This was the last day of our trip, and National Geographic Orion made the most of it. It was a fun-filled day at the beach with lots of sun. The day started with an early morning scuba dive for the dive team. As the divers dropped below, everyone else headed to a private motu (island) to relax and snorkel. There were lounge chairs for relaxing and fish and rays to watch from the reef. The hotel department prepared a special treat with a barbecue lunch on the beach. After lunch, there was an opportunity to snorkel with blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus). This was a fantastic chance for all the guests to experience how these sharks are a peaceful and necessary part of the ecosystem. What a day!
4/27/2024
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National Geographic Orion
Beqa Island, Fiji
Today we explored the lovely island of Beqa, which is part of Fiji. The day started with a visit to a small village by the coast and an optional hike to a neighboring village. The hike took us up a hill and provided beautiful views of the ocean and the bays below. Along the way, we looked for birds, visited a kava farm, and learned a bit about local plants. We even visited the village school, which had a small library and playground for the kids. After we finished the hike, we had a delicious lunch on board National Geographic Orion then we took Zodiacs ashore at a new location. When we pulled up on the beach, we were greeted by a chorus of singers from one of the villages. The music was beautiful, and we all enjoyed listening to the group sing and play their instruments. We shared a bowl of kava with our greeting party and then were treated to a special ritual – firewalking! Men from the village showed us their traditional practice of walking over extremely hot rocks that have been heated by a strong fire. It was impressive! It was our last full day on this trip, and we certainly made the most of it.
