Tivua Island, Mamanucas Islands, Fiji, 2011

The Mamanuca Islands () of Fiji are a

volcanic A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plates a ...

archipelago An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands, or sometimes a sea containing a small number of scattered islands. Examples of archipelagos include: the Indonesian Arc ...

lying to the west of Nadi and to the south of the

Yasawa Islands The Yasawa Group is an archipelago of about 20 volcanic islands in the Western Division of Fiji, with an approximate total area of . Geography The Yasawa volcanic group consists of six main islands and numerous smaller islets. The archip ...

. The group, a popular

tourist Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...

destination, consists of about 20 islands, but about seven of these are covered by the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contin ...

at high tide. The islands offer crystal clear waters, palm fringed sandy beaches and live coral reefs. There are islands, villages, resorts to visit, snorkel and swim. The coastal/

marine ecosystem Marine ecosystems are the largest of Earth's aquatic ecosystems and exist in waters that have a high salt content. These systems contrast with freshwater ecosystems, which have a lower salt content. Marine waters cover more than 70% of the sur ...

and recreation value of the archipelago contribute to its national significance as outlined in Fiji's Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. Since 2016, the islands have been the filming location of the television series '' Survivor''. One of the islands, Monuriki, was made famous as the anonymous island that featured in the 2000 Robert Zemeckis film, ''

Cast Away ''Cast Away'' is a 2000 American survival drama film directed and produced by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt, and Nick Searcy. Hanks plays a FedEx troubleshooter stranded on an uninhabited island after his plane crashes in ...

'', starring

Tom Hanks Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...

Islands

Politically, the islands are a part of the

Nadroga-Navosa Province Nadroga-Navosa (Nadroga: Nadrogā-Navoha) is one of the fourteen provinces of Fiji and one of eight based in Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island. It is about 2,385 square kilometers and occupies the South-West and Central areas of Viti Levu, Fiji ...

, which is itself a part of the Fiji's Western Division. Islands in the Mamanuca chain, not all of which are inhabited, include:

Resorts

The resorts located in the Mamanucas run the gamut from high-end luxury accommodations to less expensive options targeted towards backpackers and budget-conscious travelers. Some of these are: Tavarua Island Resort

Activities

Port Denarau is the gateway to the Mamanuca and Yasawa islands. One may take day trips from Denarau to the Mamanuca Islands or find a resort to stay overnight. Activities in the Mamanucas include sailing, swimming, snorkelling, kayaking, semi-submersible coral viewing, diving, swimming with reef sharks, windsurfing, hiking, visiting villages, mini golf and discovering secluded beaches.

''Survivor''

The American edition of Survivor has used the islands as the location for filming, beginning with its 33rd season ('' Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X)'' in April 2016. Typically, two 39 day competitions will be filmed back to back, with the first season airing in the fall of that year, and the second airing in the spring of the following year. This marks the longest consecutive period that Survivor has filmed in one location. Before the airing of the 35th season ('' Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers)'', host Jeff Probst said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that the Mamanuca Islands is the optimal location for the show and he would like to stay there permanently. The following seasons have filmed in the Mamanuca Islands: *'' Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X'' *'' Survivor: Game Changers'' *'' Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers'' *'' Survivor: Ghost Island'' *'' Survivor: David vs. Goliath'' *'' Survivor: Edge of Extinction'' *'' Survivor: Island of the Idols'' *'' Survivor: Winners at War'' *'' Survivor 41'' *'' Survivor 42'' *'' Survivor 43''

References

External links