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Taveuni, in the northeast of the Fiji Island group, is called the Garden Island with good reason. As one resident put it, "Anyone who goes hungry on Taveuni is one lazy Fijian." Coconuts, mango, papaya, banana, cassava, guava and edible hibiscus, bele, a delicious form of spinach, can be plucked from the roadside. All grow wild naturally. Volcanic springs provide pure drinking water and the waters of the South Pacific provide marine edibles galore.

Taveuni Attractions With its volcanic spine, Taveuni boasts lush beauty and scenic delights from waterfalls to blow holes. Rainbow Reef with its 32-kilometers and dozen-plus named dive sites is considered one of the best in the world for SCUBA enthusiasts. Even snorkelers will be enchanted by the bright blue coral and star fish to be found just beyond the shore. What Taveuni doesn't have is island-wide electricity, traffic jams - most Fijians walk where they want to go, pollution and hordes of tourists. Paved, or "sealed" roads are also scarce as are sandy beaches of any width. Arrival Three of us Taveuni-bound travel writers went from the 10 1/2-hour Air Pacific flight from Los Angeles to the Nadi International Airport on Viti Levu directly to the one-hour and a few minute Pacific Sun flight in a Twin Otter to the tiny Matei Airport. The road to Paradise Taveuni Resort was a culture shock - 30-40 minutes of really rough road, stretches of which required four-wheel drive. Our first Taveuni "massage". Hearty "Bulas!" and flowered leis were presented by smiling staffers (there were no other kind!) and we were escorted to a seaside dining area to meet owner, Aussie Allan Gortan, and sit and relax with a cold coconut beverage. Read more: http://travelonthelevel.blogspot.com/2011/05/taveuni-paradise.html#ixzz3pmLO1vtW