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During your stay with us, enjoy a range of activities both on land and in the ocean, with scuba diving, snorkeling, nature hikes, bird watching, fishing, kayaking and much more.
The South Pacific claims over 300 varieties of corals in comparison to around 30 varieties in the Caribbean seas. The Fiji Islands are known as the Soft Coral capital of the Pacific and the various colours and hues boggle the mind. Snorkelers have the same advantage as divers in enjoyment of the underwater world with the exception that snorkelers cannot remain for long periods of time beneath the surface as do our scuba diving companions.
Check out our full information on Snorkeling and Scuba Diving.
The focus on Namenalala Island is enjoyment of the natural land and sea environment. The Namena Barrier Reef which surrounds the island is one of Fiji's most diversified and spectacular reef ecosystems with 25-30 kilometers of walls and bommies (sea mounts).
There are several openings in the barrier reef and in those passages, as the tide fluctuates bringing in current, the soft corals bloom and the silent world beneath-the-sea becomes a panorama of incredible beauty. Colorful reef fish dart in and out of the waving corals. We've taken a Google Earth map and marked the dive sites we use the most.
The Namena Marine Reserve came about with the issuing of beautiful plastic-coated tags in 2004. The tags are valid for the current calendar year and each year a new photo taken in the reserve is pictured with credit to the photographer. The money collected from all resorts & liveaboards using the Namena Marine Reserve is sent to the Committee operated by the 11 villages who control the fishing rights. Since they have suspended all fishing - both to commercial fishing vessels and their own people for subsistence fishing in exchange for leaving the area to remain the breeding grounds for all their reefs along the coast adjacent to their villages. Every year youth are chosen from these villages and their education is paid for by the fees. Current tag fees are F$25.00 per tag/person.
HISTORY OF THE NAMENA MARINE RESERVE
Many years of hard work went into halting commercial tuna pole and line fisheries from taking baitfish for their 'friendly' pole and line operations. The amount of vessels cleaning out the bait-fish, along with illegal drop-line fishing done by the crews was heartbreaking.
 When we first settled on Namenalala Island back in 1983, the lagoon was teeming in baitballs; the reefs abounded with thousands of fish of every specie imaginable; schools of pelagic fish (tuna, mackerel, mahi-mahi, trevally) would come right up close to the barrier reef. And then, the Ika Corporation's fleet of pole and line vessels began visiting the lagoon, methodically stripping out the baitballs. For the next decade the Moodys fought a solitary battle with the Fisheries Department to please have those vessels utilize sites throughout the Fiji Islands and not target the Namena Lagoon to collect 80% of their baitfish ... to no avail. During this same time frame, licenses were issued to a fleet of long-liners who commenced to fish out all pelagics within the Fiji group of islands. Fiji's once-teeming ocean of fish was becoming a barren desert. It was ONLY when the Fijians who controlled their fishing waters (called qoliqoli) that things began to turn around. Within a period of 7 years of very hard work for the local people with many government meetings that the Kubulau villagers were able to have ALL fishing banned within their qoliqoli. 
Several overseas organizations provided funds and education to begin work on the marine reserve or MPA (marine protected area). Coral Reef Alliance is now the major body assisting the Fijians in providing financial assistance, paying to have moorings installed and educational facilities to make them more cognizant of the value of MPA's throughout the islands. Commercial baiting was halted around 1997 and shortly thereafter the pole & line industry collapsed. Long-liners are mostly out of the picture now due to financial problems with the high cost of fuel for the few pelagics remaining. The best news is that we are now beginning to see the return of the baitballs within the lagoon (marine reserve) and much more fish life - almost to the amount we saw when we first arrived in the islands two decades ago. Fiji Fisheries personnel are also working with the people to use sustainable fishing methods. All's well that ends well.
Kayaks: You are welcome to use our kayaks at any time. The island is approximately a mile long and it takes between 2-3 hours to circumnavigate the island. Some guests choose to spend the day kayaking from beach to beach, stopping to snorkel various offshore reefs. We'll send a picnic lunch to a designated area for the couple to pick up.
Or, spend a morning or afternoon hiking to the Dragon's Head; one trail follows the ridge where, at the highest point of the island (400 feet) you will find the remains of an ancient ring fortification ... relics of the migratory Lapita people who lived in the islands prior to the present-day Fijian peoples.
 
Pacific Pigeon (pictured right)
Booby (left)
Walk through virgin tropical forests and observe the nesting red-footed boobys, resident fruitbats hanging in their 'camp', watch the lesser-frigates circling high above waiting for the boobys to come home with their dinner so they can attack and force the booby to drop the fish, catching it in mid-air! Make your way to the head of the 'dragon' and observe one of the most spectacular views far out to sea.
Join the staff in a fun game of volleyball.
If you feel lazy, crawl into one of the hammocks at the beach and read a book or take a snooze. We have a huge paperback library with every type of novel you might wish to read ... from non-fiction to mystery, romance, action, spy-thrillers and more. We also have a few books on the reef fish and corals.
Fishing: There is NO fishing done within the Namena Marine Reserve, including casting off the island. We do go outside the barrier reef to fish, especially for dinner. We do NOT spearfish nor throw nets. We either troll or cast from the boat in open waters. You are welcome to bring your own fishing/casting pole if you wish. Due to the high cost of fuel, we will have to begin charging a minimal fee for the fuel, especially when trolling for fish.
 
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