Bored of the same old city activities and seeking an extraordinary day out in the sea? How about sailing to Fiji’s historical island, Nukulau island?

Nukulau island is a small islet situated ten kilometers to the west from Suva. The island is rich in history and has a pivotal role in Fiji’s demographic and political development over the past 160 years. It is a perfect team bonding activity and a great picnic spot for the whole family. The seven hours day cruise consist of two islands stop overs, on board crew entertainment, beautiful Suva Harbor views, yummy buffet lunch surrounded with crystal-clear water and an amazing snorkeling experience.

Meeting Point and Boarding the Bus

The check in opens at 7:30am till 8:15am with the courtesy bus departing for Princess Wharf at 8:30am. Convenient and safe parking spaces are allocated for passengers who can park their vehicles and hop on the bus carefree, taking advantage of complimentary return transfers all-inclusive in the sailing cost per person.

We met up at Grand Pacific Hotel foyer (now changed to Devos on the Park). The friendly staff of Captain cook cruises assisted us with the check in and temperature check process as part of government’s Care Fiji initiative Covid-19 record tracing policy.

On The Cruise

After a 10 minutes bus ride to Princess wharf, we were welcomed on board Fiji One cruise with a complimentary welcome drink. We were introduced to the crew on board and their roles in making our cruise an amazing one. As the cruise departed Princess wharf, the environment was filled with laughter, excitement and entertainment by the crew who also presented a mock drill for everyone’s safety while on board.

The cruise has a fully air conditioned lounge where everyone was provided with tea and refreshments while waiting for the first island destination which is a sand bank named as Nukubuco Cay.

While onboard, we enjoyed  the beauty of Suva city like never experienced before,  surrounded with crystal clear water while we relaxed on the sun deck with a cold drink from Freddy’s bar on board.

Nukubuco Cay (Sand Bank)

Upon arriving at the Nukubuco Cay after a good 45 minutes cruise, we were transferred to the sand bank on a speed boat where everyone was provided with tents and mats to relax.

Nukubuco Cay is a perfect location for snorkelling, as the island bay is surrounded with crystal clear water under the hot bright sun. We took the opportunity to click wonderful pictures with the white sandy beach and Fiji One cruise in the middle of the sea while others lay on their mats under the tents and relaxed. The crew had volleball activties and encouraged everyone to participate while the little ones dug up sand and built sand castles. The crew had eskies full of cold beer and soft drinks which was very convenient to access while off board and those that wanted to be transferred back on the cruise were taken back on the speed boat.

Lunch Time

After an estimate stop over of 2 and a half hours at Nukubuco Cay, we were transfered back to the cruise and were entertained with a live band and friendly staff as they prepared to serve lunch to everyone. Everyone was invited to either join inside or outside on the sun deck for lunch with a marvelous sea view and cool breeze. The plated buffet included Roast chicken on a bed of garden salad and tropical friuts which was served for lunch and as passengers had a feast, the cruise began it’s journey towards Nukulau island.

Nukulau Island 

It took almost 20-30 minutes to reach Nukulau island, where guests were slowly and carefully transferred to the island on a speed boat. Again, provided with mats and tents, many took a spot under the palm trees with the beautiful ocean breeze blowing. The crew had set-up volleyball nets and invited everyone to participate on a guest vs crew volley match. The entire environment was relaxed with the crew adding in music to keep everyone entertained. After leaving our bags on the mats in comfortable spots, we went in groups and took a tour around the island. We took pictures along the way of the beautiful scenery and encountered sandy, muddy, and stony areas that needed to be crossed with extra care to avoid injuries. After 30 minutes of tour, we heard loud music and laughter. We were surely getting back closer to the front of the island where the cruise was anchored. We took pictures and spoke to islanders as they shared their stories and daily life on the island and the history. We were accompanied by children from the island that joined us for a swim with their cheerful smiles. With shower and toilet facilities on the island, we were able to freshen up and make our way back to the beach to wrap up our mats and tents.

Returning Home

We spent almost 2 and a half hours on Nukulau island which seemed very short, but everyone was exhausted after the unlimited fun engaged in through the day. As the crew began to wrap up, we were transferred back on-board Fiji One, where we were then provided with afternoon tea and refreshments as the cruise departed Nukulau Island for Princess Wharf, Suva. We took the opportunity to enjoy the cool breeze on the open deck and glance at the harbor and the city as it approached. As we reached Princess Wharf, Captain Cook Cruise team thanked everyone on board for their successful cruise and sang the famous farewell song ‘Isa Lei’. We took pictures of Suva Harbor for one last time and as we anchored at Suva wharf we got off and boarded the bus that took us back to Grand Pacific Hotel.

The day was extremely fun and tiring and it was indeed an experience one must do!

by Najwa Mohammed