The tiny island of Sawa-i-Lau is unique in Fiji in that it’s the only one made of limestone while all the others are volcanic. There’s a limestone mountain on the island, and the caves below are where we’re headed.
We left at 8 in the morning with Api and Sara on windy seas. Api expertly skirted the reefs with his high tech oar (a long stick). We stopped partway to refill the gas and arrived at 10:25. These are volcanic islands – they’re more gentle than limestone ones. Api indicated that we needed to leave by 11:30 due to the winds. On the way, we saw silvery flying fish.We were lucky to arrive early – there was only one other small group there, and even the market stalls had not yet been set up. By the time we left, there were almost 10 boats!There were some treacherous steps to climb the side of the steep cliff to enter the first, and larger cave. Api stayed with the boat. He explained that a village on the island manages access to the caves, and charges FJD$35 (CAD$20) per person. This charge plus the cost of fuel for transportation to this island makes it too expensive for the locals – most Fijians haven’t seen the caves. 🙁This is the main cave, and a guide is included. We arrived just as a small group was heading out, so we had a private tour! Fijians believe that these caves are the resting place of a god with 10 heads. Apparently, both fresh water eels and salt water snapper live in the water. The second cave is smaller and has a short underwater entry/exit. It’s called the Pregnancy Cave – the story is that if you’re trying to hide a pregnancy, you can’t get in. It’s also pitch black in this cave, and there’s a floating pipe structure for you to hold on to.
We stopped at an island with mangroves (behind Neil) and hung out on a deserted beach for lunch. Lunch was Fijian samosa filled with curry potatoes and canned tuna, with fresh cucumbers and pineapple on the side. This looks cultivated: cassava (shortest plants) planted in mounds with little rocks surrounding each mound, banana plants, and tall coconut trees.Unfortunately we had to shorten our stay to avoid the winds, and headed straight home. This meant missing our third stop, the Blue Lagoon.On the way home, the kids saw a turtle and we saw a shark’s fin jutting out of the water. Api told us that it was a hammerhead.
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1 comments on “Swimming at Sawa-i-Lau (Limestone Caves)”
Cool! Too bad the weather cut your trip short.