Port Denarau, Fiji, Cruise Port of Call

Port Denarau, Fiji, seen from the cruise ship

Our first stop in Fiji on this cruise was at Port Denarau. As you can see from the photo, the weather was against us. It made the tender ride ashore to the Denarau Marina even longer than usual; 45 minutes of rocking and rolling, bucking and twisting on a little boat. Seasick-inducing! We decided not to go ashore.
   Port Denarau is a large area of reclaimed land. Six huge resorts, a golf course and a shopping complex have been built there. A shuttle bus goes between the resorts.
  A couple from our dinner table took a shore tour to the Shangri-La Resort and Spa. A Fijian cultural show and traditional lovo, meal cooked in the ground, were the drawcards for them. Because it was Sunday, the advertised fire-walking ceremony did not go ahead for religious reasons. Instead, a thrilling performance of war dances and fire dances was held. Men holding long batons, flaming at each end, danced and did acrobatics while twirling the fiery poles. The authentic, pounding rhythms of the drums added to the spectacle.
  Once all passengers were safely back on board, 'Sea Princess' headed towards Suva, the capital of Fiji. More on that next time!