Islandliving pacifi c from the editor
AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 19
N ulge yourself ext issue, we will be celebrating four years of Pacific Island Living. We started this magazine for Pacific people – to find, review and recommend things to see and do, and ultimately, buy. We are proudly an aspirational magazine, we want our readers to sit back and indulge just as much as we want to tell the world how great the Pacific really is. From Georgie Gordon’s health and beauty columns, to Carolyn Ernst’s gardening tips, we hope you agree Pacific Island Living has something for everyone. In four years our market has grown from Vanuatu and Nauru Airlines to cover most of the Pacific. We’re particularly proud of our market share in Fiji and the Solomon Islands as well as our distribution in Australia through Qantas Club lounges. As I write this column I’m in Fiji, having just flown in from Vanuatu. Next month it will be Nauru then the Sollies. Pacific Island Living truly is a Pacific magazine and we’re so pleased you have enjoyed it and helped its growth over the last four years. Please do keep in touch via our website, Facebook page, Instagram or Twitter. Happy reading. Tiffany Carroll
Ind
Find us on Facebook
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and Instagram at instagram.com/pacisliving or read this and all our magazines online at www.pacific-island-living. com Cover images - Fiji Island Living courtesy Adrenalin Fiji; Solomon Island Living, by David Kirkland; Nauru Airlines AU$5 (incl. GST) Cover courtesy Nautilus Resort, Kosrae; Vanuatu cover courtesy Pavol Stranák.
ISSN 2200-9566
FIJI I VANUATU I SAMOA I SOLOMON ISLANDS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR YOUR PERFECT PACIFIC HOLIDAY PLUS FOOD I FASHION I BEAUTY I HEALTH I FINANCE
03 reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced without the permission of the Copyright: All rights publisher. Articles express the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of Nauru Airlines, Tourism Fiji, Vanuatu Tourism Office or Pacific Island Living.
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from the editor
H
ello and welcome to another edition of Pacific Island Living. Reading these pages has transported me from the deadline desk to some of the most luxurious resorts in the Pacific. Craig Osment has put together a list of some of the region’s best, from the simplicity of Sinalei in Samoa, to Fiji’s only over-water bungalows at Likuliku and Vanuatu’s famed Eratap Beach Resort. We’re also featuring some of the best jewellers in the Pacific, including Jewels Fiji, which specialises in diamonds and Vanuatu Bijouterie which design and hand make all their jewellery on-site, including stunning pig’s tusk bangles and the finest quality Tahitian black pearls. But it’s not all about luxury, we also feature Fiona Harper’s trip through the stunning Yasawa islands in Fiji, great eggplant recipes, tips on tanning safely and diving WW2 wrecks in Solomon Islands. So if you’re reading this at one of our luxury resorts, enjoy and relax, or if you’re like me and working or rushing to an aeroplane, transport yourself to the Pacific through our pages. Happy reading.
Tiffany Carroll Find us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/pacificislandliving, Twitter
@PacIsLiving
and Instagram at instagram.com/pacisliving or read this and all our magazines online at: www.pacificislandliving.com Copyright: All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. Articles express the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of Nauru Airlines, Tourism Fiji, Vanuatu Tourism Office, Samoa Tourism Authority, Photogenic Limited or Pacific Island Living. Picture this page: Sheraton Aggie Grey’s Hotel & Bungalows, Apia, Samoa.
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Pacific Island Living No 19 | Autumn 2017 EDITOR Tiffany Carroll Email: tcarroll@photogenicpr.com ART DIRECTOR Tanya Green FEATURES EDITOR Georgie Gordon FASHION + STYLE EDITOR Olivia Waugh FOOD EDITOR Christiana Kaluscha GARDENING EDITOR Carolyn Ernst CONTRIBUTORS Toby Preston, Craig Osment, Pat Ingram, Fiona Harper, Carolyn Ernst, Christiana Kaluscha, Glen Craig, Fiona Marston, Tourism Fiji, Vanuatu Tourism Office, Tatyana Leonov, SIVB, Sinalei Resort, David Kirkland, Sally Cooper, Roderick Eime, Valerie Fernandez, Bronwyn Besley-Norris. EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Pat Ingram PUBLISHER: Craig Osment ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Rebecca Worsp: Advertising Director Fiji | Vanuatu | Nauru | Samoa | Australia | NZ Telephone: (678) 778 0005 Email: sales@photogenicpr.com Honiara: Bronwyn Norris Telephone: (677) 745 6066 Email: sales@photogenicpr.com Pacific Island Living, is published quarterly by Photogenic Limited Fax (678) 23 402 | PO Box 322 Port Vila, Vanuatu Printed by APOL Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/pacificislandliving Twitter
@PacIsLiving
and Instagram
at instagram.com/pacisliving
Or read this and all our magazines online www.pacificislandliving.com
at
COPYRIGHT All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. Articles express the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of Nauru Airlines, Tourism Fiji, Vanuatu Tourism Office, Samoa Tourism or Pacific Island Living.
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Private sunset dining at Eratap Resort, Vanuatu in your own fare for maximum indulgence. See our Splendour Special featuring 12 pages of luxe destinations and products, page 40.
CONTENTS2017 8
Autumn
BEACHCOMBER This issue we feature a new
funky camera from the leading optical experts at Leica. A ‘high street’ shop in Port Vila and self contained apartments in Fiji for holiday rental and a ... hat.
11
12
34
Olivia Waugh offers good wardrobe advice on what’s perfect for covering up in the tropics.
40
BOOK LOOK Georgie Gordon stays up late to read a few gripping and ripping yarns to keep you amused and engaged on your hols. NET ASSETS Our pick of the websites we love. This
GETTING AWAY FROM IT ALL Diving in to the heart of Fiji, Fiona Harper discovers the true beauty of the Yasawa Islands.
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PACIFIC PULSE Our round up of Pacific happenings and this time we check out the achievements of two organisations in bringing clean water to a Fijian school and the coming cruise ship boom in Samoa.
28
STYLE+DÉCOR – SEASON’S GIFTING Olivia Waugh sees red ... well actually coral in this round up of must have decorating items colour coded for the tropical style seeker.
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12-PAGE SPLENDOUR SPECIAL – THE LUXURY COLLECTION The Pacific has always conjured images of beachside perfection, palm trees, clear water and the simple pleasures of life, and indeed there are many simple pleasures to be enjoyed in this corner of the world from shabby chic, rudimentary seaside shacks to unspoiled village visits but ... There are now many luxurious and more opulent offerings in both accommodation and shopping choices for sophisticated travellers to the region, here we take a tour of some of the best from Fiji to Samoa and Vanuatu
time sites for motoring advice, best reads, television and streaming choices as well as a couple of foodie faves.
14
FASHION FLASH
56
BEAUTY MATINS Georgie Gordon tells how to make yourself divine for the rest of the day by following these morning beauty routines.
58
HEALTH – SOLAR SENSE A tanned skin is a sign the skin has been damaged, says Georgie Gordon, so if you want a safe tan make it a pseudo tan and use plenty of sunscreen cream, wear
Explore lush rainforests or tee off on a world-class golf course. Whether you’re going white water rafting or unwinding with spectacular snorkelling and a quiet swim, it’s all here. In Fiji, you just do what makes you happy.
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a hat or stay covered, no matter how naturally dark you are, then spray on your colour.
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WRECKS AND RELICS Professional diver Andrew Trahair marks the 75th anniversary of Solomon Islands’ epic World War II battles and their remarkable legacy in the form of the many spectacular dive sites provided by the wreckage left by both Japanese and Americans in the clear waters of the Pacific.
70
ISLAND CUISINE The long lunch in the Pacific. A few of our favourite places in the region to while away an afternoon or the entire evening if you’re tempted.
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FOOD – AUBERGINES Christiana Kaluscha goes into her eggplant rant and comes up with an international selection of alternative aubergine recipes. Not only beautiful to look at but gorgeous to eat.
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ABODE – GET OVER IT! The water, that is. In the Pacific, surrounded as we are by water, it may be understandable that we get a little blasé about it but it’s why many of us live here and top of the tourist list worldwide is the overwater living experience, which has long history says Toby Preston.
88
ISLAND ESCAPE – THE GALÁPAGOS Pauline Webber discovers a wonderland of wildlife that apparently has no fear of humans. Only problem is, it’s a little remote, plonked as it is in a lonely stretch of the Pacific. But the Galápagos Islands are worth the effort.
96
GARDENS – THE RIGHT PLAN Gardening editor Carolyn Ernst suggests with the beginning of a new year it’s the right time to make plans for the garden of your dreams ... step-by-step.
102 ART SMART – AQUA ART: WATER COLOURS Beachgoing as a pastime is a reasonably recent activity but water and the ocean have been an inspiration for artists down the ages, from gloomy and threatening seascapes to more benign, impressionistic riverbank scenes, through to inspirational posters and pool vistas. By Toby Preston. Top: On page 88 you’ll find Pauline Webber being amazed at the variety and fearlessness of the wildlife on the remote Galapagos Islands. Middle: On page 62 professional diver Andrew Trahair celebrates the WWII dive site wrecks of the Solomons. Above: The attractions of the overwater life have a long history says Toby Preston on page 82.
108 INVESTMENT ADVICE – PERFECT TIMING Glen Craig says now is the perfect time to invest in the region. Not only are there unbeatable commercial opportunities but there are lifestyle benefits too.
116 PAR AVION Toby Preston gets passionate about his passport, and mourns the electronic revolution.
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Beachcomber Every issue we bring you the news, views, people, products and places from all around the Pacific.
SELF CONTAINED AND SELFISHLY SPACIOUS Denarau Island in Fiji The Palms has changed offers a range of resort all that with one-, two- and accommodation from five star three-bedroom apartments luxury to kid-friendly resorts. offering space and comfort. What it’s been lacking until Fully self-contained with full recently is self-contained kitchens, laundry and large accommodation, perfect for bathrooms, The Palms is business travelers, groups a perfect location for those and families. who need a base, but don’t
mind the extra comforts of a gorgeous pool area and onsite restaurant. With large living areas, you won’t feel crowded at The Palms and offering high speed internet, this can be your home away from home. Cafe O (a popular café
also located in Nadi) offers fantastic breakfasts, lunch and dinner and is located in the courtyard of The Palms. You can order room service or simply pop downstairs for a drink or bite to eat ... or drop into a local market and cook at home.
A VERY CONTEMPORARY BIKINI WITH A LONG HISTORY Etam is a retailer with a difference in Port Vila, it’s proably the closet we have in the capital to an international High Street store. The brand has a long and proud history having opened its first store in Berlin in 1916. This shop was dedicated to that most liberating of garments in an age where women were emerging as independent beings freed from the constraints fo their very Victorian predecessors – synthetic stockings! Etam has continued to evolve and draw on their extensive expertise to “enhance their offer” they are developing their range of lingerie, swimwear and daywear utilising the latest innovative materials, upgraded lacework, softer more comfortable bra cups and a better technical performance for their sports and swimwaer collections. As part of their comitment to always provide what their customers want and stay ahead of the curve, the chain has undertaken a major survey to better understand their clients “lingerie expectations” and as a result believe they are better able to produce even more advanced collections in the future. In addition to the above the range includes nightwear, cosmetics and ready-to-wear. With an international network of 4,400 sales outlets in more than forty countries Etam is truly cosmopolitan and offers an ‘e-shop’ for those hard-to-get items on your list. Find them on the main highway at eastern end of town. 8 | Islandliving pacific
Beachcomber And if you have anything that’s worth knowing about, get in touch and let us in on the secret. SNAP IT UP – JUST LEICA A CAMERA Legendary German optical company Leica has released a new ‘instant’ camera which produces actual physical or ‘haptic’ (tactile) pictures as they put it. The SOFORT camera is a design triumph in that it is not only beautiful to look at in its playfully colourful livery – mint, orange or white is available – but it revives the joy of actually holding or passing around a real snapshot instead of offering your phone screen to someone to check your pix. As you would expect from a company like this the technology is as clever as the design, the camera in automatic mode, takes advantage of available natural light for as long as possible without triggering the integrated flash. This results in pictures with a much more authentic and natural look. In addition to the modes Automatic, Party + People, Sport + Action, Macro and creative programmes for multiple and time exposures, it also offers a mode for self-portraits and a self-timer with two different delays. At $AU399 it’s an economical alternative to other point and shoot competitors. Ten packs of film in colour of black and white start at AU$18. HATS OFF TO THE PENSACOLA FEDORA Melbourne milliner Ace of Something has added yet more gorgeous headwear to its range of boaters, fedoras and trilbys. The Pensacola Fedora comes in a range of fab summer colours as well as natural. Indeed AoS prides itself on the use of natural materials and the creation of timeless quality pieces using traditional methods. Their hats are all designed in Melbourne and mostly made there too using the finest materials and trims from around the world. The range is available in styles for both men and women and runs from woven straw fibres to felt. From wide brimmed and floppy with a bendable wire oversized brim from as little as $AU29.95 through to more traditional fine panama styles in all black, natural with black band or ivory and black for $AU69.95. The Pensacola comes in at $AU99.95 and is perfect for the tropics. www.aceofsomething.com.au
TAKE A RIDE IN PARADISE...
T: +678 26517 E: europcar@vanuatu.com.vu W: www.europecar.com
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Cardo s STEAKHOUSE & COCKTAIL BAR Port Denarau, Fiji
Open for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Port Denarau Marina Complex, FIJI Phone (+679) 675 0900 Web www.cardosfiji.com islandliving | 10 paciďŹ c
Book look: Thrillers and more Georgie Gordon stays awake late for a group of gripping reads IDAHO by Emily Ruskovich One hot August day a family drives to a mountain clearing to collect wood. While Jenny, the mother and Wade, the father get to work the two daughters, June and May aged nine and six, drink lemonade, play and sing ... Until something unimaginably shocking happens, an act of inexplicable violence that leaves the family reeling. Idaho is told from multiple perspectives and in razor-sharp prose, we gradually learn more about this act, and the way its violence, love and memory reverberate through the life of every character. Published by Chatto & Windus.
STASI WOLF by David Young Set in East Germany, 1975, Stasi Wolf follows Karin Müller from the Berlin murder squad, as she is sent south to Halle-Neustadt where a pair of infant twins have gone missing. However, Müller soon finds her problems have followed her, Halle-Neustadt is a new town – the pride of the communist state – and she and her team are forbidden by the Stasi from publicising the disappearances lest they tarnish the town’s flawless image. Following on from the bestselling Stasi Child, this cold war thriller will keep up well into the night. Published by Bonnier.
CLOSE ENOUGH TO TOUCH by Colleen Oakley Close Enough to Touch is an unconventional love story following Jubilee Jenkins, a young woman who after a near death experience becomes a recluse. When her mother dies she is forced to leave home and face the world and the people she has been hiding from. One such person is Eric Keegan, fleeing from his failed marriage with a daughter in tow he and Jubilee begin a strange but powerful relationship. Published by Allen & Unwin.
CRIMSON LAKE by Candice Fox From award winning author Candice Fox comes an edgy, suspense novel that will have you powering through to the last shocking twist. When detective Ted Conkaffey is accused but not convicted of abducting a teenage girl he escapes to the jungle in far north Australia. Here he finds private investigator Amanda Pharrell, a woman with a shady and secretive past and an unsolved case that perhaps Ted can help her solve. Published by Bantam.
CITY OF FRIENDS by Joanna Trollope City of Friends is the 20th novel from the best-selling author and Trollope fans won’t be disappointed with her latest novel. It follows Stacey Grant as she loses her high-flying job in the corporate world as has to reconcile her old life with a new, decidedly unfamiliar one. Stacey turns to her long-time friends for support but they have their own problems and when Stacey’s redundancy forces a betrayal to emerge that was supposed to remain secret, their long cherished friendships will be pushed to their limits. Published by Mantle.
THE NOWHERE MAN by Gregg Hurwitz As a boy he was known as Orphan X, taken from a children’s home and raised and trained by the government as part of a secret initiative. As a man he lives off the grid, using his formidable skills to help those unable to protect themselves. Until one day he wakes up in a locked room with no idea who captured him and what they want. This high octane and action-packed thriller from the author of Orphan X is sure to be another best-seller. Published by Michael Joseph.
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Net assets: E-Advice Georgie Gordon checks out her favourite sites for help on food, film, cars and photography. WHAT SHOULD I READ NEXT? Love to read but find it hard to stay up to date with the latest releases? Or just read something you loved and want to follow it up with something similar? What Should I Read Next is a huge database of people just waiting to recommend your next great read, ok maybe they’re not all sitting there waiting but the suggestions are. Just type in an author or a book and viola a groaning virtual nightstand of potential favourites appears. whatshouldireadnext.com ROTTEN TOMATOES We’re spoilt for choice these days with the amount of television content, movies and documentaries at our fingertips just waiting to be downloaded and streamed. But how to sort the Games of Thrones from the Sharknado 3’s? Make Rotten Tomatoes your go-to, they gather all of the reviews from top publications and then average out the scores, deeming them ‘fresh’ over 50% or ‘rotten’ under 50%. Consider anything above 90% on the ‘Tomatometer’ a mustsee. rottentomatoes.com MOTOR TREND Car enthusiasts will love this award winning website. From car reviews and comparison tests on new models to up to the minute news on everything happening in the world of motor vehicles this site is a wealth of information. Check out their buyer’s guides or read opinion pieces from respected journalists, this beautifully designed site is a breeze to navigate and won the Peoples Voice award for best Car and Car Culture Site in the 2016 Webby awards. For the full experience, go to: motortrend.com 12 | Islandliving pacific
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC’S YOUR SHOT Your Shot is a photo community set up by National Geographic to tell stories through photographs uploaded by you. Whether you’re a pro, love to take photos as a hobby or perhaps you just fluked one great shot, this site gives all photographers the opportunity to be featured. Contribute by uploading your shot direct to the site under one of their categories or ‘assignments’ ie. Silhouettes or Strange Terrains for the chance to be published. Great for browsing too if you appreciate great photography. yourshotblog. nationalgeographic.com EATING ASIA Planning a trip to Asia? Even if it’s just a virtual one this fantastic site is full of mouth-watering food and stories from a Malaysian-based professional food writer and photographer exploring street food, ingredients and culinary traditions throughout Asia and beyond. Research where to eat, shop and stay in George Town, Penang; weigh up the different pho’s in Hanoi or read about where to eat the best offal in Istanbul. A site worth visiting if only for the beautiful photographs of the places and food featured. eatingasia.typepad.com HOLLY & FLORA We love a good food blog here, and there are so many out there, but hot on their heels are bloggers who are writing about cocktails and wine, Saveur magazine awarded this beautiful site the people’s choice award in 2016, it’s authored by American sommelier Jayme Henderson and she makes culinary inspired, garden to glass cocktails such as salted tomatillo green bloody Mary’s and these innovative recipes are accompanied by stunning images that will inspire you to think beyond a gin and tonic come 5pm. hollyandflora.com
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Discovery
Getting
Away From It All Diving in to the heart of Fiji, Fiona Harper discovers the true beauty of the Yasawa Islands.
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C
onjure up a tropical island paradise and you’ll probably find a turquoise sea lapping dazzling white beach sand. Overhead, cotton puff clouds are dotted against an implausibly blue sky. Coconut palms bend towards the sun. You’ve spent the morning swimming, snorkelling and reading that novel you’ve longed to find the time to get stuck into. Your skin is ever so slightly tanned, your hair is streaked with salt and the soles of your feet are naturally exfoliated from long beach walks. The sun is warm. The air smells of seashells washed ashore beyond the high tide line. An attractive Fijian man wearing a tropical shirt and with a frangipani tucked behind his ear carries chilled drinks in
coconut cups trimmed with umbrellas. ‘Bula,’ he calls out through his wide-mouth grin. He tells you that fresh-caught lobster is on the menu tonight. Will that be alright? You can’t wipe the silly grin off your face. It sounds like the biggest cliché in the holiday book, right? It’s not. In fact, this pretty much sums up life for those fortunate souls who make the journey to visit the string of Fijian gems known as the Yasawa Islands. Especially those in the know who check into Yasawa Island Resort. One of those idyllic remote retreats where it’s all but impossible not to succumb to Fiji’s charm, Yasawa Island Resort is less resort and more extended Fijian family. Arriving by small aircraft after skimming over a mosaic of
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coral reefs and forest-clad islands, new arrivals are greeted like long lost friends returning home. Later, the inevitable departure is a guaranteed tearjerker as soulful voices sing Fiji’s famous farewell song Isa Lei. Make sure you’ve got some tissues handy! Delineating Fiji’s western border from the rest of the South Pacific Ocean, Lt William Bligh is credited as the first European to sight the Yasawas after he was set adrift by mutinous crew on board the HMS Bounty. Had he gone ashore he would have met Melanesian navigators and sea gypsies who had inhabited the archipelago since around 500BC. With no weapons in his small boat and anticipating a hostile reception, Bligh probably made the right choice to forgo a Fijian landfall. Once known as the Cannibal Isles, cannibalism was
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heavily practiced at the time Bligh sailed through what we now know as Bligh Water. These days’ hostility is the last thing on visitor’s minds as they are welcomed warmly with the trademark Fijian greeting ‘Bula’ and a floral or shell lei draped around their necks. With little industry and few commercial opportunities, tourism got its start with the arrival of island-hopping ferry service the Yasawa Flyer. It’s now a popular option for exploring the islands, particularly for travellers with plenty of time to hop between islands. The 20 islands that make up the Yasawas with their pristine coral reefs and untouched beaches have since become the favoured hangout for traveller’s keen to unwind and relax. The ultimate digital detox destination, there are few televisions,
PICTURES: Captain Cook Cruises and Yasawa Island Resort.
Above: Above: Now Now that’s that’s an an island! island! Fringed Fringed by by coral coral reefs, reefs, aa nice nice mountain mountain in in the the middle, middle, sandy sandy beaches beaches and and lots lots of of greenery, greenery, perfect. perfect.
Yasawa Island Resort’s main bure offers plenty of room to do, well, nothing if you choose.
intermittent mobile phone reception and sporadic internet access making it virtually impossible not to log off. Once Brooke Shields emerged from the Blue Lagoon to fall into the arms of blonde Adonis Christopher Atkins in the 1980’s movie of the same name, island hedonists had the Yasawas pegged for their own romantic island paradise. Much of the film was shot at Nanuya Levu Island, which is now known as Turtle Island. After hosting the Columbia Pictures crew the American island owner and burnt-out entrepreneur Richard Evanson decided that he quite enjoyed company after all and subsequently built Turtle Island Resort. The island had been ravaged by wild goats before Evanson embraced the local communities, employing Fijians and befriending village elders to help restore vegetation. Maintaining
a minimal environmental footprint, 14 exquisite ‘rustic luxury’ beachfront bures comprise the extent of Turtle Island Resort. Northwards and even further removed from civilisation sits the aforementioned Yasawa Island Resort. Besides six villages the resort is the sole haven of tranquillity on an otherwise commercially undeveloped volcanic island. The largest island in the Yasawa Group, the luxury resort provides valuable employment for villagers. The island retreat is known for pristine beaches that are rarely disturbed by human footprints. Towards the west an endlessly blue horizon remains unbroken all the way to Vanuatu. If there is a better retreat to completely unwind and pretend that the rest of the world exists, this is the spot to do so. Be warned – it won’t be easy to leave!
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A massage with a view or a snorkel over clear waters? The Yasawas are the true heart of beautiful Fiji.
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Blue Lagoon Cruises, with their flagship Fiji Princess, take their name from the aptly named lagoon that comes in every shade of blue imaginable. The location for the 1949 version of the film Blue Lagoon, Nanuya Lailai Island sits in the middle of the vast lagoon. Blue Lagoon maintains exclusive use over the long strip of beach, mooring Fiji Princess to a coconut palm ashore, laying out sun lounges, kayaks and SUP boards for passenger use. Dinner is a traditional lovo feast, where food is cooked in a fire pit dug into the sand and served on the beach beneath starstudded skies.
More information: Blue Lagoon Cruises www.bluelagooncruises.com The Fiji Princess (above and below) Blue Lagoon Cruises’ ship, has been purpose-built for cruising and selected for the ocean-going conditions of the Fiji waters, especially around the Yasawa Islands.
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Safe drinking water
from any water source in the Pacific •
Renewable energy powered - solar and or wind
• Produces safe drinking water from any water source including contaminated freshwater, brackish and seawater • Mobile and static units, simple to operate and high quality • Designed specifically for remote communities • 1000 + projects completed Sustainable Water Systems is the official partner of Trunz Water Systems with sales and service agents throughout the Pacific, Australia and New Zealand.
Email info@sustainablewatersystems.com.au Web www.sustainablewatersystems.com.au Phone +61 400 832 975
Sustainable Water Systems 20 | Islandliving pacific
Own your piece of paradise Residential land now selling World-famous beach, renowned golf course, serene surroundings, with the award-winning InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa as your neighbour & more unbeatable offerings, that’s hard to beat. Enquire with us today. V I S I T
N A T A D O L A B E A C H . C O M . F J
For more information please contact Susan Pritchard M. +679 999 1458 E. susanp@fnpf.com.fj
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Pacific Pulse TURNING ANY WATER INTO DRINKING WATER WITH SUSTAINABLE WATER SYSTEMS IN THE PACIFIC
Australian company Sustainable Water Systems is helping Pacific communities achieve affordable, sustainable and reliable access to clean drinking water.
When 7 year old Jupe turned on the tap at Immaculate Conception Primary in Fiji, his smile said it all. None of the pupils at the school in Nabua were even born when, as one of its key Millennium Development goals, the United Nations vowed to halve the proportion of people world-wide without access to safe drinking water. Yet now, thanks to the generosity of The Katalyst Foundation in conjunction with AusAid, all 500 pupils, teachers and staff at Immaculate Conception primary School and Secondary College, can take clean, safe drinking water for granted, following the installation of a Trunz solar-powered water purifier system. ‘Through its provision we are now
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in a better position to combat typhoid and other water-borne diseases,” wrote Acting Principal of Immaculate Conception College, Mr Sila K. Raqamu. The water-purifier is the first of its kind in the South Pacific, and likely to raise wider interest in the use of environmentally sustainable energy to provide clean water throughout the region. Indeed, the whole project is already a shining example of international co-operation: The Swiss-made Trunz system, supplied and installed by Australian company Sustainable Water Systems, funded by a Fijian charity and AusAid. Designed and manufactured
specifically for remote communities in hostile natural environments (hot, humid, salty), the Trunz system is easy to use and operate and is the lowest power consumption water unit on the market allowing it to be easily powered by solar. Sustainable Water Systems is represented throughout the Pacific, in Fiji, Vanuatu, Kiribati and Solomon Islands. Not that any of that matters to Billy and his friends. They, their families and communities all stand to benefit from the endless supply of clear drinking water from the Trunz installation for years. Parents can now send their children to school safe from the threat of contracting life-threatening illnesses, leaving the kids to do what they do best.
Pacific Pulse HARD WORK PAYING OFF FOR SAMOA TOURISM WITH CRUISE VISITS SET TO SOAR
When I first visited Samoa as a guest of the Tourism Authority in 2009 there was great excitement at the potential for cruise tourism business, hubbed out of the deepwater port at Apia. The whole island was riding on a high after the massive Cunard cruise ship, Queen Victoria, had brought nearly 3000 passengers and crew to the little island capital. Since that first visit, I have made two return visits to Samoa, both aboard expedition cruise ships; Hapag-Lloyd’s Hanseatic in 2012 and National Geographic Orion in 2014. One area of infrastructure investment is a planned major upgrade to port facilities in response to a surge in full-size cruise ship arrivals, led predominantly by brands under the massive Carnival Corporation umbrella. Almost every month in 2017 sees at least one big ship arrive into Apia including
Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria as well as ships homeported in Australia like Pacific Aria and Pacific Jewel. Others, like the German-operated MS Albatros and Holland America’s Amsterdam drop by as part of a world circumnavigation. In order to accommodate these larger vessels, the existing wharf will be almost doubled to 302m and a special mooring buoy, called a dolphin, will be installed to safely tie up the larger vessels. Additionally, walkways will be more clearly defined and enclosed by movable safety fences as well as upgrading and smoothing of pedestrian surfaces. Extra beacons and harbour markers will be added to assist vessel navigation and the construction of a dedicated terminal area is being considered. Tour buses will be able to gain access much closer to the ship than
currently is the case. While cruise ship visits present great hope for economies the size of Samoa, the major cruise lines demand not only minimum Occupational Health and Safety standards for their disembarking passengers, but also shore excursions and activities that deliver enriching experiences in line with the cruise line’s own brand values. As part of my 2014 visit and island tour, we visited a village where we were welcomed into the home of a ‘chief’ and taken through the ancient village protocols and Polynesian rituals (Fa’a Samoa) like the kava ceremony, tattooing and hierarchy. Experiences like these are very personal and create the type of lasting memories that also give a deeper and richer understanding of the culture of the land you are visiting. From a cruising perspective, you then have the ability to cater not only to the major cruise lines and their 1000+ passenger vessels, but also the boutique and adventure operators who can visit almost any point around the islands independent of infrastructure. MS Hanseatic, for example, also paid a visit to Fagamalo on the northern most point of Savai’i, landing its 175 guests on the shore directly in front of Le Legato Beach Resort. From each of my visits, I found Samoa to be a
destination that still holds to traditional beliefs, despite the very obvious influences of Christianity. The country, it seems, never lost touch with its strong Polynesian roots and when the grip of overbearing missionaries was finally relaxed, the island way quickly rebounded. Now visitors can enjoy seeing an authentic, centuries-old Pacific culture in a Western-friendly environment where credit cards are accepted, the water is safe to drink and you can get WiFi. What’s more, Samoa’s tourism offerings are yet to be over-commercialised like you might find in neighbouring countries. Of interest to more niche travellers, Samoa offers some of the best diving and surfing anywhere in the South Pacific and visitors can enjoy simple, home-style accommodation and hospitality within a pebble’s toss of the beach. On a small scale, Samoa caters to an astonishing variety of tourism segments from luxury honeymoon to backpacker-basic at a price point that embarrasses some of its complacent island neighbours. It’s been a most enlightening observation to see Samoa develop in my own narrow window of experience and it’s clear that it is a nation that takes tourism seriously without plummeting headlong into a bland, plastic conformity. – Roderick Eime
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Phone: +679 672 9342 or +679 998 5865
www.naisosoislandresortvillas.com
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more flights, more often. PAPUA NEW GUINEA Torres
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Visit www.airvanuatu.com to book your flight, car or accommodation, insurance or for more information. drinks
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Australia toll free: 1300 780 737 email: sales@airvanuatu.com.au In other parts of the world Qantas are the general sales agents to Air Vanuatu.
islandliving | 26 pacific
Absolute Beachfront
Land Every plot just AUD
$136,000, *images are actual lots
+(678) 29014 E: anne@firstnationalvanuatu.com
Land size from 2100 m2 to 3800 m2, all with at least 24M of beach
+(678) 24022 E: mark@lattitudeproperty.com islandliving | 27 paciďŹ c
Short bathrobe from Turkish T, from $69 www.turkish-t.com 100% French linen tea towel, $29 at Scout House www.scouthouse.com.au
In The
PINK
n o i t c e l l o c l a r o c e h t
All prices Australian dollars unless otherwise stated.
Olivia Waugh goes all out for coral-coloured must-have items from lobsters to sea horses for tropical living.
Backgammon table, from Oomph $3995 www.domino.com/oomph
Lobster bottle opener, $22.95 at Sunny life www.sunnylife.com.au
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Adams Adams Ale Ale art art prints prints on on Etsy, Etsy, $11.04 $11.04 www.etsy.com www.etsy.com
Puffer fish candle from Zara, $25.95 www.zarahome.com
Placemat from Zara, $19.95 www.zarahome.com Cristobal coral dinner plate #1 $141.50 www.saksfifthavenue.com
Coral bookend from Zara, $69.95 www.zarahome.com
Kate Spade rugby stripe comforter set, from $130 www.katespade.com
islandliving | 29 paciďŹ c
PORT VILA | VANUATU
Bookings essential
Phone 25844 | Email reservations@breakas.com | www.breakas.com 30 | Islandliving paciďŹ c
islandliving | 31 paciďŹ c
Exclusively for adults and located just 30 minutes’ drive from Port Vila, The Havannah is an oasis of tranquility and your perfect romantic retreat. With only 17 luxurious villas set amidst elegantly landscaped gardens, you can be assured privacy and personalised service, Havannah style.
Samoa Point, North Efate, Vanuatu
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|
+678 35600
|
reser vations@thehavannah.com
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thehavannah.com
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Dolce Gabbana kaftan, $2089, www.matchesfashion.com
Patterned kaftan, $34.99, www.hm.com/au
Shady Lady story
Clarke Retro sunglasses, £16, www.topshop.com
Cover
Olivia Waugh finds stylish ways to stay covered and maintain your fashion cool.
All prices Australian dollars unless otherwise stated.
Quay sunglasses, £40, www.topshop.com
Brigitte kaftan, $294, www.farfetch.com
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Navy dress, $51, www.au.nextdirect.com
Seafolly Peonie Pink sunglasses, $89.95, www.seafolly.com.au
Westward leaning x Olivia Palermo sunglasses, $347, www.net-a-porter.com
Tom Ford Aviator sunglasses, $486, www.matchesfashion.com Emilio Pucci mini dress, $708, www.net-a-porter.com
L’Agent by Agent Provocateur mesh cover up, $230, www.net-a-porter.com
H&M Sunglasses, $12.99, www.hm.com/au
Stripe Beach shirt dress £32, www.topshop.com
Fendi Lei cat eye sunglasses, $470, www.matchesfashion.com
Retrosuperfuture sunglasses, $322, www.farfetch.com
Kalmar cape back cover up, $66, www.matchesfashion.com
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Solid and Striped swimsuit, $193, www.matchesfashion.com
All Of A Piecewim In the s
One-piece wonders and hats to match. Cut-Out swimsuit, $80, www.au.riverisland.com Structure swimsuit, £30, www.topshop.com
All prices Australian dollars unless otherwise stated.
Eugenia Kim sunhat, $475, www.net-a-porter.com
Federica Moretti straw hat, $229, www.matchesfashion.com
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Bondi Stich bandeau, £85, www.whistles.com
Filù Hats straw hat, $620, www.matchesfashion.com
Seafolly Shipwreck hat, $59.95, www.seafolly.com.au
Halter wrap suit, £34, www.topshop.com Halter swimsuit, $70, www.au.riverisland.com
Adriana Degreas paneled swimsuit, $167, www.farfetch.com
Triangl Reine one-piece, US$129, www.international.triangl.com
Duskii tank suit, $230, www.net-aporter.com
Maison Mitchel hat, $764, www.farfetch.com
Seafolly beach hat, $49.95, www.seafolly.com.au islandliving | 37 pacific
Life is a collection of special moments Let Warwick Le Lagon be part of it Surrounded by natural beauty along the cobalt waters of Erakor Lagoon, Warwick Le Lagon - Vanuatu offers opportunities to create those special moments. Whether planning a relaxing holiday, romantic escape, wedding or conference, guests enjoy comfortable accommodation, exotic scenery, soothing spas, delectable cuisine and a host of activities suitable for all ages.
Warwick Le Lagon - Vanuatu, Elluk Road, Erakor Lagoon, Port Vila, Vanuatu D +678 22313 | info.lelagon@warwickhotels.com | warwickhotels.com/le-lagon-resort 38 | Islandliving paciďŹ c
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Splendour Special
Luxury Collection vita e c l o d a L
T
he Pacific has always conjured images of beachside perfection, palm trees, clear water and the simple pleasures of life, and indeed there are many simple pleasures to be enjoyed in this corner of the world from shabby chic, rudimentary seaside shacks to unspoiled village visits but ... There are now many luxurious and more opulent offerings in both accommodation and shopping choices for sophisticated travellers to the region, here we take a tour of some of the best from Fiji to Samoa and Vanuatu. There are any number of picture-perfect luxury island holiday experiences on offer around the Pacific, from boutique resorts, to major hotel chains to private villas with bespoke activities to match. Take the tour ...
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The Havannah, Vanuatu Port Vila’s most luxurious accommodation is set on the shores of Havannah Harbour a scenic 25-minute drive from town and about 25 light years from care. The multi-award winning resort is home to 17 beautifully appointed air-conditioned villas either with lush garden surrounds or absolute waterfront settings, some with private infinity plunge pools. These also feature a daybed, a dining pavilion with BBQ so that you can enjoy private dinners provided by their chef plus decks which cantilever over the bay. In addition there is a spectacular split level lagoon pool shared with other guests. Among the many dining options is the Point Restaurant which has commanding 270-degree views to Havannah Harbour’s outer islands and serves only the freshest of local ingredients in its gourmet cuisine. www.thehavannah.com
Reef House, Vanuatu The magnificent Reef House has been designed by renowned Australian architect, Peter Stutchbury, for modern island living and is among the finest villas on Efaté for holiday rental. Situated on the shores of Teouma Bay and just a 15-minute drive from town this stunning property offers accommodation for up to twelve people across its five bedrooms, with on-site staff available 5 days per week. Its inclusions range from a fully fenced in-ground pool to three bathrooms, one with a sunken bath plus two outdoor showers. There is also a full modern kitchen with large gas/electric oven, double dishwasher and an external galley kitchen for outdoor catering and meals. The secluded bay is sheltered for swimming and snorkelling, and perfect for children and adults taking those long refreshing ocean dips. www.reefhousevanuatu.com
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Paua Private Villas, Vanuatu Paua offers a range of spectacular private, absolute beachfront villas in the Whitesands/Narpow Point area of Efaté. Most properties include on-site staff and en-suite accommodation, in-ground pools plus private beaches. In-house catering, airport transfers and concierge advice is available to ensure your private resort holiday is everything you dreamed of. The houses on Paua’s list are among the finest in Vanuatu with facilities to match many of the better resorts with the added advantage of total privacy and exclusive use of the grounds and inclusions and are sited within easy reach of two of the island’s better waterfront restaurant/resort complexes. Perfect for sharing and a cost efficient way to split your holiday expenses with family and friends in luxe surroundings. Five-star Trip Advisor rated. For full details and bookings: www.paua.co
Le Lagoto, Samoa Le Lagoto suggests that you ‘unwind on the ‘Big island’ at Savaii’s premiere boutique resort’ and this property is the perfect place to do just that. Located on a white sand beach, next to a crystal clear lagoon and nestled among lush tropical gardens Le Lagoto Resort and Spa offers all the convenience of a large resort but in an intimate island setting. This family owned and operated retreat was established in 1993 but in 2006 re-emerged as the beauty it is now. With just 10 Samoa-style bungalows and two family rooms Le Lagoto offers traditional Samoan hospitality in a beautifully appointed beachfront location with the inclusions you’d expect of a high end holiday destination including excellent snorkelling, sea kayaks a fine restaurant, poolside bar and day spa. More info at: www.lelagoto.ws
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Splendour Special
Sheraton, Tokoriki, Fiji Situated on a 35-acre beachfront property in the south-western corner of Tokoriki Island, the northernmost island within Fiji’s idyllic Mamanuca group, Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island is the only five-star, internationally branded hotel on the islands. With direct access to a private, white sand beach, the new look resort features a luxurious and fresh, island-inspired
design philosophy. All 101 of the property’s guest rooms and suites embody the tranquil island location and the resort’s tropical surroundings, carried through in a white wash palette, accents of blue reminiscent of the surrounding ocean and complemented by natural, contrasting materials and textures including stonefinish floors and wooden furnishings. For those travelling as a couple, the resort offers 30 luxurious adult-only Tokoriki Retreats,
designed to promote true rest and relaxation with their own private deck, plunge pool and uninterrupted ocean views. On the other side of the resort, families will find a range of child-friendly options. Reopened in January 2017 after a AU$16 million refurbishment in the wake of Cyclone Winston in 2016 the upscale resort has been transformed throughout with the renovation encompassing all guest rooms, suites and public areas. New guest facilities
have also been added to further enhance the luxe experience, including Sunset Bistro, a café-style dining venue, a Fijian cultural centre and a mini golf course. Headed up by Chef Adriano Avino, Flying Fish Tokoriki the resort’s waterfront dining option offers an exquisite menu of modern and traditional Pacific dishes, all bursting with flavour and fresh produce along with its beachfront location offering breathtaking views. www. sheratontokorikiisland. com
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Splendour Special
Sinalei, Samoa Your very own island escape. Enjoy sun-kissed days and star-filled nights in the beauty that is Sinalei, an untouched and delicately preserved island paradise boasting 29 stylishly designed villas. Home to secluded balmy beaches and clear blue waters, Sinalei welcomes all, including adult families (children over 12). Indulging those who wish to unplug from their hectic lives, the remote resort strives to spoil guests with luxurious touches and personal experiences. Fivestar dining, waterfront spa, signature activities and specialised event co-ordinators are just some of the luxurious inclusions available. Sinalei says “But we are more than just a boutique resort. When you visit us, you visit the people of Samoa. You visit those who make up the villages of our great island home. You visit family.” Sinalei is a locally owned boutique resort nestled within a sheltered lagoon along the Southern coast of Upolu Island. The resort is spread across 33 elegantly groomed acres of lush vegetation, creating an atmosphere of modernrustic luxury combined with raw untouched beauty. But it’s more than what treats the eye. “We are a place steeped in tradition and love, where the people of the villages and surrounding
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environment combine to create a truly unique experience for all. It is no wonder Samoan kings and warriors of old would spend their time resting here in preparation for battle.” For when nothing but the best will do check out their two bedroom beachfront villa. Positioned perfectly with panoramic views across the stunning white sands and turquoise lagoon, this residence comprises three standalone villas. Allowing your tribe the perfect location to reconnect, by disconnecting, this rusticchic suite of villas are joined by walkways and perfectly appointed gardens. Affording you the utmost in barefoot luxury and embodying the ambiance of island style. This villa complex is designed with tropical whimsy for families wanting the most private and perfectly-located abode. Perfect for multi-generational bookings. One villa houses a master bedroom, indoor Jacuzzi and stunning panoramic deck, the second villa comes complete with all the creature comforts including a private bar, entertaining area and bi-fold doors extending out beneath the swaying palms. Last but not least, the third opens its doors to the second master bedroom and private deck Sinalei Reef Resort & Spa, Samoa Email: reservations@ sinalei.ws www.sinalei.com/contact-us
Naisoso Resort Villas, Fiji Naisoso Island Resort Villas really does offer the privacy of your own villa whilst meeting the services of a luxury hotel and in recognition of having achieved that, it has just received the 2016 World Luxury Hotel Awards for the Best Serviced Luxury Villas in Fiji. The awards are considered the Oscars of the luxury hotel industry and rewards the finest hotels for their luxury offerings and exceptional service delivery. This one joins their 2014 gong for the Luxury Villa Resort for Excellence in Service. Naisoso means ‘peaceful place’ and that is exactly what’s on offer among their range of three- four- and fivebedroom private villas with beachfront, river or garden views. For more information and bookings, see: www.naisosoislandresortvillas.com
Karibu, Vanuatu Situated at Angel Fish Cove on three acres of lush landscaped gardens with 100 metres of private beach you will be in your own piece of paradise when you holiday at Karibu. Inspired by Kenyan coastal architecture, Karibu, which means ‘welcome’ in Swahili, has lovely wide verandahs which run the full length of the house. Here the day beds and hammock are perfect for relaxing and gazing at the calm waters of Port Vila bay. This fourbedroom, four-bathroom villa comfortably sleeps nine people. With spacious living areas, four-poster king beds and views directly on to the sparkling ocean, this property is perfectly suited for families or friends traveling together. Beachside luxury at its exclusive best. Managed by Vanuatu Luxury Holiday Homes see: www.vanuatuluxuryholidayhomes.com
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Experience Vanuatu ... like never before Experience Vanuatu ... like never before
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www.eratap.com
t: + 61 433 235 982
res@eratap.com
www.eratap.com
t: + 61 433 235 982
res@eratap.com
Experience magical Munda at Agnes Gateway Hotel. Award winning service and pristine diving SSI instructor training centre WWII wrecks, caves and reefs – untouched and unspoilt divemunda@dive-solomon.com Find us on Twitter, Facebook + Instagram
DIVE THE UNEXPLORED www.divemunda.com
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Jewels Fiji Fiji Fiji’s only Antwerp diamond dealer Romil Patel, the founder of Jewels Fiji has been providing his expertise in advising on the gem that is known as a ‘girl’s best friend’ since 2007. Romil is particularly proud of his direct knowledge of the centre of the world diamond trade in Antwerp, Belgium, a place where he honed his craft among the finest diamond merchants in the business. As an officially recognised Antwerp Diamond Broker he is among a select coterie of internationally recognised experts in the field and he considers it a privilege to use these skills to provide a standard of personalised service and attention to detail that is unique in Fiji. Call in to the showrooms in Nadi, Suva and Denarau. And unlike many jewellers Romil doesn’t delegate giving jewellery advice to his staff, he always ensures that he attends to clients personally. www.jewelsfiji.com
Vanuatu Bijouterie, Vanuatu Vanuatu’s favourite jeweller, Vanuatu Bijouterie (opened in 1981) specialises in the finest gemstones and Tahitian pearls available in Vanuatu. As well as these, Vanuatu Bijouterie offers semi-precious stones, local coral and other minerals and metals cut and polished at their Port Vila workshop every day, the end result being exquisite art for the discerning buyer. Quality is assured with rings, pendants, earrings, necklaces and bracelets made to order. That Ni Vanuatu status symbol the pig’s tusk is a particularly beautiful base for a jewel encrusted bracelet along with tam tam amulets. Choose one of their Vanuatu-inspired, original stunning designs, or suggest your own. Where: Nambatu area, past Au Bon Marché. Telephone: +678 776 8750.
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Splendour Special Likuliku, Fiji At Likuliku Lagoon Resort (on Malolo Island in the Mamanuca Group) you’ll find the ultimate in understated island luxury and Fiji’s only over-water bures which sit directly above a reef. Likuliku is described as ‘Fiji’s unique luxury escape for couples’ (although it’s the sort of place where a single would feel entirely comfortable). Likuliku means ‘calm waters’ and calm is a state which is exuded here in spades. While the jetty greeting is an ebullient round of bulas with musical accompaniment a pervading sense of peace and tranquillity is what this place is all about. There is plenty on offer for all tastes and levels of aerobic ability but the serenity of the surrounds tempers all activities, not in the spiritual sense that attaches to ‘wellness retreats’ but in a very civilised adult sort of way that comes with thoughtful, individual
service and a respect for privacy and personal space, Which is not to say that the staff aren’t wonderfully welcoming and engaged, in fact I don’t think I’ve been anywhere where the people assigned to ensuring that their guests’ expectations are met are more genuinely proud of the levels of service and warmly embracing of their clients. I suspect that this authentic concern is a direct result of the employees having ‘skin in the game’ as they say in business circles. Likuliku employs many of the local villagers who are direct recipients of the land charges and a percentage of sales, so in turn have a sense of ownership and a sincere interest in seeing that every holiday is a memorable success for both sides. The dining, drinking and accommodation options all are the equal of the service so it’s a case of – first among equals. Email: likulikures1@ ahuraresorts.com or www. likulikulagoon.com
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The Grand Pacific Hotel, Fiji The spectacular Grand Pacific Hotel is the Grande Dame of Suva’s hospitality industry and rightly claims to be where ‘elegance meets history’ from its liveried doorman to its galleried foyer and brass ceiling fans, it oozes style. With its colonial Raffles-esque main building the Grand Pacific has been at the heart of Suva’s social life and high society since its opening in 1914 when the room rate was eighteen shillings and sixpence per night. Since then it has hosted royalty, actors, authors and aviators and an opera singer. It has also suffered the indignity of having fallen into disrepair, decrepitude and closure for 22 years before a glorious revival after a multi-million dollar renovation and re-birth in time for her centenary in May 2014. For more on how to live like royalty: www.grandpacifichotel. com.fj
Taumeasina Resort, Samoa Taumeasina Island Resort in Samoa was marketed as four and half star luxury, situated on its own private island when it opened recently and ... Seeing is believing and we can happily confirm, this resort lives up to expectations. We stayed in a family villa, comfortably sleeping six people, with a full kitchen, laundry, two bathrooms and three bedrooms. The Resort caters to couples, families travelling together and the business and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) market. The resort has two private beaches, a cascading resort pool, fine dining and casual restaurants, lobby bar, sunset bar overlooking the ocean, day spa and a number of venue options for wedding ceremonies and an outdoor kids’ play area. www.taumeasinaislandresortsamoa.com
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Splendour Special
Natadola Beach, Fiji Live your dream lifestyle overlooking the turquoise waters and famous whitesand beach of Natadola, while enjoying access to the facilities of the neighbouring InterContinental Resort including bars, restaurants, pools and the lavish day spa. With the Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course just a short stroll from your front door, you could spend every day refining your game on Fiji’s finest 18-hole golf course. Secure your piece of land and create your ideal family home that is perfect for couples or large families. Alternatively, make a smart investment decision and purchase a piece of real estate to add to your portfolio. Natadola Beach Land Estates is being developed by Natadola Bay Resort Limited, a privately incorporated entity
fully-owned by the Fiji National Provident Fund. The estate is an exclusive gated community set on 50 acres comprising 44 lots ranging in size from 1600 sqm to 1900 sqm, its residents will enjoy 24-hour professional security and the certainty of a 99-year pre-paid lease included in the sale price. The lots feature breathtaking elevated views of the Pacific Ocean, Natadola Bay and surrounding hillside and are within walking distance of the acclaimed Natadola Beach voted by CNN as among the top 20 beaches in the world. The estate is pet-friendly and construction of the first model home is scheduled for early 2017. For those looking to invest, Natadola Beach is the perfect location to enjoy everything Fiji has to offer, without sacrificing convenience and proximity. Lots now selling from FJ$599,000. For further information: www.natadolabeach.com.fj
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Splendour Special
Eratap Beach Resort, Vanuatu Thankfully Vanuatu doesn’t do opulence, it wouldn’t suit the climate, the culture or the customers. Casual elegance it does do and Eratap Beach Resort does it very well. The resort occupies a private peninsula between a lagoon and the sea about 20 minute’s drive from Port Vila where you’ll find a certain sense of remote charm and the finest in beachfront dining. Originally with only 12 villas the resort is ‘boutique’, indeed it has won several tourism awards for best boutique resort, so it’s official. Every villa fronts the white sand beach and every one enjoys uninterrupted ocean views and comes with its own beachfront fare for lounging, dining or viewing the spectacular sunsets. The good news is that this little clutch of luxury is to be joined by two new deluxe waterfront villas
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each of which will sleep up to five people in three separate buildings and include private plunge pools right on the beach. Another addition is the new chef Kazutomo Miyano, a French-trained Japanese veteran of the New Zealand lodge scene for the past eight years. He’s settled into his warmer surrounds with enthusiasm and is keeping the kitchen humming in top condition with food to die for, well, at least take the trip to the beach for. Considering the facilities, which include a pool, pristine beaches and waterways, a perfectly preserved reef for snorkelling, kayaking, picnicking on deserted islands and a welcoming local village, the rates, which range from AU$600 upwards are extremely reasonable. Check the website for more at: www.eratap.com
Ratua, Santo, Vanuatu Upon arrival at Ratua Private Island just off Santo’s south coast the beachside BBQ is already alight with two lobsters standing by as we are led to our suite of villas to freshen up before lunch. There simply aren’t enough travel brochure clichés to do justice to this place, it is another world but within another world. The genesis was in 2005 when the French owner was sailing across the Pacific and found himself enchanted by Vanuatu’s untouched lifestyle, so he bought his own island. He then created a private paradise before deciding to share it with paying guests. The 15 Indonesian style villas are a perfect blend of simplicity and luxury with easy access to the limpid waters of the Segond Channel and some of the finest fare and fishing in Vanuatu on offer to the lucky few. For bookings and more see: www. ratua.com
Elysium, Vanuatu The arrival of Elysium in Port Vila elevated duty free shopping to another, more sophisticated, international level so that it is now the destination for travellers seeking the finest duty free goods in the capital. They offer a wide range of Swiss watch brands, fine jewellery, including Allure South Pacific Pearls along with Swarovski crystal and a range of luxury products that display beauty elegance and style. As we all know your watch says a lot about your personal style and a Swiss watch says it best, Elysium’s range of Tissot, Longines, Tag Heuer, Oris, Edox, Victorinox, Gc and Rado timepieces are genuine statement pieces that enhance any wrist and reflect the renowned workmanship that makes every item from these master craftsmen a collectible. Next to the BRED bank in the Rossi shopping complex on the main street. islandliving | 53 pacific
your comfort our pleasure
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FIJIAIRWAYS.COM
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Beauty Spot
Morning Stars The morning rush hour before the bathroom mirror can be made a whole lot more efficient by following a few simple routines that will have you out the door and looking your best in no time. Georgie Gordon
W
hether you want to sleep in or just buy yourself some time to linger over a coffee and the paper here’s some tips to help get you out the door looking fabulous and spending minimal time doing it.
Hair
• A good cut that needs little fussing with is a great investment, fringes need work to look ‘done’ so perhaps opt for a layered style that with a little product is good to go with a little tousling. • Style in your sleep, if you have long hair wash it the night before and put it in two tight buns at the nape of your neck when it’s still damp. Then just shake it out in the morning, spritz in a little texturing spray and voila bouncy waves that Beyonce would be proud of. We recommend Verb Sea Spray ($14 from verbproducts.com). • Dry shampoo is cheap (most chemists stock it) and a God-send for the time poor. It can make a blow-dry go the extra mile, just style your hair on Sunday when you’ve time to spare and a little dry shampoo brushed through on Monday and Tuesday will have you looking like you’ve just stepped out of the salon. Try Klorane Nettle Oil Control Dry Shampoo ($15.95 for stockists go to klorane.com.au).
Skin
Keep your skincare routine efficient by putting in the hard yards the night before and going for an all in one product on busy mornings. Exfoliate, tone, moisturise, apply eye-cream and masks to your heart’s content in the evening, in the morning give your face a quick wash in the shower then use a CC or BB cream – effectively a moisturiser, sun protector and foundation in one – to save time but still ensure hydrated and smooth skin. We recommend Tarte Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturiser ($50 from Sephora.com.au).
Make up
• For bright eyes, 30 seconds with an eye-lash curler is precious time well spent, follow with a lengthening mascara and you’ll be surprised at the difference it makes. Try Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions ($12.50 from stawberrynet.com).
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• Simplify your routine by using a product that doubles up as lip and cheek colour. Try Wander Beauty Lip and Cheek Gel in Island Hop ($29 from net-a-porter.com) or just smudge a tiny bit of your favourite lipstick on your cheeks for a rosy glow that compliments your pout. • If you think your skin still needs a little help after the CC or BB cream, use a highlighting concealer like Yves Saint Laurent Radiant Touch ($54 from stawberrynet.com) to banish any dark circles under your eyes and a couple of swipes on your upper cheek bones and down the centre of your nose will have you looking fresh and ready to face the day.
Best unisex fragrances
Former model Krissa Fowles has perfected the low maintenance touseled hair style
The recent trend for androgynous fragrances has seen a whole lot of covetable scents for him and her hit the counter, here are our favourites: Calvin Klein CK2 When CK One’s fresh citrusy scent launched in 1994 it became an instant cult fragrance, just a whiff can immediately transport you back to the decade of brown lipstick, chokers and happy pants. Now Calvin Klein has launched a follow up, CK2 also fresh and light it has been updated with a woodier base note with jasmine and wasabi accents. A zesty, youthful fragrance that devotees of the original will love. Yves Saint Laurent Tuxedo At the more luxe end of the scent spectrum comes Tuxedo from the French fashion house Yves Saint Laurent, one of five unisex fragrances they recently launched. Bold masculine notes of black pepper and smoked patchouli are juxtaposed with the more feminine fresh bergamot and lily of the valley. Inspired by the brands iconic smoking tuxedo this scent is sophisticated and elegant. Aesop Marrakech Intense Inspired by the Moroccan city with its spice markets, souks and surrounding deserts this heady fragrance is raw and unorthodox, it combines sensual neroli and jasmine with sandalwood, cedar wood and bergamot. A decidedly bold fragrance it will appeal to men who like a woody scent and women who love more masculine notes in their fragrance. Valentino Uomo Despite the name translating to ‘man’ in Italian Uomo is well suited to both sexes. Notes of bergamot, coffee and hazelnut deepen into a subtle sweetness, the smooth leathery scent is quite distinct and makes for a great after-dark fragrance as its rich, sophisticated and chic. And almost worth buying just for the beautiful bottle which was modelled on a whisky decanter. Byredo Parfums Black Saffron Byredo is a Swedish perfumery and despite being a relatively new kid on the block they have quickly reached cult status among the style set. Their take on the unisex scent is the exotic Black Saffron – warm peppery undertones combine with notes of black violet, leather and raspberry. This unique blend is made using the highest quality ingredients and it shows, this is a luxurious and spicy scent.
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healthy living
Solar Sense n u s e h t safe in
stay T
here has been a real shift in people’s perceptions of what is safe regarding sun exposure lately. Gone are the days where we spent hour upon hour baking in full sun wearing little or no sun protection or even worse oil; we all know better now, but the idea remains that having a bit of a tan is a sign of health and attractiveness. In actual fact there is no such thing as a healthy tan, unless it is fake. By definition a tan is a sign the skin has been damaged by UV radiation, it’s the result of the cells producing a pigment to defend the skin, a warning flag from the body that damage is occurring. According to the World Health Organisation between 2-3 million non-melanoma skin cancers and 132,000 melanoma skin cancers occur globally each year with incidences increasing, and considering 95-99% of skin cancers are caused by exposure to the sun, protecting yourself from the sun’s rays is more important than ever.
Let's get physical
Sunscreen is the most common method of sun protection however there are so many on the market these days it can be confusing as to which type is best for you and your family. Here we run through the different options available and how to best apply it to make sure you are protecting yourself as well as you possibly can from irreparable sun damage. What is SPF? SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and refers to the length of time it takes your skin to burn when you are exposed to UV rays while wearing sunscreen. SunSmart recommends at least SPF 30 broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen. In optimum
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Despite the perception that a suntanned skin is a 'healthy' look, the scientific evidence suggests otherwise. In fact Georgie Gordon discovers that a tanned skin is a sign that the skin has been damaged, so if you want a safe tan make it a psuedo tan and use plenty of sunscreen cream, wear a hat or stay covered, no matter how naturally dark you are.
conditions SPF30 will filter 96.7% of UV radiation and ‘broad-spectrum’ means that it filters both UVA and UVB radiation. Under this banner there are two types of sunscreen: Physical and chemical. Physical sunscreens work to reflect UV radiation from the skin, they contain minerals (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) that effectively create a shield on your body. Zinc based sunscreens bring to mind the bright white smear favoured by cricket players but thankfully scientific advances mean there are many physical sunscreens now available that are completely transparent so our vanity can remain intact.
PICTURE: walldevil.com
The benefits of using a physical sunscreen include: • They are effective as soon as you apply them, unlike chemical sunscreen which take about twenty minutes to work. • They are great if you have sensitive skin. Irritation from sunscreen is very common (especially for children) and it is due to complex formulations in the chemical creams, especially if they are fragranced. • You don’t need to re-apply as often as they remain on the skin unless they are washed off with water (or sweat). • They have a longer shelf life than chemical sunscreens.
Chemical creations
Chemical sunscreens as the name suggests rely on chemicals to absorb or scatter the UV rays. Although very effective there is a growing concern that some of these chemicals that
protect your skin from the sun, like Octinate, OxyBenzone and Helioplex, may also cause harm by generating free radical damage and perhaps even be endocrine disruptors which means they are possibly playing havoc with your hormones. Studies regarding this are ongoing. The benefit of using chemical sunscreen: • They are water resistant, which means they are great for when you are playing sport or swimming. Keep in mind though the sun can break down their effectiveness (by up to 90% in an hour) so you do need to re-apply often.
Fake don't bake
If you’ve still got your heart set on that healthy glow faking it is definitely the way the go, there are so many great products on the market to give you a natural looking faux tan, we love the St Tropez Naturals range (sttropez.com.au) it gives a nice golden tan and is certified organic, here are some tips to get the best result: 1. Hair removal. Try and do this the day before applying the product so the skin has a chance to settle down and you are less likely to have a re-action to the tanning product, this is especially important if you have sensitive skin. 2. Exfoliation is key, you want a nice smooth canvas to start with so get rid of all those dead skin cells and dry skin with a scrub and really concentrate on your elbows, knees, ankles and feet. 3. Moisturise. Well hydrated skin will absorb the tanning product better so be generous and once again concentrate on the dry areas.
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island escape
Wrecks and Relics s n o m o l So
2017
will mark the 75th Anniversary of the WWII battles for the Solomon Islands. Much has been written about the fierce fighting between the US army and the Japanese Imperial forces that took place in the small Pacific nation. Many books and movies have tackled this important event in which the advance of the Japanese across the Pacific was halted by the Americans. Fierce naval battles took place between the islands and hundreds of aeroplanes fought duels in the skies above the Solomons. Tens of thousands of young men stormed the beaches, stalked through the jungles and fought hand to hand to defend and defeat positions of strategic importance.
MV Taka
Visitors to Solomon Islands have a wealth of WWII relics to explore. Many of these can be found under the tranquil South Pacific waters and can be experienced by divers and snorkelers. Solomon Islands Dive Expeditions (SIDE) specialise in taking WWII history enthusiasts to these dive sites. Live-aboard dive boat MV Taka sails out of Honiara and takes WWII history enthusiasts diving at several sites at Guadalcanal and Tulagi. Two Japanese transport ships sunk off the beach of Mbonegi make fascinating wreck dives. One of the vessels still has trucks and a bulldozer lying in the hold.
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At Tulagi divers can visit the Japanese ‘Mavis’ seaplane, a large reconnaissance aeroplane bombed by the Americans on the morning they stormed the beaches of Tulagi. Nearby, divers can explore a Catalina aeroplane and Ghavutu Wharf dump site, used by the Japanese to discard battle damaged aeroplane parts and other machinery. Nearby, the submerged bow of the USS New Orleans was discarded after extensive repairs to the battleship were carried out in Tulagi Harbour. Taka also visits the Florida Islands and the White Beach dump site in the Russel Islands, a former PT base used by the US Navy. A few wooden pillars visible along the shore are all that remain above the surface, but below lies an abundance of discarded military hardware, trucks and jeeps, sunken pontoons and assorted jetsam of the military machine. An astounding variety of marine life has found shelter and thrived among the rusting and twisted steel. Anemone fish bob about in their protective dwellings, Archer Fish and Cardinal Fish thrive in the roots of the mangroves growing along the shoreline. Mandarin Fish come out and perform a mating dance at dusk. In Wickham Harbour at Morovo Lagoon several Japanese shipwrecks, rest in the gloomy and haunting waters at 28m depth. Several of these wrecks are still yet to be identified as record of Japanese losses were not always well documented.
PICTURES: Craig Osment and David Kirkland
Professional diver Andrew Trahair marks the 75th anniversary of Solomon Islands’ epic World War II battles and their remarkable legacy in the form of the many spectacular dive sites provided by the wreckage left by both Japanese and Americans in the clear waters of the Pacific.
This page: Close to Mboroko Harbour a US Wildcat fighter plane lies in 14 metres on a pristine coral reef. It rests upside down and bears the scars of anti-aircraft fire before crashing heavily into the sea, twisting the propellers and partially dislodging the engine. Opposite page: A WWII gun in Honiara.
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Above: The wreck of the Japanese freighter the Kashi Maru. She lies at 18 metres in Mboroko Harbour a 45-minute boat ride from Munda.
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The Battle For Munda
One of the most strategically important battles took place at Munda on New Georgia Island where the Japanese had begun building an airfield that would provide air superiority in the region. Work on constructing the airstrip at Munda Point began in November 1942 on flat ground situated in a coconut plantation. In a brilliant move of camouflage, Japanese engineers tied the tops of the palm trees together to create a canopy concealing the building of the airstrip below. The U.S. forces flew regular sorties over the position and were unaware of the activities below until locals notified the Coastwatchers (embedded resistance operatives) who then radioed the information on to the American base at Guadalcanal. The US airforce immediately commenced bombing the airfield. Several aeroplane wrecks dating from this time are lying in the shallow waters of Rovianna Lagoon at Munda, shot down while on bombing raids or crash landed by desperate
Japanese pilots unable to land on the damaged airstrip. A US Corsair fighter lies in eight metres of water, and a huge Japanese ‘Nelly’ bomber lies in four metres close to the beach. Dive Munda SIDE is the local dive operator taking history enthusiasts to visit the many wrecks in the area. In order to take the airfield, the U.S. forces established a large base at Rendova Island 10 kilometres from Munda. Regular bombardments from artillery on Rendova and aerial bombing raids by Douglas Dauntless Bombers based on Guadalcanal hampered the progress of the construction and repairs to the airstrip. Two of these aeroplanes lie at the bottom of Rendova Harbour, and are accessible to scuba divers and free divers alike. An American Aeracobra fighter plane lies on the sandy bottom at 27 metres and is now home to schools of Sweetlip, Coral Trout, Banded Coral Shrimp, and Harlequin Pipefish. If you look closely you may spot a brilliantly disguised Leaf Scorpion Fish hiding in plain sight. A Douglas Dauntless dive
PICTURES: David Kirkland and SIVB
Above: WWII vintage Gruman F4F Wildcat fighters. Below left: It’s hard to conceive that somewhere so beautiful is home to war wreckage.
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bomber lies nearby in 11 metres and is the home to a family of Lion Fish. Coral Trout thread between the holes of the bullet riddled fuselage and clouds of bait fish hover in the cockpit. In July 1943 the American forces landed on the beaches east of the airstrip and fought a fierce battle for Munda, eventually pushing back the Japanese and taking the important airstrip by early August. Plenty of relics from the conflict are found in the hills overlooking Munda, and many of these have been collected by local historian Barney Paulson, and displayed at the museum built next to his house. The Peter Joseph Museum was named after the first dogtag Barney found 20 years ago. The museum houses dozens of helmets, bayonets, machine guns, water bottles, grenades, defused bombs, aeroplane parts, pocket knives and razors. The thousands of objects that made up the military machine of a WWII battle. Barney is a living encyclopaedia of information and provides guided walking tours of the surrounding area where he still digs up relics in the former trenches and fox holes.
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The Japanese army retreated across New Georgia island to their stronghold at Mboroko Harbour. A supply ship the Kashi Maru was bombed while in the process of unloading a cargo of vehicles, fuel and ammunition. Today she lies in 18 metres of clear water and is a spectacular dive site for scuba divers, freedivers and snorkelers. Hard and soft corals grow on the decks and half a dozen Giant Trevally patrol the shipwreck. Coral Trout thread their way between doorways and stairwells leading down to the engine room. Octopi take shelter in nooks and crannies between the brain coral, and a Green Moray Eel pokes its head out of a rusted hatch, alert to the sounds of passing divers. Thousands of multi coloured coral fish and bait fish find shelter in the many protective spaces provided by the rusting shipwreck. Boxes of artillery ordinance are packed in rows in the hold, and the chassis of a truck lies broken apart by the impact of the 500lb bomb that sank the vessel. The port side of the ship was opened up like a tin can by the explosion and divers can swim through the hole into the rear section of the
PICTURES: Wayne MacWilliams and SIVB
Above: Above: Divers Divers not not only only explore explore wrecks wrecks but but experience experience some some of of the the most most spectacular spectacular coral coral displays displays in in the the region. region. Above Above right: right: welcome welcome to to the the
live-aboard MV Taka dive boat moored in the background.
hold where shattered fuel drums are scattered about with rolls of barbed wire and cable. Close to Mboroko Harbour a US Wildcat fighter plane lies in 14 metres on a pristine coral reef. It rests upside down and bears the scars of anti-aircraft fire before crashing heavily into the sea, twisting the propellers and partially dislodging the engine. The wreck is surrounded by a pristine coral garden featuring huge Plate Corals hundreds of years old, Staghorn Coral and giant Elephant Ear soft corals. Thousands of reef fish thrive in and around the fuselage of the plane, and several varieties of Nudibranchs can be found in this area. Reef sharks and Greater Barracuda are often sighted around the reef. After the defeat of the Japanese forces the Americans chose to dump much of their surplus and redundant machinery rather than face the cost of shipping heavy machinery back to the US. Several of these dump sites are just offshore from Munda where divers can explore piles of abandoned trucks, jeeps and assorted aeroplane parts. An intact bulldozer used for repairing the airstrip lies upside down
in 33 metres and is home to Green Moray Eels, Nudibranch and Gorgonian Sea Fan Corals. If the tide is flowing, great schools of Chevron Barracuda gather here with grey Reef Sharks, Tuna and Trevally. Most visitors are captivated by the WWII history and events that took place in the tranquil lagoons and islands of Solomon Islands. Today, local fishermen go out each morning in traditional dugout canoes to fish the abundant waters. Villagers from surrounding islands paddle to the markets held most mornings of the week. Life floats by in tranquillity on the beaches and in the surrounding jungles of Solomon Islands where desperate battles took place that shaped the modern politics of the Pacific region. Visitors to the Solomon Islands can dive the underwater WWII sites with live-aboard dive boat MV Taka or combine a trip with land based sister company Dive Munda. In Munda they can visit the Peter Joseph War Museum, and stay at the Agnes Gateway Hotel or Zipolo Habu Resort on nearby Lola Island. See: www.visitsolomons.com.sb
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Dining Guide
Island Cuisine a c fi i c a P n i h c n u l the long A few of our favourite places in the Pacific to while away an afternoon or evening.
Home Cafe, Samoa
Every now and then you come across a place that you just wish you had found earlier. Driving around Apia the Home Café kept coming up on our Google Maps and eventually after three days, we decided to pull in. From the entrance, this place looks like a dump – an actual dump. In fact, the Samoan Prime Minister even went on TV saying the owner, Horace, had succeeded in building a successful business out of rubbish. Well the ‘rubbish’ is in fact a prize collection of memorabilia from a bygone era. Cassette tapes and records from the seventies and eighties, furniture from the sixties, an old barber’s chair and mismatched glassware and cutlery. Horace is as much a character as his Home Café. He almost runs the Café as an honour system. “Here, have a beer, I’ve got to duck out so grab another one if you want,” he said to us after showing us around a few of his favourite things. On Wednesday nights, visitors and locals are invited to ‘bring your own steak’ and the Home Café guys will cook it for you. Your contribution is five tala for the pasta salad.
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Other nights Horace has great burgers and a good story. The clientele is locals and expats, volunteers and the production crew from the Survivor series. Speaking of Survivor, it and other popular shows are played on the big screen, so if you’re in Samoa and don’t want to miss Game of Thrones or the like, you don’t have to. Head down to the Home Café, where you’ll be treated like you’re, well, at home. The Home Café is on the Cross Island Road at Tanugamanono, Apia. But trust me, Google Maps will get you there. Just get there on the first day.
Rhum Ba, Fiji
The Yacht Club at Port Denarau went through a major upgrade in 2015 culminating in the opening of the Rhum Ba. Quality finishings, unmatched views from the top floor function room and the best part of all – over 150 rums on offer set a new standard for sophisticated eating and drinking at the Port. Even if you’re not a rum drinker (and what would-be sailor can claim not to be?) the cocktail list is sophisticated and interesting. It’s not all about rum at the Rhum Ba, with late breakfast, lunch and dinner on offer too, there’s plenty to enjoy. Choices include local and imported seafood (oysters are the house specialty), tender beef cuts, spiced chicken, lamb, pasta and salads. The menu is all about what is fresh and what is best and the function room upstairs caters for more than 200 people. We spent a couple of afternoons at the Rhum Ba (which led to a couple of evenings too) – the marina is full of activity, the people and boat watching, plus the relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff at the Rhum Ba made it near impossible to leave.
Beachfront Resort, Vanuatu
The Beachfont Resort on the island of Espiritu Santo is a home away from home for visiting divers, business travellers, expats and adventure tourists. The casual poolside restaurant offers pizzas, hamburgers, steak sandwiches and other typical pub-style fare. Reasonably priced and with a home cooked feel, you’ll be welcomed at the Beachfront seven days a week. Enjoy sunset cocktails and while you’re there, ask about tours around Vanuatu’s big island. Manager Dave Cross has a wealth of knowledge about Espiritu Santo and is more than happy to suggest a day trip or share stories of Santo’s amazing history. – TC
Snow Coffee Waffle
Pancake Sandwich Cookie
Cake Smoothie Rice Cream
Lami
Fiji Times
Mid City
Damodar
Nadi
Lautoka
RB Patel Harbour Pt. 3601-550 Damodar City, Suva 355-7800
Fiji Times Bldg., Suva 355-7700 RB Patel Jet Pt. 6233-888
Mid City, Suva 355-6033 Village 4 Cinemas 6233-000
Savusavu
DP2197, Nakama 8500-243
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• Waterfront Self Contained Accommodation • Poolside Restaurant • Wifi • Watersports
5 mins from town | www.thebeachfrontresort.com davecross@thebeachfrontresort.com | (678) 36 911
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Christiana Cooks
AUBERGINE m y n o d u e s p t n a l p g g e e
th
Christiana Kaluscha goes into her eggplant rant and comes up with an international selection of alternative aubergine recipes. Not only beautiful to look at but gorgeous to eat.
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A
ubergine, or eggplant, is a species of nightshade grown for its edible fruit. Although it’s technically a fruit berry (a berry, to be exact), the aubergine is used as a vegetable. It’s native to South-East Asia, but is grown all over the world, and there are many different varieties, including glossy, deep purple zeppelin-like types common to Mediterranean cuisine; the small, tubular Asian types; the small, plump and ivory examples or the scarcely-bigger-than-a-pea varieties grown in Thailand. All varieties share the same bland, mildly smoky flavour and flesh that’s spongy when raw but soft when cooked. Aubergines are available all year round in our markets. Choose firm, smooth, glossy examples, with bright green stalks.
Preparation To avoid discolouration, cut just before cooking. Slice aubergines, place in a colander, salt and let stand for at least 30 minutes to reduce their bitterness. Pat dry before frying or grilling. Aubergines tend to soak up a lot of oil when frying; my preferred method is to brush them with olive oil, place them on a griddle pan and cook for about three minutes each side. Once grilled you can use them for different preparations. They are delicious simply sprinkled with lime, garlic, chilli and fresh basil and served as an antipasto. There are many recipes with aubergines, from dips like Baba Ganoush or grilled, baked and stewed. Here are some of my favourites from different countries.
Smoked Aubergine Salad (Batinjan al Rahib) Middle East This dish from the Arab world uses just a few ingredients but delivers a big impact of flavours. We love it and the use of the smoked aubergines is what makes it so special. It is great with flatbread just as a dip or with grilled fish or meat.
Ingredients
• 4 large aubergines • ½ red pepper and ½ green pepper, cored, deseeded and finely diced • 4 – 5 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
and crushed • Juice of 1 – 1 ½ lemons • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely diced (optional) • 1 small bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped
Method
• Char and blister the aubergines over an open flame (wood fire, BBQ or gas hob) until really blackened, the skins are hardened and completely burnt and the flesh has softened right through the centre.
• Place them on a tray and allow to cool. • Scoop out the flesh using a large spoon. Drain off any excess juices and roughly chop the flesh into small chunks. • Place in a bowl along with the diced peppers and give it a quick stir. • Make the dressing by pouring the olive oil into a small bowl, add the crushed garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, black pepper and chilli to taste and blend well. Pour the dressing over the aubergines, add the parsley, mix together and serve.
Parmigiana di Melanzane Italy Parmigiana is one of the classics of Neapolitan cuisine and has been made in the city of Naples for over 200 years. All across the south of Italy, eggplants are eaten in many ways, and this is the most delicious. Disregard what you have eaten in restaurants or pizzerias. Make it yourself, when the tomatoes and basil are at their very best. It is not a difficult recipe, but not a quick one either. So take your time, a glass of vino and enjoy the results. I make it regularly and you can replace the fresh tomatoes with good quality Italian canned ones if not in season.
Ingredients
• 60 ml of extra virgin olive oil • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced • 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small bunch of basil, leaves picked • 1.5 kg ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped • 1.5 kg aubergines • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1-2 chillies, finely chopped (optional) • 400 g Mozzarella, sliced and cut into strips • 200 g freshly grated Italian
Parmesan cheese
Method
• Cut the Aubergines lengthwise into 1 cm thick slices and sprinkle generously with sea salt, place them upright in a colander in the sink. Leave for 1 hour to release their bitter juices. Rinse quickly and pat dry with a paper towel.
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• In the meantime, make the tomato sauce. Heat 60 ml of olive oil in a large heavy based casserole; add the onions and sauté for 3 minutes until soft, add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and half the basil, season with salt, pepper and chilli and cook for 15 minutes stirring regularly until you have a thick sauce. Set aside. • Brush the aubergine slices with olive oil and fry in batches on a griddle pan on both sides for about 2 minutes. Place on paper towels and set aside. • Preheat the oven to 180 C. • Brush the base of a baking dish with olive oil, pour a little tomato sauce over the base
of the dish. • Make a layer of aubergines, pour some of the tomato sauce over the top, sprinkle with some torn basil leaves, cover with a layer of mozzarella and freshly grated parmesan. • Repeat these layers and finish with a layer of aubergines topped with a little tomato sauce and plenty of parmesan. • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden. • Parmigiana is best eaten at just warm or at room temperature; so don’t serve it straight away. Great as well the next day – if there is anything left! • Serve with some fresh crusty bread and a dry Italian red wine.
Ratatouille a la Provençale Method • Prepare in a large cooking (my version) France pot with thick bottom, put in • This Niçoise dish is much more than a vegetable dish. It can be prepared fairly quickly by cooking everything together at the same time, but that needs to be done in the correct sequence so as not to miss out the art and the flavour of the dish. This is a simple version of the classic dish, but it produces the same great results. ‘Too much’ doesn’t apply to ratatouille. Cook it the first time, and eat it hot as the main course; then have it again later as a cold hors-d’oeuvre. In the summer time, it’s great as a cold main-course dish. It keeps for several days in the refrigerator. Ratatouille is good served with couscous grain or rice or to accompany grilled lamb or other meat.
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Ingredients
• 1 kg ripe good quality tomatoes, cut into big chunks • 350 g aubergines, cut into big chunks • 250 g courgettes, cut into big chunks • 350 g bell pepper, cut into small strips • 500 g red onions • 1 big head of fennel, chopped into chunks • 6 cloves garlic, chopped • Herbes de Provence • Olive oil • 70 g tomato paste • Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste • 1 fresh chilli, deseeded (optional) • Fresh Basil • 1 Tbsp. Pastis
plenty of olive oil. • Chop the onion, put it into the pot and start cooking it slowly • Add the garlic • Add the fennel and the bell pepper and stir • Add the tomatoes and stir in well • Add the herbs de Provence, chilli and pepper
• Add the aubergines and the courgettes. They need to be stirred frequently until they’ve merged with the rest of the ingredients • Add salt and pepper to taste • Cook slowly for about 30 minutes or until everything is well combined but still has a little bite. • Stir in the pastis and simmer for 2 minutes • Add fresh basil and serve!
Burmese eggplant curry Burma • In this dish, the eggplant is simmered to melting softness in a fantastically pungent curry enhanced by shrimp paste. It is a recipe from a home cook in Yangon, Myanmar, who describes it as ‘food for the soul’!
Ingredients
• 3 tbsp. dried shrimp, rinsed • 4 cloves garlic, peeled • 2 chillies, seeded and chopped • 3 cm piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced • 1⁄3 cup canola oil
Method
• 1 tsp. paprika • 1⁄2 tsp. ground turmeric • 4 small eggplants, peeled, quartered lengthwise and halved crosswise • 2 scallions, thinly sliced • Salt and pepper • Cooked white rice, for serving
• Soak shrimp in 1 cup of boiling water until softened, 8–10 minutes • Drain and transfer to a food processor, add ginger and purée into a smooth paste • Transfer to a bowl; set aside • Add garlic, scallions and chilli to food processor and purée into a smooth paste; set aside • Heat half the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat • Fry shrimp paste until fragrant, 2–3 minutes • Transfer to a bowl; set aside. • Add remaining oil to pan • Fry garlic paste, the paprika, and turmeric, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1–2 minutes • Return shrimp paste to pan • Add eggplant and 2 cups water; boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is tender, 8–10 minutes • Add salt and pepper to taste • Serve with rice on the side.
Imam Bayildi Turkey • The story behind this dish is that the Imam (a Turkish official in the Ottoman Empire) fainted when his wife told him she’d used up all the olive oil in making this dish. Eggplant is an oil sponge, it loves to soak it up. Having said that, it is also very, very delicious, and if you allow the eggplant to drain well after frying them, you will still cut calories while retaining great taste. Great dish - vegetarian.
Ingredients
• 2 medium onions, chopped • 1⁄2-3⁄4 cup olive oil • 2 garlic cloves, crushed • 3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped • 4 Tbsp. chopped parsley • 1 Tbsp. chopped of fresh mint or 1⁄2 teaspoon dried mint, crumbled • salt and pepper • 2 medium eggplants • 1 teaspoon sugar • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Method
• Sauté the onions in a little oil. • Add the garlic, tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper. • Cook until it comes together as a very thick stew (no liquid). Stir in mint. • Cut the stem ends from
each eggplant and cut eggplants in half lengthwise. • Make 3 lengthwise slits, almost from end to end, cutting into the flesh about 2 cm deep. • Heat 1⁄2 cup olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. • Add the eggplant, cut side down, and fry gently, until dark golden-brown on cut side. • Turn over and fry on skin side a couple more minutes. • Remove from oil (most of it will have been absorbed) and place on paper towels to drain for at least 15 minutes before proceeding with recipe (this gets rid of most of the oil – you can omit the frying step to cut calories and save time, but you will NOT have the same flavourful results, and the recipe will not be as authentic). • Preheat oven to 180°C. • Hold each slit apart and spoon the vegetable mixture into each cavity. • Arrange eggplants in a baking dish just large enough to hold them. • Sprinkle with sugar, lemon juice, and drizzle with the remaining oil. • Bake for 40 minutes, or until tender. • Serve with lots of crusty bread.
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abode
r e t a W e h T
Get Over It! In the Pacific, surrounded as we are by water, it may be understandable that we get a little blasé about it but it’s why many of us live here and hardly surprising that it’s our main tourist attraction. And top of the tourist list worldwide is the overwater living experience, which has long history says Toby Preston. Below: Fiji’s only overwater bungalows at Likuliku Resort in the Mamanucas, luxury with direct reef access. Below right: the 2015 Building
of the Year – an ‘office block’ in China. Above: left; Fancy a swim? Your place or mine? Right; Le Roof, Noumea, New Caledonia.
PICTURES: Craig Osment and Fernando Guerra/ArchDaily
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hile the overwater resort bungalow may seem the height of modern island-themed holiday accommodation, the design in fact dates back to the stilt houses of Neolithic and Bronze Age times with a reconstructed village in Germany to prove it. Opened on Lake Constance in 1992 as an open air museum the lake 'pile' dwellings date from designs from 4000 to 850 BC with new additions still be constructed. More recent historical examples are to be found in Biscayne Bay, Florida. Known as Stiltsville, the cottage-style buildings began appearing in the 1930s with one of the more notorious being set up as a casino in 1933 because it was legal to gamble one mile offshore. This soon was joined by various ‘clubs’ which made the place party central and slightly outside the reach of the law. Stilt houses were also common throughout Asia and across Oceania with many to found in the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Singapore as well as throughout South America. Often they were built as a protection against flooding and vermin and on the Gulf Coast of America many houses are being converted to overwater dwellings as a haven from hurricanes. These days holiday makers don’t need to venture quite so far offshore for their vacation fun as was once necessary in Florida with contemporary resort overwater villas accessible by jetty-style walkways close to shore. Another good reason for this sort of architecture is to make use of limited waterfront land on small islands such as in the Maldives where low-lying atolls are perfect for overwater holiday villages. Also think Tahiti where
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many small islands have been extended into comprehensively expansive overwater ‘suburbs’ almost. While Vanuatu has several choices, ranging from the most obvious – Iririki Island Resort in Port Vila and Holiday Inn Resort – Fiji boasts only one overwater resort and that’s Likuliku on Malolo Island in the Mamanuca group of islands. But while there may be limited accommodation over water there are plenty of dining options with gorgeous little thatched huts set on the end of jettys for intimate romantic dinners for two, to more rudimentary little farés for larger parties alongside lagoons, harbours and riverfronts throughout the region. The Havannah resort on Havannah Harbour in Vanuatu is renowned for its little hut with a glass floor at the end of its jetty as the ultimate dining experience. Sanbis in Solomon Islands and Coconut Beach Club in Samoa both offer overwater dining or accommodation. In addition to tropical holiday venues there are many examples of modern public and commercial buildings built over the water in some of the world’s larger cities with a stunning example by architect Álvaro Siza in Jiangsu, China having been awarded Building of the Year in 2015. Curiously this building is actually the administration headquarters for a nearby shore-based chemical plant which seems like a pretty prosaic genesis for such a landmark (no pun intended) construction. There are also churches in Japan, mosques in the Middle East and museums in Scandinavia taking advantage of 360-degree water views, something we are lucky to enjoy on a daily basis when you live on a Pacific island. Right: Typically Tahitian – Bora Bora Pearl Beach Spa and Resort loacted on 17 waterfront acres on a French Polynesian ‘islet’. Far right: This jetty at Sanbis Resort in Solomon Islands, doubles as a boat wharf and casual dining/bar area.
Below left: The much photographed and highly recognisable Iririki Island Resort in Port Vila harbour, Vanuatu. Below middle: The
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Havannah resort’s sought after jetty dining faré. Below right: Coconut Beach Club in Samoa offers overwater ‘fales’.
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Aore Island e s i d a r a p f o e A t r u e sl i c Santo
Aore Island is a lifestyle choice. A choice to escape the bustle of modern life yet retain all its convenience, just minutes from Espiritu Santo. With mostly large blocks you have space to breathe, to enjoy gardens and lawns that lead down to your private waterfront.
Aore Island is perfect for enjoying watersports. Protected from prevailing winds the waters are calm and invite snorkelling, swimming and kayaking. For keen sailors there is deep water access close to the beach, or you could build your own jetty. And of course the clear blue waters of Aore Island are a haven for divers.
change your life today For more information contact Warren on warren@firstnationalsanto.com or call Christine on + 678 7742694 Hotel Santo Building - Main Street, Luganville, Espiritu Santo Ph: +678 7743282 86 | Islandliving www.firstnationalsanto.com paciďŹ c
It’s personal service and more choice But it’s bigger than that. It’s access to your money, where and when you need us. At Bendigo Bank we like to make your banking as simple, straightforward and convenient as possible. We’re open convenient hours in Nauru, 11am to 6pm daily and making it easier for you to bank with us when you’re on the go. Visiting Nauru? Come and see us at Ground Floor, Civic Centre, Aiwo District or phone +674 557 1780. Alternatively phone 1300 BENDIGO (+613 5445 0666 outside Australia) or visit bendigobank.com.au to locate your nearest branch or to find out more information on our full range of products and services.
2000 ATMs nationally and 9 in Nauru Internet and mobile banking Use your MasterCard debit card in Australia, Fiji and Nauru - don’t forget to press credit!
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Island Escape
Pinnacle Rock on Bartholomew Island.
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s d n a l s I s o g a p a l a G
Where Nature Rules
Pauline Webber discovers a wonderland of wildlife that apparently has no fear of humans. Only problem is, it’s a little remote, plonked as it is in a lonely stretch of the Pacific. But worth the effort.
PICTURES: Pauline Webber
OK
“ quiet on the set please. Cue brown pelican and blue-footed boobies, can you begin your dance now? Thank you. Ok, a two-shot there please with sea lion and swallowtail gull. Oh she has a chick too? Nice one. Ok can we get the fur seals on set please? Come on folks, penguins are in position already, let’s not waste time. Oh look, can we move those iguanas out of shot! May I remind you we have a boatload of birdwatching tourists due in less than one minute – places please everyone! I’ve been in the Galapagos Islands just a few hours when the idea strikes me that the whole thing must be a massive movie set. How else to explain the impossibly cute seal pups carefully posed at the shoreline just as we beach our panga, or the magnificent flamingo in her pink finery who struts about the lagoon like a supermodel while our cameras click, click then, as we turn back to the path, simply folds
herself up and flies off, or the clumpy brownish rock that, as we approach, rises up to expose four tree-trunk legs and the gnarled, prehistoric head of a giant tortoise. These islands, made famous worldwide by Charles Darwin, are truly unique. Plonked as they are in a lonely stretch of the Pacific Ocean, almost 1000km out from the Ecuadorian coast, they have an other-worldly aura about them. The towering black cliffs, the red beaches, the volcanic-cone mountains feel outside human culture, beyond time. And then there’s the wildlife. Nothing can really prepare you for birds and animals that have no fear of you. You really do have to watch where you put your feet or you’re likely to tread on a marine iguana quietly soaking up sun and utterly unconcerned about your presence. We wander past frigate birds perched beside their nests less than 10 metres from us. Their fluffy-headed chicks watch us with curiosity but without concern. While we’re
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snorkelling, a hammerhead shark meanders about far below us. Huge green sea turtles glide by a body-length from us, no more than mildly interested in these odd fish clad in black rubber (this may be the equator but the water is uncomfortably cold without a wetsuit). These experiences alone would make the Galapagos worth the trouble and expense, but of course the islands offer even more. We’ve joined a five-day excursion with one of Metropolitan Touring’s three ships but do little more aboard than sleep and eat (food is varied, fresh and plentiful). Our days are spent on land excursions engaging with plant, animal and birdlife; in our zippy little panga craft checking out the seabirds and aquatic life; and in the water snorkelling or swimming. We’ve time to visit just four islands, one of which, Genovesa, is a full night’s sailing distant. It’s worth the long haul, for Darwin Bay at dawn is a dramatic sight. The volcanic caldera’s grey-black cliffs sheer up out of the glass-still water in rigid ranks while the brassy sky is littered with seabirds, their wing tips aglow. I’m leaning over the ship’s rail, chatting with Scott, another early riser, when a red-footed booby drops down beside us and muscles in for a chat. For the next 15 minutes or so, the bird, probably a fledgling, and this American tourist become close
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buddies, sharing a glass of morning fruit juice and enjoying the view. Understandably, it’s the highlight of Scott’s trip. The Galapagos group, which belongs to Ecuador, has six main and 12 minor islands plus 110 big rocks and little islets spread over 8010 square kilometres. Strict regulations mean only one boat can be in any one place at a time. Tourism here is carefully controlled to ensure the precarious relationship between animal and human is maintained, but, with more than 200,000 visitors a year, that’s not easy. My desire to stroke a baby seal’s furry head is tempered by a reminder from our guide that to do so would mean starvation and death as the pup’s mother will swiftly abandon it once it has acquired a human smell. Until 1959, when the national park was established, humans ran amok here. Guaranteed calm seas and food supply made the area attractive to pirates, who were around from the 1500s to the 1700s, raiding Spanish settlements and harvesting giant tortoises for meat. The notorious buccaneer Ambrose Cowley mapped the islands in 1684, naming them for English nobles who financed his plundering. Alexander Selkirk, the prototype for Robinson Crusoe, visited with the privateer captain Woodes Rogers in 1708. Whalers and seal hunters took out another 100,000-odd tortoises before Darwin arrived on The Beagle,
Opposite page: One of the famous giant tortoises which the Spanish once harvested for meat. Left: A pink flamingo. Above: A curious nazca booby. Below: A pair of marine iguanas. Bottom: Scott and a red-footed booby share a morning fruit juice. Bottom left: Sea turtle. Below left: A whiskery sea lion.
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Above: From the lookout at the top of Bartholomew Island. The island is a especially famous for its coastal bird and marine life.
noticed a few oddities about the wildlife and had the lightbulb moment that changed our understanding of the world. Ecuador annexed the islands in 1832, giving them Spanish names so that today some have as many as three monikers. A lack of fresh water meant settlement was sparse and much of it quickly abandoned. Here and there on the smaller islands we spot the ruins of a farmhouse or a storeroom but most evidence of human habitation has long since disappeared. So I am quite surprised to find there are some big towns here and that the islands are home to about 27,000 people. On our last day we visit Cerro Colorado, where giant tortoises are bred and kept until they’re old enough to be released into the wild. These tortoises are the poster-boys for The Galapagos, the animal everyone wants to see. They don’t disappoint. Even as adolescents they are big. And they are slow. The animal equivalent of a Californian redwood tree,
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they’ve been around for thousands of years and they look it. Wrinkled and grey-headed, they chomp in slow motion with their toothless jaws through their vegetarian lunch, aware of us but utterly unperturbed. Cerro Colorado is a few kilometres from the rather charming port town of San Cristobal, a ramshackle mix of tour company offices, restaurants and hotels. At an outdoor café table, I sit in the shade nursing a cold beer and watching huge sea lions plop about the esplanade or drape themselves over pavements and carparks in the way dogs like to do. As I sit there, it occurs to me that there are places with better tropical reefs, more exotic and plentiful wildlife, more luxurious cruise liners trawling much warmer waters. But the Galapagos Islands have something no other place on the planet can offer, the chance to be on an equal footing with the animal kingdom. It’s a profound and humbling experience.
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glorious gardens
The
Right Plan Gardening editor Carolyn Ernst suggests that with the beginning of a new year it’s the right time to make plans for the garden of your dreams ... step-by-step.
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ell 2016 is over as is the silly season, for one more year. This cyclic passing of time is reassuring in its own way, the knowing that it will all happen again, next year. I have to admit, it is a bit frightening with the speed at which time now seems to pass, I am convinced that life seems to have sped up, maybe it has something to do with age, but the older I get, the faster life seems to go. My birthdays seem to get closer, one seems to happen and then somehow it is time for another one again, I suppose it is one of the vagaries of life. The holiday season is past and hopefully we have all had a great time with family and friends enjoying life to the fullest. Now is the time to take a little time to relax, I know I keep promising myself this, to kick back and spend just a little time smelling the roses, but as we all know the last couple of years have not been easy for anyone in the Pacific. March 2015 saw Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu and all the disaster she created. Almost a year later Fiji was hit by Winston. Since then, many of us have felt like we’re on a big wheel going around and around just getting through the days putting life back together, one day at a time. Well it is time to change and nothing like the start of a new year to begin the process. It is time to sit back and take the time to reflect and
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take stock and make changes. This is also true of our gardens. The rainy season has almost finished, this is the growing season and a good start for a new beginning. It is also a bit hot and wet for anything too physical, a great time to check out the magazines and those DYI sites on the internet, it is the perfect time to make plans, and set goals. Start by taking stock of your buildings, do they need repairs or just a new paint job. Remember the warm climate most of us live in is harsh on paint and wood, so maintenance is critical to the longevity of your home and surrounding buildings. While this is not the time for painting, it may need to go on the list of things to get done in the coming year. Your buildings are the bones around which the meat of your gardens is bound, so in order for your garden to be looking its best, so do your buildings. One word of advice, if you are planning on painting your house remember the colour you use needs to match the existing colour of your roof. I have seen some truly horrible paint jobs when this has been forgotten and that lovely blue and cream scheme just did not match the green roof. When I was building my first project here at Eden, I used to drive past this lovely garden wall, painted a glorious deep purple plum, revolting you might
PICTURES: Carolyn Ernst
“Remember no new garden is going to be perfect but you can go for a completely new palette.”
say, but it really did look great with the purple bougainvillea that was growing over it. Anyway I thought I would copy it so off to the building supplier I went, but I just couldn’t find the same colour. However that colour had exposed me to the possibility of using a dark colour so I ended up choosing a colour called camouflage, and yes that is exactly the colour it is, a dark khaki colour more commonly found on soldiers. I must admit that first paint stroke was OMG what have I done, but I decided to finish it, I could change it if it really was that bad. Anyway to cut a long story short that building was never seen again, it just disappeared into the background and I now use this colour all the time and it has helped all my buildings to be an actual part of the garden, a backdrop for the plants to blend in with. It has also made my building projects easier, the roof is beige, the facia a rich creamy colour called biscotti and the walls camouflage. The moral of this story is, that sometimes there is no need for change. Along with the building plans you also need to occasionally look at how you use your garden, you would never think one pair of shoes would be suitable for more than one or two years, this also applies to the way you use your garden. You need to think about all the parts of your garden you have not really used in the past year except to weed - is your garden taking your spare time? Your garden is supposed to be a place for you and your family to relax and enjoy, but as our lives become busier it can also become a burden. There are many things we can do to change this. The options are varied and include the really radical one of a complete change; move and find a new home with a garden that suits you and how you want to spend your time. Remember no new garden is going to be perfect but you
can go for a completely new palette - no garden at all, to one that has an existing garden that would form the bones of a new one. There used to be a time when a family stayed in one place or home for several generations, but times are changing and if you recall the shoe story there is no real reason not to look for something better suiting your current usage for both your home and garden. If this option is not for you then take the time to think about what it is in your garden that you don’t like or what is making hard work for you. Is it the lawns, those great expanses that were good for the children to play cricket on might now be just hard work, the answer may be something as simple as a ride-on lawn mower, will this give you the time to enjoy your life and garden more? Or does it require something more, a total change perhaps? Garden beds can be a lot more trouble in the beginning but once established they become much easier than the continuing demand of a nice lush lawn. Another idea that I have seen is to turn a big portion of the back garden into an orchard that does not need the lawn kept manicured every week and while you will still need to keep the grass under control, mowing once a month will do the trick. It may be that you have reached the time when you get to spend a bit more time on yourself, the day-to-day life of looking after a family has gone and we now get to think a bit more about ourselves, our health and with that comes thoughts about the quality of the food we put in our mouths. Many of us get a bit more involved in growing our own food, so you may need to expand your vegetable patch and perhaps make room for some of the delicious fruit trees that are now available. I love beetroot, it is good for you and you can use it is so many ways,
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“She paved the area under her clothes line so that every time she went to the line, she had a lovely reminder of ... her mother.”
in smoothies, in a salad or as a vegetable, the choices are endless. A good supply is essential so small plantings need to be made every few weeks. Remember, unless your family is very large, regular small plantings of seeds is way better than planting the whole packet at one time and having 500 beetroot ready at one time and then two weeks later, nothing. Another thing to look at is how you are using your garden, do you enjoy entertaining and does this mean that your BBQ and entertainment area needs an upgrade. There are now some totally over-the-top entertainment areas being designed, more like an extra room, with complete kitchens with every convenience right there where you want it. If this is for you, make sure you spend the time getting it right, it is a major expense but it will be somewhere you should enjoy for years to come. If this is outside the budget there are many other choices that could improve this area for you and your friends and family. It could be just a roof or even something as simple as a shade sail, but if it makes this area more enjoyable then put it on your wish list. Another option is to make a plan and then break it into affordable steps. I know we have now become a race of NOW but some things are worth waiting for and by breaking a project into affordable steps this could then make it achievable. Paving is a way of making life easier, less lawn to mow and fewer paths to get muddy and overgrown. There are some beautiful commercial options now available or you can choose to make your own. DYI options are endless and they are all available on some of those wondrous websites, Many people think they are not artistic but with the advent
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of these sites the ideas are all out there for everyone to copy. There is nothing wrong with copying something you have seen and as you get more confident in making things you will discover the finished product actually looks nothing like the thing you have copied, you have put a little bit of you into it. It is also a great way to use up some of the things you may have been hoarding for years. My aunt made pavers decorated with some of the pottery buttons made by her mother. She paved the area under her clothes line so every time she went to the line, she had a lovely reminder of the creative woman her mother had been, it also made one less thing to clutter her already bulging store room. This plan for your garden is important, because you cannot do everything at the same time and while you may be a super woman or man everything goes better if we have some overall plan. It stops us planting that beautiful tree we impulsively bought, which was only a metre tall and have it grow into someone’s nightmare, remember this may not be you - it may be your neighbour. Too many neighbourly disputes are caused by lack of thought by one party or the other. My sister lived in a suburb of Brisbane where the neighbour had thought it was a good idea to plant his old Christmas tree in the back garden. It grew into this huge monster that had my sister having thoughts of midnight poisoning techniques to get rid of it. Plans give us a bit of structure and well laid plans are good. They need to be realistic and achievable, no use planning a tropical garden in the cold south although as my Nana used to say, you can have whatever you want with the right plan. Happy gardening.
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Offering a stunning range of Vanuatu stamps and first day covers for collectors or as souvenirs available for purchase online
Featuring beautiful photographs and illustrations of Vanuatu
At Hideaway Island Resort’s marine sanctuary you will find the world’s first underwater post office. You can post Underwater Post postcards to family and friends as a unique souvenir of your Vanuatu holiday! islandliving | 100 pacific
www.vanuatupost.vu
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art smart
Aqua Art s r u o l o C Water
Beachgoing as a pastime is a reasonably recent activity but water and the ocean have been an inspiration for artists down the ages, from gloomy and threatening seascapes to more benign, impressionistic riverbank scenes, through to inspirational posters and pool vistas. By Toby Preston.
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ere in Oceania, surrounded as we are by water, as I’ve said elsewhere in this issue, we tend to take it for granted but that doesn’t mean we don’t love it – mostly. Sometimes a tidal surge of cyclone leaves us less impressed with the endless shifting power of waves and tides but if you want to swim, dive or sail then where else can you do it? Artists through the ages have obviously enjoyed a similar fascination with water and have immortalised it in a variety of ways from belligerent to benign. From prehistoric rock art through to Rembrandt’s The Storm on the Sea of Galilee (1633) and beyond, marine themes, the sea, rivers, estuaries and beach scenes have figured in art and later photography. The 11th century Bayeux Tapestry depicted the Norman invasion of England by boat, Peter Brueghel painted the Naval Battle in the Gulf of Naples in 1558 and there were many maritime paintings dating from the Dutch Golden Age which, given the penchant the Dutch had for colonising the far reaches of the globe wasn’t entirely surprising. In more recent times the French impressionists took a typically more romantic view of watery backdrops with Renoir, Monet and Caillebotte depicting everything from waves to oceanfront cliffs to rain soaked Parisian streets. And we’re now all familiar with travel poster art from the thirties onwards and endless modern artists’ lithographs and screen prints of shimmering seas.
Above: Perhaps the most famous wave of all, this colour woodblock by Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai published between 1830 and 1833.
Far Left: An Art Deco travel poster promoting Australia’s beach life from the thirties. Left: One of M C Escher’s typically geometric prints, this one entitled Sky and Water first printed in 1938 shows a flock of birds morphing into a school of fish. Above: A photograph of a Miami Beach Art Deco lifeguard stand.
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Above: Above: One One of of aa fascinating fascinating and and ethereal ethereal series series of of 20 20 photographs photographs by by Melbourne-based Melbourne-based Christopher Christopher Rimmer Rimmer entitled entitled Amapondo, Amapondo,, all all featuring featuring cattle cattle
Left: Summer Evening on the Skagen Southern Beach with Anna Ancher and Marie Krøyer by Danish painter Peder Krøyer, 1893. Right: Bathers at Asnières painted by French artist GeorgesPierre Seurat in 1884, this very large work (201cm x 300cm) hangs in the National Gallery, London. Opposite: Top left; Coastal Bathing by Australian artist James Willebrant, prints available from jameswillebrant. com; below left: The Fog Warning by American Winslow Homer, 1885; top right: This poster for Transport For London is the result of a collaboration by photographer Catherine Losing and set designer Hattie Newman, who constructed the entire scene from paper cut-outs. The Thames never looked so good!
roaming Port St Johns Beach on South Africa’s Transkei Coast. Prints can be bought from angelatandorifineart.com in Melbourne.
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the Bay ASIAN & WESTERN FUSION
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Buy-in
Perfect Timing to boom
Tourism set
Pacific Advisory's Glen Craig, says now is the perfect time to invest in the region. Not only are there unbeatable commercial opportunities but there are lifestyle benefits too.
'T
he Pacific islands’ – when I first heard these words strung together, I pictured tropical sunshine and coconut-studded sandy beaches with warm turquoise waters melting into the horizon. I am sure this is what comes to mind for you as well when any mention is made of this region. A testament of the hugely successful international tourism marketing which has cultivated a booming industry across the area. Living in the islands for over 12 years, I have witnessed this industry grow and foster the development of other industries such as trade and agriculture in the island nations. Governments of Fiji and Vanuatu, have prioritised these sectors and nurtured them with pro-active policies leaving very fertile ground for investment. Fiji is the centre of trade in the region leading to expanding opportunities in agriculture, fisheries and manufacturing. It is also has the largest tourist market with more than 730,000 visitors projected in 2017. A new democratically elected government combined with relatively cheap access to capital has lead to an unprecedented inwards flow of investors The neighbouring archipelago of Vanuatu has also sought to align itself as a competitive trade, tourism and investment destination by removing the minimum dollar threshold to investment. Cyclone Pam only kicked the country’s investment policies up a gear to engage reactive policy measures that displayed a resilient economy driven by robust leadership on all investment fronts. Port Vila is undergoing a major infrastructure facelift with key lines of communication such as the international airport and wharf being upgraded to augment tourism and
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trade. If you have a great idea, determination and want to set a new business up, then Vanuatu is the place for you. Although not without its challenges, Vanuatu is fast becoming ideal for investment with land prices at an historical low (you can buy beachfront property for under AUD100,000), upgraded infrastructure nearing completion, short commute times, abundance of warm weather and the stimulation of working in the tropics, getting a head start on the curb before the boom is just where you want to be – capitalising on the opportunities and reaping the benefits. Both countries have very professional and accessible investment agencies in place to answer any questions about doing business, setting up business and relocating there. In Vanuatu it is the Vanuatu Investment Promotion Authority ( VIPA for short) and in Fiji it is Investment Fiji. Whether buying an existing business or starting up a new one, permanent residency comes as of right once an investment certificate is issued and approval is granted. If you are looking to make the move more permanent both Vanuatu and Fiji have relaxed immigration rules to allow dual citizenship after a qualifying period. In Fiji if you reside for 5 years within any ten year period you can apply for citizenship. In Vanuatu you become eligible after ten years of residence. Residency has its benefits in assuring the longevity of your business ventures in the islands that you could now continue to utilise as vacation destination, or call home with that beachfront lot, replying to emails whilst watching those melting sunsets.
FLOOR GOVANT BUILDING | PO BOX 1276 | PORT VILA TEL+ 678 24 404 | FAX+ 678 23 692 | www.ajc-vanuatu.com
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An Independent Correspondent Member Of
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Par Avion
Passport to Pleasure Toby Preston laments the passing of the passport stamp and reminisces about places past while Googling his next destination.
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here’s a commonly held myth that only about 18 per cent of Americans hold passports, the real figure it would seem is closer to 40 per cent. This is partly because America, as a country with many migrants, does not necessarily need to issue passports to people who already hold a passport from another country. The statistic that is more surprising though relates to the actual numbers of Americans who travel. These fall into two groups the regular frequent flyers and the casual traveller and when it comes to the travelling public Americans stay at home more than most. That’s in spite of what you may have seen on your own travels – hoards of credulous yanks marvelling at the ubiquity of their ‘home brands’, as in ‘look honey they have KFC here!’ Indeed finding a place without KFC, McDonalds or Starbucks, as most us know is rarer than sightings of the Tasmanian tiger or a tabloid without a Kardashian on its gossip page. But back to passports, I love my passports. Not only do they allow me to travel but one in particular is a trove of wonderful memories, a taxonomy of my travels and a souvenir of the many places I’ve visited in the past ten years. But sadly I suspect for not much longer. The advent of the chipped passport and electronic border security at immigration is fast overtaking that wonderfully analogue little blue or black stamp that preserves our departures and destinations for future reference or reflection. Having just been issued with a new Australian passport after the last one was filled to capacity with stamps I wonder how many I’ll accumulate in the current one. My UK passport which is always used on European trips has just two lonely little stamps in it, both from Russia which, among larger nations clings to the quaint notion that the only way to keep track of people is to employ amazingly well made-up young women in stylish uniforms to actually smile and greet you with a real rubber stamp. That’s right, regardless of Russia’s reputation for a belligerent bureaucracy the girls at immigration there could teach Australia’s ‘Border Force’ a few lessons in courtesy when it comes to interacting with the public. The recently surrendered Australian travel document wasn’t anywhere near as overcrowded as it once would have been as for many years now Australia has abandoned the stamping stuff in favour of a quick scan and a wave on the way through which means that my sightings on arrival and departure from Oz shores aren’t anywhere to be seen apart
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from on a government computer. Whereas my many trips to Pacific countries are celebrated in real ink and sometimes handwritten dates and signatures which have always given me great pleasure in reviewing and recalling trips past. Among frequent flyers, the lack of remaining passport capacity is almost as important as the colour of your FF card, and, if you must know, mine is bronze!, bronze!, bronze! these days as my loyalty to airlines is mostly down to price rather than points. But my old passport spoke of more than just fealty to a particular airline it was a constant reminder of good times in mostly good places. Even the USA which relies on iris scans and digital mega data for identity did issue curious little green slips for visas which were stapled to passport pages and left behind a little perforated reminder when torn out. As for Europe despite many arrivals and departures there is not a single piece of documentary evidence in either passport of my comings and goings in that part of the world. Not so much as an arrivederci or an au revoir, an adios or and auf wiedersehen. Like the good eco warrior I should be, I left no footprints within the EU except for a lot of euros in restaurant cash registers. There was a time until recently when I did have a lot of other ink on paper to evoke memories of my euro adventures, I kept maps from every city, travel guides and the odd restaurant menu or museum or gallery catalogue as, what I fondly thought of as ‘reference’ material should I need to write about these places in the future. Not any more though since she-who-wants-to-declutter convinced me that any ‘research’ I may need to do is now much better served by magazines and Google – and reluctantly I had to agree. I can now take a virtual stroll through the rues of the Île St-Louis or the back streets of Cadaqués via Google Street View and check on the name of a restaurant or hotel anywhere from Nafplio to Naples without leaving my laptop. I can download menus, check prices, look at hotel lobbies, or check street names without going to the bookshelf to retrieve a dog-eared map or winestained menu, and the info I get is no doubt more current than my collection of printed antiquities. That said, I’m never throwing away my old passports and can only hope that my newer ones will contain more than just the name of my next of kin and a computer chip in the future. Well at least as long as the second and third world continue to employ men and women with stamp pads and pens.
Life is a collection of special moments Let Warwick Le Lagon be part of it Surrounded by natural beauty along the cobalt waters of Erakor Lagoon, Warwick Le Lagon - Vanuatu offers opportunities to create those special moments. Whether planning a relaxing holiday, romantic escape, wedding or conference, guests enjoy comfortable accommodation, exotic scenery, soothing spas, delectable cuisine and a host of activities suitable for all ages.
Warwick Le Lagon - Vanuatu, Elluk Road, Erakor Lagoon, Port Vila, Vanuatu D +678 22313 | info.lelagon@warwickhotels.com | warwickhotels.com/le-lagon-resort
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