10 Things to do on Kadavu

Going to Kadavu anyone?

Here are some great ideas from Fijiguide.com member and Kadavu resident, Stuart Gow. His photos and commentary grace this page.
Stuart can be found at Matava (www.matava.com.), one of Fiji’s premier eco resorts.

1. Go bird watching.

Kadavu has four speciies of birds that are found nowhere else in the world. In particular look for the Kadavu Shining Musk Parrot (Prosopeia splendens). Found throughout the island, it is the most active (and noisy!) at dawn and dusk.

There's also the Crimson Shining Parrot, a medium sized bird(45 cm) with a long tail and bright plumage. The head, breast and belly are covered in bright crimson-red, its back, wings and tail are green with hints of blue in the wing. It has a long winged appearance in flight, flying with undulating bouts of flaps and gliding. The species is very vocal; the shrieks and squawks of the Crimson Shining Parrot are of a higher pitch than that of the Red Shining Parrot. On Kadavu it is unlikely to be mistaken for the other species of parrot, the Collared Lory.

2. Hike to a waterfall (and jump in the pool below): Located one hour walking time from Matava is a stunning waterfall which plunges into a
cavern of overhanging rocks dappled in ochre and russet colors. The pool
below provides an excellent place for a refreshing swim following the
walk. It’s also popular spot to relax on a hot day while the village
children scramble up the rocks above the pool and cannonball into the
water with a huge splash. Day treks around Kadavu are also do-able and
afford wonderful vistas.

3. Tag and release a Blue Marlin: Black, blue and striped marlin are all found in Fiji waters though the predominant species is the blue marlin
which is caught all year round. The largest blue weighed here so far was
480 lbs. Don’t count on mounting a marlin above your fireplaces.
Fishing boats have a tag and release policy on all billfish. Check http://www.gamefishingfiji.com
for more details. (Stuart has posted an extensive photo gallery of fish
on Fijiguide.com http://www.fijiguide.com/photo/albums/marlin-fishing-on-kadavu-with

4. Snorkel or Dive with Manta Rays: R

Reef, which also has a diversity of flora and fauna.) They are quite approachable and even an inexperienced swimmer can snorkel aside them
with ease. To see what Manta Reef is like are like check out this video
that features this site:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDTnDazvNSc&feature=player_embedded

5. Teitei walk with a local medicine man: Accompany one of the local farmers on a visit to his teitei (garden or "planation" as the locals
like to call it). He’ll show you how he cultivates crops such as yaqona
(kava), tavioka and dalo (taro) and uvi. You also
may be joined by a practitioner of traditional medicine know as a vuniwai.
He’ll explain the uses of local herbs used for medicine, crafts and
building materials. Kadavu people still rely on a largely subsistence
lifestyle and you’ll be amazed how self-reliant they can be just by
utilizing what nature provides.

Many thanks to Stuart Gow for this great list of must-do list activities on Kadavu.