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Introducing Mamanuca Group
The Mamanucas are movie stars, Fiji's glittering jet set, forever photographed and fêted, valued more for their natural beauty than any contribution they make to the national culture. Tiny, uninhabited Monuriki (and not, ironically, Castaway Island) played the island in the Tom Hanks movie, Cast Away. The reality TV show Treasure Island was shot in the Mamanucas (although not, on Treasure Island). The Resort Walu Beach on Malolo featured in The Resort, another reality TV show. Survivor: Fiji was made on Bounty Island.
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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 gorge themselves on buffets washed down with Fiji Bitter, and sunbake on white sand beneath coconut palms. The ocean around the islands has some excellent dive sites and Fiji's gnarliest 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, magical Mamanucas remain unaffected.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
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