Marine and Environmental Monitoring
Day 01 - Tuesday
Depart the USA
All of Rustic Pathways scheduled group flights to Fiji depart from
Los Angeles. Our carrier is Air Pacific – Fiji’s national airline. The
flight each week is non-stop to Nadi International Airport and is escorted
by a Rustic Pathways Flight Leader. The flight departs LAX in the evening
and takes about 10 hours. During your flight take the time to get to know
other students on your flight, get some sleep in preparation for your
arrival in the South Pacific, relax with a movie or two and start to settle
into the easy-going and friendly nature of the Fijian’s and their legendary
hospitality.
Day 02 – Wednesday
In transit
Today is “lost” as you cross the international dateline, but don’t worry too
much… you will get it back on your way home!
Day 03- Thursday
Bula! Welcome to Fiji!
You will immediately be greeted by our Rustic Pathways staff start the journey of a lifetime. After hoping off a plane you will spend the day morning participating in orientation on the beach and getting to know the other students in your group. In the afternoon it will be time to do some service and you will head to a local beach for a bit of beach clean up. Fiji has no system in place for trash collection, so the public beaches acquire quite a bit of trash. By participating in a beach clean up you will be improving the aesthetic of the beach as well as removing potentially harmful materials from the ocean.
Day 04 - Friday
This morning you will hop into a car then onto a boat for a 4 hour ride through the breathtaking Yasawa Islands. Pass by some of the most beautiful islands in the world while enjoying a nice cold ice-cream bar and talking with your new friends. The last stop in the Yasawa Islands in Nacula Island and that is what you will call home for the next six days.By the time you reach Nacula Island there will be a village waiting to meet you with open arms. Lunch will be waiting for you after you unpack all your belongings. After lunch you will have time to explore the island and then have a small lesson on the local marine life. Then you will learn the basics of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) during a fun scavenger hunt.During the evening, you can unwind from your busy day with a swim in the pool or a friendly soccer match or simply watching the sunset from our huge deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean with some new friends. You can be guaranteed a good night sleep tonight!
Days 05 to 06 – Saturday to Sunday
Marine Research at its Finest
For the next two days you will spend the majority of your days in the water participating in various types of marine conservation efforts and observational research. Before you set out each day your counselor will go over a short lesson regarding the various types of reefs that you will be encountering and what types of fish species that you would expect to see. Some of the projects that you will be participating in include coral clean up, fish counts and identification, invertebrate counts and identification, and reef mapping.When you have finished your work for the day it will then be time to enjoy the island and everything it has to offer. You can spend some time with the Fijians and learn how to make a bracelet out of a coconut, kayak, play with the young villagers or relax on the beach. Each evening you will have the chance to participate in multiple activities. Sometimes the village gathers to celebrate the work you are doing with traditional dances (meke), another night you might watch the flames of a roaring beach bonfire, or you might just lie on the beach take in the amazing blanket of stars in the sky and have the chance to identify some of the constellations in the Southern Hemisphere. One evening your group will organize and put on a small show or skit for the village. This always ends up being a very entertaining evening with much humor and frivolity! The nights are always a wonderful spectacle of traditional Fijian culture, laughter and fun.
Day 07 – Monday
Optional Activity Day!
Today is an exciting day away from service and learning. On this day you have the ability to pick an optional activity and strike out on an exciting adventure. Some of the optional activities that you can choose to include, scuba diving or island hopping. You can spend the day exploring other areas of the Yasawa Islands. If you feel like spending the day on the beach feel free to hang back at Nacula Island and hang out with the villagers of Malakati or relax on the beach and snorkel.
Day 08 and 09 – Tuesday and Wednesday
The ocean exploration continues!
After a relaxing day of optional activities it is time to get back to work and continue with your last day of marine service.
Day 10 – Thursday
Something to take home with you!
Well your first week has flown by like a dream and you should now be well and truly entrenched in Fiji and much of what this easy-going island nation is all about. Today is a chance to enjoy a break from your marine surveys and do some much desired shopping for souvenirs. You will get the chance to explore town and the local handy craft market for gifts and reminders of your time in Fiji. In the evening, you will be treated to a nice final meal to conclude your wonderful experience in Fiji. This will give you some time to reminisce about your weeks adventures, exchange contact information with friends and staff and prepare for your journey home.You will be escorted to the airport by staff where you can take some time to say good-bye and will fly back to LAX with a Rustic Pathways flight leader.
Extending your Marine Survey Week.
Weeks Two, Three, Four and beyond….
If you’re staying longer your weeks will remain much the same as your first week but no day is exactly the same in Fiji so there will be new opportunities of service and adventure. Your understanding of Fijian culture will be better, the depth of the friendships you’ve made will be stronger and your ability to communicate, participate and contribute will be enhanced the greater the amount of time you spend here. Fiji has a way of seducing you and these islands have captivated many a visitor. To find a place with the degree of friendliness that the locals possess, the natural beauty that this country encapsulates, melded with the easy-going and peaceful pace of life that the locals adhere to can be wonderfully refreshing and incredibly enticing. Your staff will encourage you to enjoy all that this program has to offer and we hope that the quality and range of projects, personalities and activities you experience only make you want to stay longer!
An Important Note about Schedule Changes:
Rustic Pathways reserves the right to change, alter, or amend the daily itinerary for this trip at any time. Changes can be made for various reasons including changes in flight or program schedules, changes in the schedules of various external tours incorporated in our trips, the addition of new activities into a trip, or the substitution of an old activity for a new activity. The itinerary shown here provides a good outline of the anticipated daily schedule for this program. As with any travel program, some changes may occur
Fiji is home to the third-largest reef system in the world and thousands of exotic marine species. Most tourists who come to this island nation dive in its warm waters and enjoy its marine life without ever considering the fragile state of the underwater world they are enjoying. Your trip to Fiji will be more meaningful than a simple island tour. You’ll learn about the issues that threaten the reef system and lend a hand to help preserve it. You will see life beneath the surface that depends on the reef, and the work you do on land will help ensure this underwater world’s lasting survival.
In an effort to preserve the fish population and diversity of species here, Rustic Pathways has joined forces with Malakati Village to create a marine reserve. Part of your work on the Marine and Environmental Monitoring program will be to count the species in this reserve in order to monitor the health of the reef. You’ll work hard, but don’t forget that you’ll also be snorkeling with exotic fish, squid, sea turtles and stingrays in one of the world’s most beautiful reef systems. 
Sit Back and Relax