WAIRUA HOMESTAY BEQA ISLAND FIJI

WAIRUA BEQA HOMESTAY is in the village of Rukua, located on Beqa Island just off the southern coast of Fiji's main island, Viti Levu. This area is known as the Coral Coast. See Fiji map link at top of this page.

Stay a day or two at Wairua Beqa Homestay in Rukua village. Your host Simon and Eta Buli can arrange to pick you up from Pacific Harbour when you arrive, and take you across a 35 minute boat ride from Pacific Harbour to Beqa Island, in a 23ft half cabin boat powered Yamaha motor. Simon and Eta have spent many years working in local resorts so are well aware of what tourists require when staying in Fiji.

Simon is a qualified dive master and his boat can safely cater for up to 4 adults on the journey to Beqa Island.

Eta and Simon Buli

The Accomodation is a 2 Bedroom house, with all meals included. The house is self contained, for a family of four. Eta does all the cooking for you during your stay. (ask about extra bedding if needed for larger families or groups)

So unlike a traditional homestay where you stay in a room of your hosts house at Wairua Beqa Homestay you have your own little house.

Rates are as follows: Currency Converter

1) Transportation from Pacific Harbour by Simon's boat

$60.00 Fijian Per Adult one way.

You can also take the village community boat to Beqa Island. The boat picks up and drops off at Navua which is a town 15mins south of Pacific Harbour. The journey to Beqa via the village boat takes 1.5hrs. $30.00 Fijian per adult one way. The community boat runs daily but is on Fiji Time which means there is no set timetable.

For families with young children we can organize boat transfer to Beqa Island with the Beqa Lagoon Resort charter. The Beqa Lagoon Resort is 5min walk to Rukua Village. (email us for more detailed information)

2) Accomodation:

Adults - $95 Fijian per person per day, includes Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Children (14 yrs and under) - $60 Fijian per person per day, includes Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Children 4 yrs and under - stay and eat free.

There are no roads on Beqa but several walking tracks between villages make pleasant exploring, the easiest being the route from Waisomo on the northern tip of the island and along the west coast to Rukua Village.

Bookings are essential as it is considered impolite to just arrive as your hosts need to organize provisions for your stay.

There are flush toilets but only cold showers. Eta is able to boil water so you can have a hot wash.

There is generator electricity. The generator is turned on at 6pm and runs until 10pm at night. After 10pm lanterns will be provided but it is high recommend that you bring a torch.

There is a health centre on Beqa Island with a doctor and nurse available 24hrs.

Drinking water is rain and stream water but all drinking water is boiled before consumption.

Staying in a village home stay also helps the village community as part of the rate goes directly back to the village to help fund the village upkeep.

Experience the real Fiji. Experience a pleasant serene environment, away from Fiji's "mass tourism". When you visit Fiji there is nothing wrong with spending time in a resort but why not also spend part of your time in Fiji at real Fijian village and see for yourself how the Fijian people live.

About Beqa Island

The 439 metre high island, Beqa is roughly circular in shape with steep forest clad mountains rising sharply from its meandering coastline. A massive fringing reef thirty kilometres wide is renowned for its shark feeding and deep sea game fishing as well as the hollow left- hander surfing break of Frigates Passage on the western side of the lagoon. Its most unique feature though is the gift of power over fire by some of its inhabitants - the Beqa firewalkers perform regularly at the Arts Village in Pacific Harbour as well as most of the large resorts on Viti Levu but nothing beats the real thing on home soil - Rukua Village, Naceva Village and Dakuibeqa Village on the south eastern side are the main firewalking villages although the ceremony is performed purely for entertainment and unlike its Indian comparison , it has no spiritual significance.

Pacific Harbour is half way between Sigatoka and Suva. You will need to make your way to the town of Pacific Harbour so that you can catch the boat to Beqa Island. There are many fantastic resorts on the Coral Coast and at the town of Pacific Harbour.

These three are at Pacific Harbour.

http://www.uprisingbeachresort.com

http://www.thepearlsouthpacific.com

If you stay at The Pearl Resort, Simon is able to pick you up from the resorts own wharf.

Getting there

By car: Pacific Harbour is 3 hours drive from Nadi International Airport.
Nadi to Sigatoka 1 hour and from Sigatoka to Pacific Harbour is a further 2 hours drive.

Simon and Eta can arrange to pick you up from your resort. This way you can have the resort vacation and also real local experience at the same time.

Isso is the private driver for Wairua and Danny's Homestay

The following rent-a-car companies have offices at the airport and have desks at International arrivals: Avis, Hertz, Budget, Europcar, Thrifty.

By taxi: Once you clear Fiji customs and exit the arrivals hall you will see yellow taxi cars outside the terminal. Ask the driver for a price to take you to Pacific Harbour. It should be around $150.00 Fijian dollars but try and negotiate a better price.

By bus: Pacific Transport has several express and local buses between Lautoka and Suva Monday to Saturday via the Queen's Road. Pacific Harbour is on the Queens Road. They all stop and pick up passengers at the domestic terminal at Nadi Airport. The express buses take about 4 hrs between Nadi and Suva, compared to 5 hrs on the local bus. Pacific Harbour is halfway between Sigatoka and Suva. I would suggest taking the express so that you don't make every stop along the way. Make sure you tell the driver before you get on the bus you want to get off at Pacific Harbour. By bus the cost should be around $12.00 to $15.00 Fijian dollars. Nadi to Pacific Harbour by express bus is 3 hours.

Accommodation close to Nadi Airport:

The Raffles Gateway Hotel http://www.rafflesgateway.com/ this hotel is across the road from the airport.

Smugglers Cove http://www.smugglersbeachfiji.com/ 10min drive from Nadi airport and the centre of Nadi.

Aquarius Pacific Resort http://www.aquariusfiji.com/ 10min drive from Nadi airport and the centre of Nadi.

Things to do while staying at Wairua Beqa Homestay

#1 thing, relax and unwind, you can do as much or as little as you like.

Hiking to the waterfalls on Beqa Island - 1hr return journey - free
Coconut Show - free
Firewalking Show - at the Beqa Lagoon Resort (Wednesday night) $20.00 Fijian dollars
Diving on the coral reef - $90.00 Fijian dollars
Diving with sharks (watch shark feeding) $180.00 Fijian per person
Open sea fishing - $170.00 Fijian per couple by boat at local reefs
Surfing at Friggetts passage - $250.00 Fijian for group of up to 4
Snorkeling - free just off the beach but you need to bring your own snorkeling equipment
School visit - visit the local school - free
Fishing locally around the shores of the village - free
Pig hunting - $100.00 Fijian
Hair braiding - $1.00 Fijian per braid
Fijian Traditional Massage - $30.00 Fijian dollars

If you get to Fiji and you are at a resort and start to think "Geez, this is just like home, I want to experience the real Fiji" no problem. Call us or email us and we and we will get you a night or two at Wairua Beqa Homestay.