Our Latest Special for divers :

Second diver dives for FREE

Scuba Dive Kadavu Package
• 5 days of 2 tanks diving (10 dives) with Mad Fish Dive Centre
• All day free access to shore diving at The Critter Junction
• 7 nights in an Oceanview Traditional Bure
• Traditional Lovo Feast and Kava ceremony
• All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, unlimited tea/coffee)
First person – F$ 2,930

Second person – F$2,065

Special for Non-Divers:

The Matava Experience Package
• 7 nights in an Oceanview Traditional Bure
• Traditional Lovo Feast and Kava ceremony
• All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, unlimited tea/coffee)
First  person – F$ 2,065

Second person – F$1,030

Both Packages include return Kadavu Island Airport – Resort boat transfers, snorkel gear, resort kayaks in the Marine Reserve and all taxes.

These Special offers start from 6 nights, are based on two people sharing a bure and are valid for travel between the 1st June 2013 through to the 30th September 2013. Contact us to have your own customized Package at Winter Special Rates !

We were happy and proud to sponsor the recent Making Waves in Colorado event run by the  Colorado Scuba Retailers Association and Colorado Ocean Coalition in Boulder, CO on October 20-21, 2012.

With over 500 people attending the various activities during the two day weekend, the message was loud and clear, we need to protect our oceans, even from a Mile High!

The thank you was great!

Dear Richard,

On behalf of all the members of the Colorado Scuba Retailers Association and Colorado Ocean Coalition, we would like to extend a huge thank you for donating a vacation to Matava Resort to the Making Waves in Colorado event. With your support, the CSRA was able to raise over $10,000 to support the Colorado Ocean Coalition and the Ocean Foundation in their efforts to educate the public on ocean conservation and policy change for protection of our fragile oceans.

With over 500 people attending the various activities during the two day weekend, the message was loud and clear, we need to protect our oceans, even from a Mile High! From Jean-Michel Cousteau encouraging attendees to get out and dive, to our training representatives answering questions on the basics of scuba certification, the industry showed a great presence. In addition, our speaker representatives were able to educate attendees on safe diving practices and environmental protection efforts that are being made throughout our industry.

We would not have been able to make this event such a success without your help, so we thank you for contribution and support of this event. It is vital that the scuba industry continue to support environmental movements in ocean conservation and we look forward to a successful event next year as well. We want to create a lasting impression on all Colorado ocean lovers, showing the scuba industry cares about our oceans and is willing to do anything to protect the marine environment for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Alexandra Miller
President, CSRA

Sea-kayaking in Kadavu By Sarah Daniell

I’m sitting cross-legged on the floor in the community hall of an outer island village. Before me on a woven mat is a plate laden with home-made cakes and a jug of fresh lemon-leaf tea. “Kana vakalevu, eat plenty,” says Iokimi, an old Fijian guy sitting next to me. “We don’t like it when tourists come here and just pick at the food.”

It is not so much an invitation as an order to eat, and I’m not going to argue. We are, after all, in Kadavu (pronounced kan-da-vu), the island group whose name comes from two words: kana, to eat, and davo, to lie down. Eat and lie down. I like that.

I’m part of a group of travellers of various ages from various countries, sea-kayaking our way around the beautiful, road-less coastline of Kadavu Island, under the guidance of Tamarillo Active Travel.

Not only sea-kayaking; in fact each day our guides take us snorkelling in indescribably idyllic lagoons and lead us on short walks through the rainforest to swim in clear, natural pools beneath towering waterfalls.

Full article here: Air Pacific in-flight magazine feature on Tamarillo Active Travel (pdf).

The resort really wanted the bees primarily for pollination of the fruit trees which are abundant in the resort grounds. The honey, we thought, would be a lovely added bonus. Little did WE know!

The project came about during a discussion at a community meting in Nacamoto village between resort Director and owner Richard Akhtar and one of the dive centre’s ex-employees. Emosi parted ways with the resort dive centre in 2009 to get closer to the land and establish himself in his own business, beekeeping. He had read in the newspaper about Beekeeping training in the capital Suva, Fiji. He had got on a ferry-boat. We are now assisting the leading Apiarist for Organic Active Kadavu Honey.

The beekeeping training was run by John Caldeira an ex-Peace Corp volunteer, who returned to Fiji in 2008 with a dream to bring Fiji beekeeping onto the world stage by training beekeepers. Since the 1980′s when Caldeira was last in Fiji, beekeeping in the Western Division of Fiji had greatly expanded with help from both domestic and foreign assistance.

However, he noticed that Fiji still imported approximately 20% of its honey and there were many non successful beekeepers. He noted during his time that many of the farmers started beekeeping without any or adequate training.

Calderia said “There really were only a few skilled beekeepers here. Some started with foreign aid money and some with a bank loan, but most of them did not know basic beekeeping skills such as how to start new colonies or prevent wax moth damage. Fiji’s beekeepers in the Western Division did not have the benefit of traditional agricultural extension help, government or NGO-sponsored training, or access to beekeeping books in any language.”

As part of the Beekeeping Skills Training the participants helped beekeepers raise queens, split colonies and learn basic beekeeping skills.  Formal beekeeping workshops were arranged all around Fiji and facilitated by Semi Kacanavesikula of the Fiji government’s National Center for Small and Micro Enterprise Development (NCSMED). Some technical training was delivered with help from U.S. Peace Corps volunteers.

The bees here in Fiji are a cross-breed between the ‘black bee’ from northern Europe and the Italian bee.  In Fiji, approximately one-quarter of the beekeepers here are women. Both indigenous and Indo-fijian women keep bees.

Emosi signed up for one of Mr Calderia’s Beekeeping Skills Training courses and the rest as they say, is history. He currently has 150 hives of his own,a s well as looking after our little plot of 4!

Community Partnership Kadavu Organic Honey Program

The resort really wanted the bees primarily for pollination of the fruit trees which are abundantly planted throughout the resort grounds. The honey, we thought, would be a lovely added bonus.

We have a wonderful arrangement with the community Apiarist. The resort purchased the hives and the bees from the Beekeeping Association of Fiji, and transported them to Kadavu. The resort maintainance department then built supports and frames for the hives under Emosi’s direction. Once the hives were placed and settled, Emosi manages the hives and harvests the honey every 6 months.

At the core of the partnership is the agreement that we split the honey harvested 50/50.

Harvest time!

We were all in for a pleasant surprise at harvest time. None of the resort staff or management had ANY idea how much honey 4 hives would produce. So when Emosi did his first harvest we were all ASTOUNDED!

All the harvesting and extraction was done on site in the resort kitchen using Emosi’s hand driven extraction  equipment.

Our first harvest yielded 54 litres/kilos!

Organic honey

Organic honey is a must in the resort kitchen as it retains its rich flavor during cooking. At the resort we have found that marinating meat for four hours in marinades containing 30% honey significantly reduces the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines (potential cancer-causing compounds) in meat that begins to char or blacken when cooked at high temperatures. Honey has long been the choice of chefs in New Zealand for glazes and in baking.

Organic Kadavu Honey has a strong, full-flavor, malty aroma, almost pungent, with a thick red amber colour.

Supporting organic bees also means fighting the Bee Colony Collapse Disorder and sick bees! Matava is a strong advocate against conventional practices.

Our bees are fully wild! They are never fed white refined sugar like conventional bees and are not treated with any antibiotics but with organic honey, helping the immune system of the bees and not denaturing the lives of those hard workers.

Our beehives are situated at the edge of our 50m plot organic farm and are not sprayed or managed with any pesticides.

Organic beekeeping also means all the natural bee enzymes are still live and intact in our honey.

All natural, raw bee products are the best for wound care (skin problems, acne, eczema, burns, and ulcers), gastric issues (h. pylori, reflux, and heartburn), flu and cold symptoms (sore throat, infections, and sinus problems.)

Organic Honey Is A Rare Commodity

Across the globe, mites and diseases such as varroa and American Foulbrood have threatened the supply of honey and the health of the honey bee. Many beekeepers have been forced to treat their bees and bee hives with chemicals and antibiotics to ensure the supply of honey.

In addition, because bees collect pollen and nectar in a radius of about 3 miles from their hives, the residues of chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, and GMO’s used in agriculture and on public lands can appear in honey. As a result, most of the commercially produced honey on the grocery shelves is far from being the “natural” product one would expect.

At Matava, no chemicals or drugs are allowed in or around the bees or their hives or in the materials used to construct their hives. Additionally, all land within the bees’ flying radius are completely organic. Kadavu villagers and farmers around Matava been judicious in their use of chemicals in agriculture and public lands and we proudly boast locations that are environmentally pure and uncontaminated.

Honey and its Amazing Properties!

Rich in minerals

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, honey contains many minerals in very small quantities, potassium (11 mg per tablespoon) being the most abundant. Dark honeys are the richest in minerals. Other minerals found in Honey include calcium, zinc, magnesium, copper, manganese, iron, phosphorous, selenium, chromium, and sodium.

Rich in minerals

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, honey contains many minerals in very small quantities, potassium (11 mg per tablespoon) being the most abundant. Dark honeys are the richest in minerals. Other minerals found in Honey include calcium, zinc, magnesium, copper, manganese, iron, phosphorous, selenium, chromium, and sodium.

A Sweet Prebiotic

Honey has been used in folk medicine as a treatment for heartburn, acid reflux, sour stomach, and other intestinal distress. Perhaps the reason it is so effective is that some honeys contain significant levels of oligosaccharides. Oligosaccharides are complex sugars found in some foods that encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria (specifically, Bifidobacterium bifidum and lactobacilli) in the digestive tract.

Oligosaccharides are known as “prebiotics” because they help promote the growth of “probiotics,¨ the “friendly” bacteria that help balance microflora in the human gastrointestinal tract. Oligosaccharides present include erlose, theanderose, ketose, raffinose, melezitose, maltotriose and panose.

Scientists from the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Michigan State University investigated the growth and viability of commercial Bifidobacterium in honey sweetened milk. The results revealed that growth promotion and acid production were greatest when Bf-1 and Bf-6 were grown in the presence of honey (Journal of Food Science Protection; 64(11): 1775-1779).

Clinical studies have shown the following benefits of oligosaccharides:

• increase in the growth, activity and viability of beneficial bacteria in the colon,
• improved colon function
• increase in the production of beneficial short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate
• increased absorption of calcium and magnesium
• inhibited growth of harmful bacteria – as pathogenic bacterial is elimiated, mineral absorption is improved
• improved elimination of toxic compounds
• aid in restoring the intestinal flora after a course of antibiotics

Our specialty is ultra light or light tackle fishing for wahoo and Switch & Bait fishing for Pacific Sailfish. We are more than happy to teach his exciting form of fishing to first timers. We also target marlin and cow yellowfin on heavy tackle, Giant Trevally with Poppers and Dogtooth Tuna on jigs.

The Great Astrolabe Reef offers a huge variety of fish life and an equally diverse range of both hard and soft corals.  Astrolabe is the third largest reef in the world yet possibly the most unexplored.

True ‘Virgin Diving’ is a term often flaunted but is the best way to describe the diving from Matava. There are whole segments of the Astrolabe reef no one has ever dived or even seen; it is all just waiting to be explored.

“Just SO much to do and so little time in this Paradise to do it all… That’s the BIGGEST problem…”
Jenny, CO, USA

Sea kayaking

Get into one of our sea kayaks and glide through crystal clear waters. A startled ray may fly past and electric blue tropical fish pulsate in their coral habitat as you drift over the brillant corals.

Explore the deep and indented bays, turquoise lagoons and rocky islets and meander through the winding waterways within the mangrove forest.

We also offer fully tailored all day guided kayak trips or overnight kayak trips , which include staying at local villages.

Click here for more info on sea kayaking.

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Snorkeling

For reef lovers who enjoy the sun on their back, the Astrolabe Reef provides a superb snorkeling experience. Whether exploring one of the island’s best fringing reefs right in front of the resort or taking a short boat ride to the main reef itself, you’ll be dazzled by the amazing array of corals and fish for which the Astrolabe is famous.

All the snorkeling equipment you’ll need is available for hire from the resort’s dive shop.

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Trekking

Walk or trek through lush verdant rainforest ascending the hills to reveal stunning views of The Great Astrolabe Reef, then descend to beautiful white pristine beaches. There are no roads around Matava, only a network of paths that link one village to the next.

Then plunge into one of the many cool, refreshing waterfalls and pools that slice down through the rugged highlands and watch as the local children leap from dizzying heights.

Take a guided nature walk to discover the local flora and fauna or learn of the traditional uses of plants with a local medicine man.

All treks have been established in conjunction with local villages.

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Surfing

Vesi Left Hand

The Great Astrolabe Reef, long regarded as a world-class scuba diving destination, also provides perfect uncrowded and hassle-free surfing . There are three passages (breaks in the reef) that produce long barreling waves anywhere from 2-12 feet. Each passage offers varied conditions that will suit all styles, levels and egos.

Intermediate to advanced surfing skills are required.

Click here for more info on surfing and our surf breaks.

 

“There were just so many things to do, even when I wasn’t diving. Thanks for two fantastic weeks!”

Tom Rothenbucher, Switzerland