Turtle Island: the blue lagoon paradise in Fiji

Date: 07/06/2008

TODOELLAS.COM

We are enroute by floatplane (never mind that the pilot is barefoot) to a remote destination  in the South Pacific called Turtle Island, part of the Yasawa Group in the Republic of Fiji. A string of  ancient volcanic lagoons and jagged islands, mostly uninhabited, passes below. Born of violent earthly eruptions, they are now the peaceful paradise home of owner Richard Evanson.

Richard acquired the island in 1972 as a personal hideaway. Some years later he and his Fijian neighbors began to extend their hospitality to guests seeking an enchanting respite from their usual cares.

Romantic, intimate, comfortable and friendly almost beyond belief, Turtle Island is a world entirely beyond time and obligations. For adventurous island wanderers looking for a private paradise, this is it.

During your stay on Turtle, home will be one of only fourteen bures, traditional, two-room, thatched cottages built by Fijian craftsmen. Each is spacious, comfortable and filled with light. Handwoven 21 foot vaulted ceilings arch over the wheat-colored walls and mellow wood floors. Louvered windows open to the tranquil waters of the Blue Lagoon. Gentle trade winds carry the scent of tropical blossoms through the breezy interiors.

Each Bure has its own Fijian Bure Manager and cultural advisor to nurture guests throughout their stay. Your Bure Manager will help arrange your snorkeling trips, private picnics and other activities. They will take care of your bure, attend to your laundry, and stock your refrigerator with special requests. They will even photograph your special times if you wish, and provide you with memorable images. Your Bure Manager is there to ensure that the mysteries of Turtle Island are accessible.

The island is blessed with fourteen powdery, white sand beaches. Some are adjacent to the living and dining areas, and some are totally isolated, surrounded by high cliffs or set within a cove. Your time on Turtle is your own, whether you want to stroll the beaches, wade in the turquoise waters, cruise on one of our sailboats, snorkel, or scuba with a Fijian Bure Manager as your guide. Couples can reserve a beach for the day and enjoy a romantic picnic where a luncheon of lobster and champagne, or whatever you prefer, will be delivered to your own private beach. Lose your worldly inhibitions. Read a book. Sip champagne. Work on an all-over tan.

The Blue Lagoon is as clear as new blown glass and offers spectacular displays and diversions. Living coral reefs of blue, green and yellow, called fringing reefs, ring the island and are home to colourful galaxies of fish, from lion to angel to butterfly fish. Squid and octopi live here too, as well as sea cucumbers, rays and crabs. Don snorkel gear and go eye-to-eye with a green or hawksbill turtle. On soft, star-studded nights, the breezes carry the scent of frangipani down to the sea’s edge and the waves turn green-gold with bioluminescence.

Turtle is a place for the young at heart, a retreat for couples who seek a renewal of the spirit and a return to the innocence of falling in love for the very first time. Whether you’re a honeymooner looking for the perfect place to begin your life together, celebrating a special occasion or just trying to escape from the world, Turtle offers many diversions.

Horseback ride or mountain bike around the island. Fish for trevally, coral trout, bonefish, and red sea bass. Sail, windsurf, or sea kayak. Enjoy the more placid pastimes of sunbathing, swimming or hammock-testing.

Guests find openair dining to be as much fun as it is delicious and varied. Lantern-lit dinner parties are lively, as worldly problems seem to disappear in the joyous gatherings of our guests. For a romantic evening, try a seaside moonlight dinner or a meal by lantern light on a floating dock.

The Fijian’s vibrant living culture is an integral part of life on Turtle Island. Fijians are taught from an early age that family and friends are the most important things in life. The Island has embraced only the essentials of modern technology so as not to impact on cultural authenticity.

Though rich in culture, Turtle and the surrounding islands are essentially undeveloped. There are no luxury high-rises or tennis courts. No airfields or shopping malls. No televisions or billboards. Just unspoiled natural beauty and the gentle rhythm of the tides.

Turtle Island has been referred to as paradise many times over and what better place to celebrate love than paradise? Turtle Island’s secluded, romantic, tropical environment is ideal for a wedding or renewal of marriage vows.

Because of the environmental fragility of the island and Richard Evanson’s commitment to sustainability, Turtle’s access and use will always be limited to only fourteen couples. Arrangements  are in place to ensure preservation of the island’s wildlife and natural habitats, and the integrity of Fijian culture.

Columbia Pictures, in looking for a location to shoot The Blue Lagoon, surveyed a thousand possible sites before deciding to film the movie entirely on Turtle Island. Columbia felt that Turtle closely resembled the beautiful, mythical island described in the 1906 novel on which the movie was based. The movie, starring Brooke Shields, was completed in 1980. The original 1949 version, starring Jean Simmons, was also filmed here.