SINCE its humble beginning about 40 years ago, Treasure Island Resort has lived up to its reputation as one of the leading and iconic tourism properties in Fiji.
This is true today despite the fact that the resort stood on its knees for 12 months after the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Evan in December 2012, causing a loss of more than $4million.
Two weeks ago, the renovated and rebranded popular tourist destination reopened — and adding to the beauty of the scenery and pristine blue waters was a new water sport.
Flyboarding is taking the world by storm and the resort is the first in Fiji to introduce the activity.
Since it started, it has been the talk of the Mamanucas. Departing from Vuda Marina before midday, I was keen and excited, and a little nervous and anxious about the trip. I did not know what flyboarding was or what it entailed. Whatever doubts and fears I was experiencing quickly disappeared the moment we landed on Treasure Island. Photographer Jai Parasad and I were greeted with welcoming songs and smiles.
And from the outset, this was a stunning paradise.
Led to our rooms, I could not help but notice the newly renovated buildings. The facilities and rooms were phenomenal. Some guests happily roamed the white sandy beaches while others took to enjoying clear blue skies by soaking themselves in the ocean, either snorkelling or indulging in the various water sports offered.
We were booked into one of the newly-renovated rooms fronting the sea and overlooking Beachcomber Island. The scenery was magnificent. I was convinced that this had to be one of the reasons tourists chose this piece of heaven for holidays and honeymoons. We tucked into a buffet lunch of mouth-watering dishes. Fortunately, we were told that I would do the flyboarding the next day as staff members were busy. I was happy about that arrangement as I was still mulling over some details provided by the tour guide.
He told me the sport had to take place in the deep blue waters off the resort. That’s a totally new territory for me and to be honest, I was a bit scared.
But again, true to the spirit of Treasure, staff members helped ease my anxieties with an early Christmas celebration. That night we had a flowing kava party accompanied by the melodious live singing of a popular Fijian band —Savu ni Delai Lomai.
My guide cautioned me about consuming too much kava but I could not resist the charm of the workers and ended up going to bed around 3am. I woke up the next morning to the sound of knocking on my room door. One of the workers had come to collect me — it was time to go flyboarding. I took a shower but I don’t think I needed it. As soon as we got to the beach we made our way to the open seas and I was told to jump in and put on my gear.
Whatever grog left lurking in my system was quickly washed away by the sudden rush of cold salt water.
I was very alert too, more because I was thinking of sharks and all kinds of sea creatures. I had my eyes wide open when I went under, scanning and on the lookout for anything unfamiliar.
When I surfaced, I did not have to pretend that everything was okay. For how could I be anything else when all I could see staring right at me were the smiling faces of my instructor and a few other workers.
They gave me confidence and I suddenly felt ready and eager to take on this new sport. Flyboarding is operated when the platform is propelled through the propulsion of a jet ski forcing water out of the fly board and propelling the flyboarder out of the water. My first two attempts were unsuccessful because I did not know the finer techniques of the sport. On the third attempt, I shocked myself by flying out of the water and into the sky, about 7-10 metres high. The adrenalin rush provided a thrill so hard to describe. I felt like a master of the ocean hovering high over the sea, watching over my kingdom. Add to that the sensation of water rushing off my legs, I knew that I had achieved something magical. I did not want the day to end.
When my colleagues later saw the pictures they totally understood why I recommended the sport to them.
Treasure Island group manager Scott Walton said flyboarding was invented in 2011 and introduced by Zapata Racing. He said the sport was only offered on Treasure and its sister resort, Bounty Island, also located in the Mamanucas.
“Treasure and Bounty have the only flyboards in Fiji. It is a sport for 16-year-olds and older, if you can wakeboard, surf or snowboard you’ll find it a piece of cake,” he said.
“It is the first for Fiji. Flyboarding is now readily available through correct instruction in nearly 100 countries worldwide. Guests are loving it and blown away by the feeling and sensation of flyboarding. Most guests confide in us that they are immediately addicted and two guests from Perth have already bought their own flyboard.”
Mr Walton said the tropical water sport had attracted 176 guests in less than two months.
“We have already got future bookings of another 20 plus and hoping to have our 200th guest by the new year.”
Personally, I am looking forward to adding my name to the guest list sometime soon. A short experience on this tropical island had left me with treasured lifetime memories.
* This trip was by courtesy of Treasure Island Resort.
