Fiji
Brazil
Argentina
Bolivia
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
Guyana
French Guiana
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela
Germany
Austria
Belgium
Croatia
Denmark
Spain
Finland
France
Greece
the Netherlands
Hungary
Ireland
Iceland
Italy
Luxembourg
Norway
Poland
Portugal
the United Kingdom
the Czech Republic
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Mexico
the Dominican Republic
South AfricaFiji
Ba · Fiji
A chain of volcanic islands north of the Mamanuca, with dry hills, long beaches, Fijian villages, manta-ray swims and the Sawa-i-Lau caves.
In the photo: Channel and islands of the Yasawa archipelago
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
The Yasawa Islands form a chain of about 20 volcanic islands stretching roughly 80 km north of the Mamanuca, northwest of Viti Levu. They are higher and drier than the southern neighbors, with grass-covered hills, rocky slopes and long white-sand beaches, and are farther from Nadi: the nearest are about 2 hours by boat, the farthest nearly 5.
For a long time the Yasawa were outside the tourist circuit, and accommodations only multiplied from the 1980s. Today there are everything from simple guesthouses, many run by the villages themselves, to small resorts, and the islands remain dotted with Fijian villages where life revolves around fishing, gardens and the church.
The best-known spots lie along the chain. On Waya, the rocky hills of Vatuvula overlook the whole archipelago. Between Naviti and Drawaqa, a narrow channel commonly attracts manta rays from May to October. On Nanuya Lailai is the Blue Lagoon, which gave its name to the 1980 film, and on Sawa-i-Lau in the north are limestone caves with seawater pools.
The traditional way to see them is island hopping on the boat that runs from Denarau, stopping two or three nights on each island. It’s a trip for those who want sea, hikes and village contact, at a slower pace than the Mamanuca.
This destination brings together 5 cities: Waya, Naviti, Nanuya Lailai, Nacula, Sawa-i-Lau.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Limites: Pacific Data Hub / geoBoundaries (CC BY 4.0). Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.
✈ Aeroporto Internacional de Nadi (NAN), in Namaka · 62 km to Waya
Confirm before booking. From Nadi, the route is by boat departing Port Denarau Marina that visits the chain, or by seaplane and helicopter. Yasawa island has a small airstrip.
Suggested arrival point: Waya
Waya is one of the first islands in the Yasawa chain, about a 2-hour boat ride from Denarau, with rocky hills reaching around 570 meters, white sand beaches and four Fijian villages. Next to it is Waya Lailai, the islet where you climb the Vatuvula peak, with views over the archipelago.
Naviti is one of the largest islands in the Yasawa group, in the middle of the chain, with forested hills, sheltered bays and several villages. Beside it, the narrow channel that separates it from the islet Drawaqa often receives manta rays from May to October, and local accommodations take guests to swim with them.
Nanuya Lailai is a small island in the northern Yasawa group, facing the Blue Lagoon, the clear-water cove that gave its name to the 1980 film shot on the neighboring island of Nanuya Levu. It has white-sand beaches, reefs for snorkeling and simple lodgings, and is close to the Sawa-i-Lau caves.
Nacula is one of the highest and largest islands in the northern Yasawa, with grassy hills and forest, long beaches and four villages. It is close to Nanuya Lailai and the Blue Lagoon and serves as a base for trails to viewpoints like Neisau hill and for trips to the Sawa-i-Lau caves.
Sawa-i-Lau is a small limestone island in the northern Yasawa, distinct from the volcanic islands around it. It is known for caves that open in the rock, with seawater pools where you can swim under a dome lit by light coming from above. Visits are made on boat tours from nearby islands.
The local experience
Narrow channel between Drawaqa and Naviti where manta rays commonly feed from May to October, visited on guided snorkel trips from nearby accommodations.
Limestone caves with seawater pools, a dome about 15 meters high lit by light from above, and a dark chamber reached by a submerged tunnel, with a guide.
A clear-water cove between Nanuya Lailai and Nanuya Levu in the northern Yasawa, with shallow reefs for snorkeling and white sand, linked to the 1980 film The Blue Lagoon.
A hill of about 240 meters on Nacula, with a trail through grass and rock to the top, from where you can see the Blue Lagoon, Nanuya Levu, Sawa-i-Lau and the northern Yasawa.
Volcanic rock peak on Waya Lailai, with a short, steep trail to the top, from where you can see Waya, the Yasawa islands and, on clear days, the Mamanuca.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
From May to October, the dry season, days are usually sunny and the sea suitable for boats. It’s also when manta rays commonly appear in the Drawaqa channel. From November to April it’s hotter and rains in showers; it’s cyclone season, and boat service can be suspended.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
A week allows three or four islands, with two nights at each. With five days you can do two islands and see the highlights: manta swimming, the Blue Lagoon and the caves. There are day-boat tours from Denarau that reach the nearest islands.
Waya and Naviti, in the south and middle of the chain, are closer to Denarau and are good for hikes and manta swims. Nanuya Lailai and Nacula, further north, concentrate guesthouses around the Blue Lagoon and are close to the Sawa-i-Lau caves. Many accommodations are simple and village-run with meals included; check what’s included beforehand.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
The most common way is the boat departing Port Denarau Marina that stops at islands along the chain. Accommodations pick up passengers from the boat with launches. There are multi-day passes to hop on and off at different islands.
Mantas typically appear in the channel between Drawaqa and Naviti from May to October. Sightings aren’t guaranteed; nearby accommodations will notify when they are in the channel.
Yes. The Blue Lagoon is next to Nanuya Lailai, and the 1980 film was shot on the neighboring island Nanuya Levu.
Generally, yes. There are more village-run guesthouses with simple rooms and meals included, as well as some small resorts. Power and internet can be limited on some islands.
There are day-boat tours from Denarau that reach the nearer southern islands. For northern highlights like the Sawa-i-Lau caves, you need to stay overnight on the islands.
