David Jamieson, founder of shore support agency Yacht Help Fiji explained, “Blue Lanes is exactly as the name suggests, a dedicated path for yachts and their guests and owners to still experience yachting.

“There is still mandatory quarantine, but it takes into account time at sea for the yacht and crew arriving into Fijian waters and allows guests to quarantine on board while cruising the island. There are some stipulations, but it is working brilliantly.”

Since launching the marine tourism program in mid-2020, Fiji has welcomed over 100 cruising yachts and 20 superyachts, with more expected in 2021.

“Now that Tahiti is opening up, there is a critical mass of destinations and activities in the South Pacific that are insulated from the stresses of the pandemic,” continued Jamieson.

So, the only question left is what to do with your 14 days of quarantine in Fiji. David’s got some ideas!

Day 1: Port Denarau Marina

Port Denarau Marina is a conveniently located 20 minutes from the Nadi International airport and part of the Blue Lanes Initiative.

Once on board, depart Port Denarau heading south and pass through the outer reef next to Fiji’s world-famous surf break, Cloud Break. Then head east along the picturesque coast of Viti Levu Island to Bega Lagoon.

Day 2: Beqa Lagoon

This large lagoon offers a wide variety of unique activities with pristine beaches, great diving and snorkelling.

Try anchoring off the deserted beach at Yanca Island inside Beqa’s protected lagoon. There are some great dives nearby and excellent snorkelling.

Surf Frigates Pass

For those with the surfing bug, the well-known Frigates Pass is located nearby. This is recommended for moderate to expert surfers.

The Shark Dive

Beqa Lagoon is also the location of one of the South Pacific’s best shark dives where big bull and tiger sharks can be seen in front of free-swimming divers.

Beqa Lagoon has many highly rated dives where some of Fiji’s best coral and marine life can be seen.

Day 3: Kadavu Island

This large island offers a mix of remoteness and stunning beauty. Known for its prolific marine life, clear water and uninhabited islets.

Day 4: The Great Astrolabe Reef

The Astrolabe Reef contains many islands protected within a large lagoon.

Namara Island

This uninhabited island has a beautiful pristine beach and the feel of a place untouched by human hand. This good, protected anchorage is ideal for a beach barbecue.

Manta ray feeding station

Visit the nearby manta ray dive or snorkel at Vurolevu Island. This is a very active manta ray feeding station.

Dive the North Astrolabe Reef

This is a great dive in moderate weather.

Day 5: The Lau Group of Islands

Selected for its “mind-blowing array of marine life and a gentle, carefree vibe,” Forbes magazine has listed the Lau Group of islands as one of the World’s Top 12 Most Beautiful Places.

The Lau Group of islands are the least visited and most remote islands in Fiji. The culture and traditions have been preserved along with a fascinating history where the chiefs of Lau ruled most of Fiji.

The Lau islands have a unique geology made of limestone that has been eroded by the elements into dramatic islets and arches located inside sheltered lagoons.

The Lau Group will provide a voyage of adventure of discovery for the those travelling by yacht.

The people of Lau are welcoming and friendly. If you are not still in quarantine, many villages are excited at the sight of visiting yachts and the children eagerly await your arrival on the beach.

Visitors are afforded a genuine South Pacific welcome and lead through the village to the chief’s hut where elders gather for the traditional welcome ceremony, Sevusevu.

For those still in quarantine, many of the Lau islands are uninhabited and you can experience the pristine natural beauty of these islands.

Totoya

Legend goes that when the first chief to discover the island saw it from afar he said it was totoka, meaning beautiful, which is how the name Totoya came to be.

This unique horseshoe-shaped island features a lagoon within a lagoon.

The island is an ancient volcano and the crater has sunk leaving a nearly land-locked inner lagoon.

Anchor off the uninhabited beach at Navaka Gap and take a stroll on the beach and walk across the gap to view the inner lagoon on the other side. The reefs on the north side of the island have some exciting diving and snorkeling sites.

Fulaga

This is the most unique and beautiful of the southern Lau islands. Entry into the lagoon is through the pass in the northeast side of the outer reef.

Once inside the lagoon, a spectacular array of limestone islands and arches of all sizes are dotted throughout.

There is a very good drift dive in the Fulaga Passage with lots of pelagic species to be seen at the entrance. Hours can be spent exploring the lagoon by tender or paddleboard.

Day 5: Yagasa Group

This uninhabited group of four islets provides some great exploring and beachcombing on beaches that are rarely visited by people.

The lagoon has good diving and snorkelling. The anchorage is safe and the lagoon is easy to access.

Oneata Island

This low-lying island is surrounded by a large lagoon. There is plenty of smooth water within the lagoon, which makes it ideal for water sports.

Oneata has a deep-water pass in the northwest named Middle Passage that allows entry to the lagoon. Good anchorage is found in the uninhabited bays on the northwest side of the island. There is good snorkelling and diving in the passes of the lagoon.

Oneata Island, apart from being the first island to have lasting contact with Europeans, was the first place where missionaries arrived in 1830.

Day 6: Vanua Balavu (Exploring Isles)

This very beautiful and unique island offers many great anchorages. The most spectacular of which is in the Bay of Islands.

Located in northwest part of the lagoon, this area is covered with limestone islands and islets that have been carved by the elements into arches, caves and overhangs, all covered with thick vegetation.

The geology is the same as the famous Palau Lagoon in Micronesia. It offers some very well-protected inlets that are so deep you can tie up to the trees ashore.

The southwestern end of the island also offers a beautiful anchorage that provides a dramatic colour contrast between the lush forest of the island, the sandy bottom, and the large reef flats that extend to the reef drop-off.

From this anchorage, you can explore the Qaranilaca limestone sea cave at the southernmost tip of Vanua Balavu adjacent to Namalata Island.

The Qaranilaca sea cave cave was excavated and was shown to have been used by humans over 1,000 years ago.

Wailagilala Island

Teaming with marine life, this large atoll is uninhabited. Beachcombing the pristine beaches is recommended, and there is some very good diving and snorkelling to be had in the entrance pass.

Day 10: Rabi Island

Heading north to Rabi Island and its Albert Cove, stern lines can be tied ashore 120 metres away in calm weather. Then just lie back and enjoy this remote uninhabited bay.

Rabi Island has a manta ray feeding station where a dozen or so mantas can be seen feeding in the current.

Day 11: Taveuni Island

At Taveuni Island, it’s best to anchor in Viani Bay. This quiet bay is the gateway to the Rainbow Reef.

Some of the best diving and snorkelling in Fiji are found on the reefs around Taveuni and in the Somosomo Straight.

The most famous dives are the Great White Wall, the Zoo and Rainbow Reef.

Day 12: Namena Island

This is a small, uninhabited, reef-fringed island that National Geographic lists as having some of the most colourful corals in the world.

The island was badly damaged in the 2016 cyclone but the vegetation has now recovered. There is some great diving and snorkelling here that remains unscathed by weather.

Day 13: Vatu-i-Ra Channel

This high-current area constantly feeds nutrients into the prolific marine life in this channel. Add to this a couple of sheer-sided pinnacles that drop off to the 1,000-metre mark and you have a combination that produces some extraordinary diving.

The most famous of these pinnacles is Mount Mutiny, named after Captain Bligh who sailed past it after the mutiny on the Bounty.

Rising up from the depths, this pinnacle offers much the same diversity as E6 and is best known for its Rainbow Wall. This is wall covers the whole south side of the pinnacle and is blanketed with an unusual soft coral of bright vibrant colours that can be mistaken for sea fans.

The Rainbow Wall is often remembered as one of the most beautiful soft coral dives anywhere.

Day 14: Vatu-i-Ra Island (Bird Island)

It is a short cruise to Vatu-i-Ra Island. This small island is a sanctuary to nine species of native seabirds and is also a nesting site for hawksbill sea turtles.

Day 15: Nananu-i-Ra Island

It’s best to anchor in the lee of this picturesque island. There’s a beautiful beach on the north side of the island with palms overhanging the water’s edge.

Good snorkelling and fishing can be found at the nearby passes through the reef. This is a good place for a last dive or snorkel before returning to Port Denarau Marina.