Daku’s Untouched Surroundings & Fara In Rotuma For Kali
Aformer tour guide turned television presenter, highly recommends the use of local cruise ship packages.
Kaliova Turagaiviu served the tourism sector between 2012 and 2015, before he joined Fiji Television Limited.
Kali, as he is better known, also encourages the use of local inbound tour services.
“I was a tour guide, steering cruise liner ship guests in air-conditioned coaches to places around Fiji,” he said.
“As an inbound tour operator for ATS Pacific, we took care of guests that came off the cruise ship.
“I really enjoyed that part of my journey in my career, because of the new faces we’d meet, and places I would travel to for free.”
ATS Pacific would take guests to the interior of Navua for eco-tour, excursions, and to the outer island resorts, as part of the packaged deal trips.
Guests from cruiseliners who island-hopped the resorts, stirred envy among some guests, who had checked in for a longer stay at such destinations, Kali said.
“A couple of hours on an island resort before they were off again to another destination – that was the advantage of cruise ships,” he said.
“You actually remain in your hotel room, but you go to different countries and see different things.”
Some tourists preferred Fiji’s organic tropical fruits to what they had back at home, he said.
“They say the fruits in Fiji are just number one,” Kali said.
He commended Fiji Airports manager airport landside operations and customer services Joe Gray for raising awareness on certain local hot spots, such as the Sabeto mud pools.
“It’s (Sabeto mud pools) changed from what was before; they’re upping the game, and it’s really nice,”
Kali said.
Kali produces the locally televised programme The Monarch, which airs from 7pm to 8pm on Tuesdays.
“The show is about the special bond forged back in 1874 between our chiefs, mainly to Her Majesty Queen Victoria of Great Britain, and how that relationship has grown over the years to help Fiji from colonial administration to independence.”
Where in Fiji would you take friends to?
Daku Resort, Savusavu.
It’s small, and it’s more personal and friendly.
The scenery is unmatched.
The surroundings are untouched. A majority of Americans choose to go to Savusavu to buy estates, because it’s where you can have the best of both worlds.
The Americans will usually say, “All we need is our internet, and our coffee, and we are good.”
What is your favourite spot for a coffee or pie?
Mana Coffee, at Selbourne Street, Suva.
I recommend it since they brought a more Pacific touch when they rebranded from WETA.
They have upped their game.
What is one place on your bucket list?
Rotuma.
I have to go there.
One thing they experience during the festivities of Christmas is the fara.
I have yet to experience the fara
here on Viti Levu.
(Editor’s note: Fara is a summertime house-to-house dance and music marathon carried out around the island of Rotuma, during December). com.fj