The Mamanucas are Fiji’s jewel islands, forever photographed and fêted.

The Mamanucas are Fiji’s jewel islands, forever photographed and fêted. There are about 20 islands in the group, basking in a large lagoon formed by the Malolo Barrier Reef and Viti Levu. Many of the islands take day-trippers from the mainland, who eat then sunbake on white sand beneath coconut palms. The ocean around the islands has some excellent dive sites and Fiji’s roughest surf spots. The snorkelling here is generally fantastic with the clear waters offering fascinating windows into the undersea world.

Most of the habitable islands support a tourist resort on land leased from nearby villages and/or a Fijian community. If there is a resort but no village, it is usually because there is no natural source of water. Most resorts bring in their water from the mainland by barge. A few of the smaller islands, such as Monuriki, retain significant areas of forest with native birds and reptiles. You often see heavy rain clouds hanging over Nadi and Lautoka while the drier Mamanucas remain unaffected.

Concierge Traveller offers superb Fiji Packages to most of the resorts, contact an advisor for more detail.

When to travel to Mamanuca Islands

The best time to visit is during the so-called ‘Fijian winter’ or ‘dry season’, from May to October. This time of year is more pleasant with lower rainfall and humidity, milder temperatures and less risk of meteorological hazards such as cyclones.

Fiji’s ‘wet season’ is from November to April, with the heaviest rains falling from December to mid-April. This is when tropical cyclones, or hurricanes, are most likely to occur.