SAWA-I-LAU caves in the Yasawa Group has been awarded the 2015 Certificate of Excellence Award by world renowned guests’ reviewing platform TripAdvisor.
This is the first time the limestone caves have been recognised since tourists started visiting the site in the early 1950s.
The network of caves is located on Sawa-i-Lau Island, which sits beside Tamusua and Nabukeru villages in the district of Yasawa.
The Sawa-i-Lau cave tour operation began in 2012 and is fully owned by the Mataqali Natukani Rakirakinato Ltd, a company formed by the landowners who are from the two villages.
The company is a commercial entity for members of the yavusa of Natubasa from Tamusua and Nabukeru, who are the traditional landowners of the cave system.
Company director Akuila Navunisinu said the recognition was a well-deserved accolade for a renowned tourist destination.
“From the time we registered with TripAdvisor in 2013, we have been working really hard to market the caves and attract more visitors to the island,” he said.
“We have guests from more than 20 resorts and backpackers in the Yasawa Group and from Denarau who want to see for themselves the beauty of the caves.”
Mr Navunisinu acknowledged the award and thanked TripAdvisor for bringing Sawa-i-Lau caves back into the forefront of Fiji’s tourism industry.
Tours to the caves were started by Blue Lagoon Cruises founder Trevor Withers.