Lau Archipelago

Hi,

I just watched this in the Guardian and it looks so beautiful, I for one am going to go there when I'm there in 2013, so if you're in Fiji, you should give it a visit!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/interactive/2011/sep/09/fiji-lau-pacific-audio-slideshow

Thanks so much for posting this link. We have been there and stayed at Moanas - and will go back one day. We were there for 10 days and it rained for 8 of those days, but still lovely. Hard to get to but worth it!

Margaret and I visited the Bay of Islands, Sawana village and some other spots in Northern Lau a couple of weeks ago as part of a Blue Lagoon historical & cultural cruise. This is only the second time this has ever happened and they intend to do this trip 3 times per year. The next is in November.
Without question, it was the highlight of our 14 months in Fiji so far.

Couple of short video clips...

http://s246.photobucket.com/albums/gg120/Peter_n_Margaret/11%20Fiji/?action=view&current=11-08-18BayofIsDaliconiVillagepeople072.mp4

http://s246.photobucket.com/albums/gg120/Peter_n_Margaret/11%20Fiji/?action=view&current=11-08-19SawanaVillageVanuaBalavu048.mp4

http://s246.photobucket.com/albums/gg120/Peter_n_Margaret/11%20Fiji/?action=view&current=11-08-19SawanaVillageVanuaBalavu020.mp4

Cheers,
Peter

Edited by: Peter_n_Margaret

Thank you all for excellent postings. I will be there in Feb and I am more excited than I was before reading this. Thanks!

I visited South Lau, and put a few photos of it here (click on them to enlarge):

http://forum.index.hu/Article/viewArticle?a=105576974&t=9156867

Wonderful pics Laszlo-Thanks for sharing!

Thanks Lazlo - I especially love the one of the children pulling the boat up! The Tongan influence shows up in the housing, doesn't it.

The houses look Tongan even with tin roofs!

Those houses are actually MUCH more Tongan than anything left anywhere in Tonga itself these days!
I saw almost no such houses left in Tonga even in the remotest Niuas, while in South Lau they remain very common, and even some churches are built in that round-ended style (as on the 3rd pic).
And there are ZERO tourists in that whole vast stunningly beautiful region... just in case someone still clings to the idea that "Fiji is too touristy". There is only one airstrip and one guesthouse, both in the regional capital, Lakeba.