Surf Station team rider and shop friend Mark Bailey recently took his family to Fiji and had quite the time. From Mark:
One of our favorite destinations in the world to chase surf is Tavarua Island in Fiji, but most important, we have come to love the locals and the staff. Fiji’s borders were closed for two years amid the Covid crisis and reopened December 2021. This year Alecia and I were fortunate to be a second group on the island following the opening, along with our three girls Cassidy, Caroline and Peyton, son Brooks, and his girlfriend, Macy. The travel to Tavarua is long: planes, buses and boats – over a 24 hour period. But the logistics are well worth it. The experience there is incredible. When the world can be so chaotic, being on the island feels worlds away. It’s a such a quiet and serene place, you forget about the rest of your worries. But aside from the world-class surf, it’s the locals on the island, as well as the other guests, that make this journey such a special experience. The people on the island are so kind and peaceful, and their hospitality goes beyond just “tourism.” They truly welcome their visitors onto the island to share in their culture and traditions.
Once again we were blessed with amazing surf, as shown in just a few of the pictures here. But what was most rewarding, particularly, was to be able to come back to the island after the island being closed for two years, and the country shut down, to reunite with our Fijian family. We delivered kids clothes, books, medical supplies and anything we could do to support them financially. It has really been difficult on them. Unfortunately, one of our best friends on the island who we’ve come to love over our two decades visiting, Sakeo Koroi, tragically passed away while checking on the Giant Clams they are cultivating on the reef surrounding the main island. He was one of those individuals that would light up your heart as soon as you saw his smile. He really did exhibit the huge love of the Fijian culture: welcoming and happy people, who love their country.
We were also very lucky to be on the island with Sean Murphy, who is the President of Waterways Travel. From their website, “about 15 miles southwest of Nadi, Tavarua is a 24 acre heart shaped island. [The] Island faces south by southwest into the South Pacific and is perfectly positioned to catch all swells coming up from the Southern Ocean. [The resort] comfortably accommodates 36 adults in 16 private bures. They are beautifully made in a traditional island style that is still thoroughly modern in comfort.” I would recommend to anyone that hasn’t been there that wants to surf two of the best waves of the world (Cloudbreak and Restaurants), to make the effort. If it’s a family affair, Kiddie Land and Pools are two other great spots. I wish I would have made the trek sooner in my life, but the proper beatings you receive at Cloudbreak are enough motivation to keep you motivated to be mentally and physically ready for the next trip.
