A speck in the Pacific, Nananu-i-Ra, meaning 'dreamland of the west', is a tiny isle just 1.5km off the main Fijian island of Viti Levu. Picture verdant hills, scalloped bays, white sandy shores and dense mangroves fringed by swaying coconut palms and you'll have an image of this pocket-sized paradise.
If you're looking for a remote and relatively untouched retreat, Nananu-i-Ra is the place for the perfect Fijian island experience. Lacking the mainstays of formal tourism infrastructure, save a few basic shops, dive facilities, resorts and backpacker-style bure accommodation, the appeal of Nananu-i-Ra is its beauty and seclusion for a romantic getaway or family retreat. However, the island is also a renowned watersports location offering ideal conditions for stand-up paddling (SUP), windsurfing and kiteboarding due to the trade winds that blow in from April to October. Divers, kayakers and snorkellers will also be rewarded with myriad unexplored coves, placid bays and reef systems to discover and view the beautiful soft corals and multi-hued aquatic life up close.
Take a few hours to explore the island from one end to the other via the hiking track to the peaks of the Nakauvadra Mountain range – the legendary home of the Fijian gods. Walking around the island you'll spy archaeological burial sites dotted around the area and an ancient Fijian village hidden in dense rainforest. Nananu-i-Ra also boasts eight white sandy beaches to relax or leisurely swim around including the secluded One Bay to the north.
To visit Nananu-i-Ra Island, you'll need to take a charter boat from Ellington Wharf near the town of Rakiraki on Viti Levu. From here it's a 15-minute trip to the island. Most of the resorts on the island have their own boat transfers that leave from this location.
