Fiji | Highlands and Islands Service Immersion

Arrive into Nadi Airport (NAN) and meet your Program Leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program. Head to the Eco-Lodge in rural Momi Bay and settle in, relaxing after your long flight, and join the group for an orientation discussion about the week ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture. You’ll have a chance to swim, snorkel, and relax at beautiful Natadola Beach. Participate in a formal sevusevu ceremony and begin learning the intricacies of cultural practices in Fiji. Wearing your new sulu, get to know the local staff over a bowl of kava.

Head into the mountains to a remote village deep in the Nausori Highlands and enjoy the scenic two-hour ride. Meet the local chief while presenting the yagona plant and participate in a traditional welcome sevusevu ceremony. Tour the village and meet your homestay families who will quickly become a big part of your experience.

Learn the Fijian language through daily informal lessons from your homestay family and our local staff. Contribute to ongoing grassroots infrastructure and education projects within the village. Explore the surrounding highlands area, visit a waterfall, swim in the river, and spend time with the local families. Share stories, enjoy traditional Fijian dance, and join your group for a post-service debrief each evening, discussing what you experienced and learned through hands-on work in the community.

Say your final goodbyes to your village hosts and begin the journey back to the coast. Stop by Nadi for lunch and ice cream before heading onward to our Momi Bay Base House. Walk to a historic park at sunset and enjoy the serene outlook as the sun drops below the horizon.

Board a ferry and take a four-hour boat ride through the breathtaking Yasawa Islands. Explore the white sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, and lush surrounding hills. Live without electricity and sleep on cots in large safari tents only a few yards from the ocean. Enjoy a kava ceremony with the locals from Somosomo Village who will make you feel at home under the bright stars.

Explore island paradise with new adventures—hiking at sunrise, exploring a sunken plane wreck, fishing under the night starts, kayaking on the ocean, snorkeling with manta rays (seasonal), learning a traditional Fijian war dance called the meke, and playing games with local children. Take an optional scuba dive to explore the best soft coral reefs on the planet.

Go on a final morning adventure and visit with your new Fijian friends before saying farewell to the Yasawa Islands and journey back to Nadi. Enjoy some of Fiji’s best pizza before returning to the Eco-Lodge.

Depart Momi Bay and head out on an island-hopping excursion to explore the beautiful islands off the coast of Viti Levu. Swim and snorkel these warm South Pacific waters, and pass Cloudbreak, the world famous surf spot. Relax on the white sand beaches and grab an ice cream or a cold drink at one of the picturesque resorts.

At the end of each program, students reflect on their experiences and the issues they engaged with, and talk about how to apply this new understanding to their own worlds. During or after their closing discussion, groups participate in Rustic Ties, a unique and powerful activity that allows students to capture the memories and learning moments of their program to process and share with their communities back home.

Explore Nadi and shop for souvenirs for your family and friends. Enjoy your final meal in Fiji with a view of the sunset before leaving for the airport. Your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your departure as you say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure.