Many international travelers are familiar with the glamorous resorts of the Coral Coast of Fiji's main island of Viti Levu, where the capital and international airport are located, and the castaway getaways on the offshore Mamanuca islands. Unfortunately, most miss the persuasive and insidious charms of the northeastern part of the archipelago. Vanua Levu and Taveuni are two islands that time has forgotten.
Different locations provide different responses.
In some places, eco-tourism does more harm than good. The well-meaning hordes scramble across virgin territory in pursuit of elusive rarity. At 5,500 square km. Visitors are still rare enough to be welcomed as guests, and quickly become friends. Even further off the beaten South Pacific tourist track is Taveuni, just east of Vanua Levu.