Yasawa Islands
16°55′S177°20′E/ 16.917°S 177.333°E
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(February 2017) |
TheYasawa Groupis anarchipelagoof about 20volcanicislandsin theWestern DivisionofFiji,with an approximate total area of 135 square kilometres (52 sq mi).
Geography
[edit]
The Yasawavolcanic groupconsists of six main islands and numerous smaller islets. The archipelago, which stretches in a north-easterly direction for more than 80 kilometres (50 mi) from a point 40 kilometres (25 mi) north-west ofLautoka,is volcanic in origin and very mountainous, with peaks ranging from 250 to 600 metres (820 to 1,969 ft) in height. The only safe passage for shipping is betweenYasawa Island(the second largest in the archipelago, about 22 kilometres (14 mi) long and less than a kilometer wide) andRound Island,22 kilometers to the north-east.
History
[edit]TheBritishnavigatorWilliam Blighwas the first European to sight the Yasawas in 1789, following theMutiny on the Bounty.Captain Barber inHMSArthurvisited the islands in 1794, but they were not charted until 1840, when they were surveyed and charted by aUnited Statesexpedition commanded byCharles Wilkes.
Throughout the 1800s,Tonganraiders bartered for, and sometimes stole, the sail mats for which the Yasawas were famous. The islands were largely ignored by the wider world untilWorld War II,when theUnited States militaryused them as communications outposts.
Climate
[edit]| Climate data for Yasawa-i-Rara (1991–2020 normals) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31.5 (88.7) |
31.6 (88.9) |
31.4 (88.5) |
31.0 (87.8) |
29.9 (85.8) |
29.2 (84.6) |
28.7 (83.7) |
28.7 (83.7) |
29.3 (84.7) |
29.7 (85.5) |
30.7 (87.3) |
31.3 (88.3) |
30.2 (86.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 28.0 (82.4) |
28.1 (82.6) |
28.0 (82.4) |
27.6 (81.7) |
26.7 (80.1) |
26.1 (79.0) |
25.5 (77.9) |
25.4 (77.7) |
25.8 (78.4) |
26.3 (79.3) |
27.3 (81.1) |
27.9 (82.2) |
26.9 (80.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 24.5 (76.1) |
24.6 (76.3) |
24.5 (76.1) |
24.1 (75.4) |
23.4 (74.1) |
23.0 (73.4) |
22.2 (72.0) |
22.1 (71.8) |
22.4 (72.3) |
22.9 (73.2) |
23.8 (74.8) |
24.4 (75.9) |
23.5 (74.3) |
| Averageprecipitationmm (inches) | 244.2 (9.61) |
191.2 (7.53) |
251.9 (9.92) |
166.2 (6.54) |
94.1 (3.70) |
65.6 (2.58) |
38.9 (1.53) |
60.9 (2.40) |
72.0 (2.83) |
95.4 (3.76) |
105.0 (4.13) |
165.6 (6.52) |
1,551 (61.1) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 12.8 | 12.5 | 15.3 | 10.8 | 6.7 | 5.3 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 5.2 | 5.6 | 7.5 | 9.4 | 99.2 |
| Source:World Meteorological Organization[1] | |||||||||||||
Tourism, economy and culture
[edit] |
Until 1987, it was the policy of the Fiji government that the Yasawa Group was closed to land-based tourism because the king of the Yasawa Group, who was not controlled by the government, did not want tourism. There were limited cruise operations since the 1950s, but passengers had to stay aboard their ships. Without tourism, the local residents lived in peace and harmony in a communal atmosphere. Since the Fi gian government lifted the restrictions on land-based tourism in the Yasawa Group, a number of resorts have been established there. Due to its freehold real-estate status, three budget resorts have been operating onTavewaisland since the early 1980s.
Access
[edit]
As one of the outer island chains, options to get to the Yasawa Islands are a bit more limited than some of the closer islands to Nadi and Denarau. Sea planes from local airlines (like Turtle Airways) make multiple flights to the Yasawa resorts per day, and charters are also available.[2]Helicopter charters are also available or one can take theYasawa Flyer,a catamaran.
References
[edit]- ^"World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020".World Meteorological Organization.Retrieved19 October2023.
- ^"Resort Transfers | Fiji Seaplane flights | Turtle Airways".Turtle Airways Fiji Seaplane Transfer Service.Retrieved2020-07-20.
External links
[edit]- Backpackers and Billionaires- article about the Yasawa Group's (and Fiji's) history
Yasawa Islandstravel guide from Wikivoyage
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