Mamanuca Group Getting there & around

Getting there & around

The price of a light-plane ticket is comparable with catamaran prices, and the flight over tropical islands with white-sand beaches is more scenic and much quicker (no more than 15 minutes). Sun Air (672 3016; www.fiji.to) has daily flights (although sometimes flights are cancelled if there aren't enough passengers) from Nadi to Mana (adult/child $88/58 one way) and Malololailai (adult/child $71/40). Turtle Airways (672 1888; www.turtleairways.com) and Pacific Island Seaplanes (672 5644; www.fijiseaplanes.com) offer more expensive seaplane flights to the Mamanuca resorts, as does helicopter outfit Island Hoppers (672 0410; www.helicopters.com.fj).

Awesome Adventures (675 0500; www.awesomefiji.com) runs the Yasawa Flyer (also known as the 'Yellow Boat'), which connects with South Sea Island and, on request, Bounty and Beachcomber Islands.

Beachcomber Island Cruises (666 1500; www.beachcomberfiji.com) operates transfers to Beachcomber and Treasure Islands twice daily from Port Denarau and most days from Lautoka (one-way/return $45/77, and half-price/free for children two to 16/under two), which includes pick-ups from Nadi. You can take a day trip to either island for the same price. Beachcomber also offers a water-taxi service for late flight arrivals and departures, for $117 one way per adult.

Malolo Cat I & II(666 6215) are fast and comfortable catamarans that make the 50-minute trip between Malololailai and Denarau Marina three times daily ($45/22.50 for an adult/child one way).

South Sea Cruises (675 0500; www.ssc.com.fj) operates two fast catamarans that run a loop from Denarau to most of the Mamanuca islands, including: Malolo and Castaway ($65 one way); Mana ($70); Treasure/Beachcomber ($55); Bounty ($50); South Sea Island ($30); and Matamanoa and Tokoriki ($100). Hopping between islands costs between $15 and $75 depending on how far you want to go. Prices include transfers from Nadi. Children aged five to 15 are half-price, and those aged under five are free. There are six departures daily.

It's easy to charter a boat. Try Sea Fiji (672 5961; www.seafiji.net; Port Denarau), which offers a convenient 24-hour water-taxi service that can be economical if you are in a group. For up to eight people, prices start at $375.

Fully crewed yachts are a fun way to explore the group and can be chartered at Musket Cove Marina on Malololailai.