No Shirt, No Shoes

No cell or Wi-Fi service. No need for either when diving the renowned Rainbow Reef off the coast of Fiji's garden island, Taveuni. There's only sunshine, crystal-clear water, lush green foliage and vibrant flowers, thousands of corals, fish and marine life—and the friendliest people I've ever met.

A little more than a week ago, I changed my travel itinerary. Originally, I planned to spend the rest of my trip moving from Nara to Tokyo and then up to Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost prefecture. But I wanted something tropical again—those island vibes I love so much. Booking a reward flight for the date I wanted, without traveling another 30 hours, narrowed my options a bit. But then: Fiji. I mean, who doesn’t want to go to Fiji? I canceled multiple flights and hotels, crossed my fingers it would all work out, and booked a new flight to Fiji and another back to the US. Fiji has over 300 islands—more than 100 of them inhabited—and honestly, I don’t think I could’ve gone wrong with any of them.

So, after an hour-plus train ride from Nara to Osaka, an hour-ish flight to Tokyo Haneda, an 80-minute bus ride across Tokyo to Narita, a 9-hour flight to Nadi, a 70-minute small plane hop, and a few layovers along the way, I landed at the Matei airport on Taveuni. Down jacket no longer needed!

I managed to snag a last-minute spot at Taveuni Dive Resort—one of just eight bures (think: bungalow) on the property—for four nights. This off-the-grid, eco-friendly resort was absolutely incredible. The staff were warm and welcoming, my bure was spacious and private with a view of the water right from my bed. The common/dining area did have Wi-Fi available, but more importantly, it’s where they fed me three times a day—and the food was ridiculously good. I could’ve stayed forever—or at least until I ran out of PTO and cash… err, credit. In fact, a couple visiting from Australia were there for six weeks—their seventh stay at TDR. That’s how amazing it is.

Over the next six days, I went diving 18 times—usually three dives a day, two in the morning and one in the afternoon. One evening, I even did a/my first night dive. The boat captains and dive instructors were fantastic—friendly, funny, and experts at spotting the tiniest nudibranchs, pygmy seahorses, and so much more. We saw manta rays—graceful and mesmerizing—as well as several sharks. I lucked out with my timing: my trip happened to align with one of only a few short windows each month when it’s possible to dive the Great White Wall. It was spectacular—like nothing I’ve ever seen. Granted, I only got scuba certified two months ago in Belize, but still… highly recommend!

I made friends with the other divers at the resort—really great people from around the globe—and was honestly a little sad when I had to check out and move to an Airbnb called Lomani (Fijian for “love”), about 20 minutes up the (one) main road. But the little house was beautiful, cozy, and clean, with an infinity pool overlooking the Somosomo Strait—and I had it all to myself. The only problem? Nobody to feed me. 🤣 The day I checked in was the Monday after Easter, which is a public holiday in Fiji, meaning most of the town was closed. There was one market open that I strolled into barefoot—I packed for northern Japan, not the South Pacific!—and purchased a bag of Cornflakes, a box of powdered milk, a roll of about 10 Oreos, and a can of fruit. (My doctor recently told me those were all the worst choices, but hey, the options were limited!) So, I arranged rides for the next couple of days to go back to the resort in the morning for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, dive all day, and then return to the cute Airbnb at 7pm.

I took a few of the dive instructors out for a beer on my last full day; we went to a (the?) bar in town, and they shared stories about Fijian life and culture. They laughed—a lot. It’s infectious, this laugh, the smiles, and that easy-going nature that you can’t help but absorb. Walking out (still barefoot, I actually didn’t wear shoes the entire week I was there since I only had sneakers or hiking shoes!), several locals smiled and greeted me with a cheerful “Bula!”

As the plane left Taveuni behind, I found myself reflecting on what made this whole journey unforgettable. Sure, the diving and the underwater world in Fiji were amazing, but it was the people—their warmth, their laughter, and the way they made me feel at home—that truly made it special.

This trip wasn’t just about checking destinations off the list. It was about disconnecting, being present, and letting myself be. Fiji was a huge part of that experience, and those island vibes? They're sticking with me long after I’ve left.