This was the last day of our trip, and National Geographic Orion made the most of it. It was a fun-filled day at the beach with lots of sun. The day started with an early morning scuba dive for the dive team. As the divers dropped below, everyone else headed to a private motu (island) to relax and snorkel. There were lounge chairs for relaxing and fish and rays to watch from the reef. The hotel department prepared a special treat with a barbecue lunch on the beach. After lunch, there was an opportunity to snorkel with blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus). This was a fantastic chance for all the guests to experience how these sharks are a peaceful and necessary part of the ecosystem. What a day!
4/25/2024
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National Geographic Orion
Taveuni, Fiji
Bula and welcome to Fiji! It’s perfect to start our exploration of this country with the island of Taveuni. First, we were blessed with a picturesque sunrise while the full moon was setting on the other side of the sky. Good morning! After clearance, we jumped on the Zodiacs and disembarked on the island where the buses were waiting to take us to visit Waitabu Village. In the village, everyone was awaiting us, colorful and smiley, prepared for our arrival. To start with, the sacred kava ceremony was performed, after which music took over and kids performed fantastic traditional dances. After enjoying local refreshments, we moved to Bouma National Heritage Park where a beautiful path full of flowers led us to a sublime waterfall, where we swam and have fun. In the afternoon, we headed out in the Zodiacs to Waitabu Marine Park, a reserve promoted by locals to save their reef and resources. After 15 years of efforts and protections, the results are visible. Beautiful snorkelling completed our awesome first Fijian day.
