic Fiji. Certainly I have met real tourists in Fiji in the last year who have stayed at Danny's and mostly speak enthusiastically about it. I have had similar village experiences in the more remote places not used to tourists (and especially in places wanting tourists, keen to make a good impression to bring more.)

Ladies wear a sulu while showering in the open and if a public shower is really the only option, there will be a time of day when the older men chase the younger ones inside so the ladies can shower in peace. More likely, there is a different place for ladies.

we went to Danny's Village Homestay

a wonderful place to stay saki and tupo the hosts are really nice people who will welcome you and make you feel welcome

if you want the real fiji and not the plastic european resort that is repeated all over the world then stay at Danny's

dont get me wrong...resorts are good (we did stay in a resort while in fiji (Hilton, Denarau) and had a great time) but it was good to also spend some time in a real fijian village and live as the locals do and experience the day to day running of a village.