| Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 | ![]() |
Motoriki (or Moturiki) Island?Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Fiji | ||
Does anyone have any experience on the island? Have you been, what was it like, was getting there hard? | ||
Do you mean Motoriki just south of Ovalau? What it's like is more or less like any other island. When I was in the area there was no form of regular transport there, mainly because facilities for visitors was in the 0% range. There was some vague talk about trying to exploit the island for tourism. These days this probably means an excursion from Caqalai or possibly Leleuvia - the closest resorts to Motoriki. I've read somewhere that the day trip includes a visit to the island settlement, maybe on a sunday for the church singing. There's apparently a nice hiking path as well, and the island is big enough to give some meaning to the word 'hike'. Even when I was there arranging an excursion was simply a matter of paying someone for the ride. | 1 | |
Motoriki consists out of 7 Fijian villages. No tourism activities apart from the ones oldpro has already described - churchtrips. You will need an invitation to stay there, if you have one then transport can be arranged from Levuka, either hire a boat, or wait for the weekend, when Motoriki villagers come for the market to Levuka and go back with them. | 2 | |
Cool, Thanks. I have been able to arrange a trip there through the Naigani resort, which includes a 'village guide' what/whoever that may mean. The archaeological sites on the island are closed, but there is supposedly some petroglyphs, grave sites and other remnants of life long ago (Long, Long, like 3,000 years) that would be worth seeing I think. | 3 | |
The 'village guide' probably has to do with traditional village custom on Fiji. It's sort of taboo for a stranger to just walk, unannounced, into a village. You need to be invited into the village. (Staying on road through a village is different). So the village guide functions as your invitation to the village. He would also help guests through the various taboos and rituals associated with Fijian life. | 4 | |