TUESDAY TRAVEL ‘The Press’ on the move

Press, 28 June 1983, Page 23

TUESDAY TRAVEL ‘The Press’ on the move

Photographed and compiled

by

LES BLOXHAM,

“The Press” travel editor

Dreaming of escaping a week or two of winter? Fiji is waiting to share its warmth with you, a special warmth that is a blend of sunshine and smiles. Fiji has something for everyone. It is accessible and yet exotic; peaceful and yet there is a lot to do. For those who seek culture, Fiji is enchanting. Visitors can experience the authentic Fijian way of life, first-hand if they wish, or stand apart and observe to their heart's content the woodcarvers, band-potters and weavers at their crafts, or women doing their laundry in the streams and children collecting firewood from the mangrove swamps. They can have fun at a meke or marvel at the firewalking. The Indian influence is as spellbinding — the Moslem mosques and Sikh temples, sari-clad women in the fields and markets, Brahman cattle and banyan trees, and shops and restaurants offering fare from the Orient.

— The way the world should be • • •

For those in search of rest, the hotels range from familyoriented resorts well within the average tourist's budget to luxury hotels and exclusive island resorts. For those in search of activity, the tropical South Pacific offers everything — biggame fishing, reef fishing and viewing, scuba diving, snorkelling, swimming, water ski-ing, sailing, windsurfing and cruising. Back on dry land, sunbathing is an obvious pastime, but the more energetic may favour tennis, golf, squash, horse-riding, bowls, or table tennis and pool. As a holiday destination, Fiji is better than ever: its standards of service and range of facilities incomparably smarter; its hotels freshly spruced up (courtesy of a windfall named Oscar). By contrast time has not changed Fiji's special appeal — the sun and smiles are, we are happy to say, as bright and dazzling as always.