Waisalima Resort - Great family hideaway

Just got back to frosty Alaska after 3 weeks (our 2nd time there!) at the laidback resort at Waisalima Bay on Kadavu Island. What a great place to spend some relaxing time with the family. Our 10 year old daughter got her open water scuba certification while we were there thanks to the dive instructor, Sharon, for Viti Watersports. Kudos for her patience and caring.

You can't get any closer to the beach than Waisalima's tidy burres set under coconut palms and lovely landscaping. The snorkeling off the beach is excellent. Or, take a 10 minute ride with the dive boat out to the fantastic Astrolab Reef; what an incredible spot for watching marine life! The owner, Maureen (Mo for short), and staff at the resort are so pleasant and accommodating. We were able to make trips to the village with Elise, the day cook, for visits, to watch and help with making coconut oil that is used for cooking as well as a skin lotion. She very generously presented my sister and I with two bottles of the precious stuff (it takes a lot of work to make!). We were also invited to attend Sunday worship services where the singing by the locals rivals that of any large church choir Stateside. Kara, head of housekeeping, took time out of her busy day to give me basket and fan making lessons using coconut palms. I now have three beautiful baskets and a couple of fans on display in my sunroom.

The food is very good - bread baked at the resort and fruits and veggies fresh from the garden. Lots of local fare and ingredients used to prepare some very tasty meals.

This is definitely not the resort for those looking for posh, but a great family atmosphere (you become part of their family :-)--it was wonderful getting to know all the folks who live and work there. And, when you feel like doing something other than relaxing in the hammock in the shade, there are places to go, things to do, and people to see.

One other thing about resorts at the outlying islands; they rely on the locals at nearby villages for labor, and the village schools are always in need of supplies. So bring some paper, crayons, pencils, story books, or whatever school supplies you might think of and take a trip to the village school to drop them off and be treated to a performance of singing and dancing by the kids. Our daughter said, "I wish our choir would sing like that!"

So, bula vinaka vaka levu Mo, Tachi, Quila, Kara, Elise, Queenie, Mariana, Viti Watersports, and all those at Waisalima who made our stay so enjoyable!

Mike, Vickie, and Emily