Dravuni Island will likely be the smallest and least inhabited island we will ever visit. Located a mere 43 miles south of Suva, the island is 198 sq acres or about .3 square miles. There is a small community there, with 200 inhabitants.

We tendered ashore and immediately heard a church choir singing in the distance. Today was Sunday, so there were no stalls and the single village shop was not open. This community takes Sunday very seriously, even when there is an onslaught of visitors. You have to appreciate that.

There were families sitting on their porches, visiting with the passengers. The island has an established path system and people were utilizing it to get to the other side and to climb the hills. There is a single school, no hotels, no restaurants and two churches. The villagers were very friendly and seemed happy to see us, though we can’t imagine why. 

We wandered down the beach and got some intel on the best snorkeling locations. This entire volcanic island is surrounded by a reef and we were keen to see it. We were actually shocked at how close the coral began as we wandered into the surf. There was minimal sand before we had to swim so to not step on it. Again, we were not able to capture good photos but the fish were everywhere and the coral impressive. We found a large coral specimen, about the size of a VW Bug, that was home to many species of fish.

Eventually, we headed back to the tender pier for our return trip to the ship. We watched some of the village men in their boats, and wondered aloud what it would be like to live on such a remote island, surrounded by such natural beauty. Dravuni Island is unspoiled and special, and we were grateful we had a glimpse of it.

Tomorrow: Sea Day