Fijian girl at the market in the Yasawa Islands, a two-hour ferry ride from Fiji's main island Viti Levu.

Sun, sand and surf makes for a fun holiday, but there are lots of places on the planet you can experience them. An imaginative traveler wants more – to learn about people, customs, food and quirks of life on the other side of the globe.

Blue Lagoon cruise ship staff with freshly caught fish.

That’s exactly why Fiji, a mix of well-traveled and rarely seen islands, satisfies both creature comforts and curiosity. In 1950, a New Zealander named Capt. Trevor Withers set out to introduce the world to the Yasawa Islands, one of Fiji’s unknown island chains. This desire became Blue Lagoon Cruises. They’re in a different universe from Love Boat–type drinking vacations, retiree lounge areas on the sea, or floating kiddie water parks.

Getting there

Fiji Airways was founded by a buddy of Capt. Withers. In the U.S., you fly to Fiji from L.A. or Honolulu. California flights are in the 11 hour range, which is why you should seriously consider an upgrade to business class. Having traveled both in economy and in business class, believe me that with the upgrade, your back and brain will thank you.

Business class travelers can access the lounge, including the Tabua Lounge in Nadi. I’m still trying to get the recipe for their addictive cream of spinach soup! On board, you’re greeted with a hot frangipani-scented towel. Plush leather seats stretch out and are arranged for privacy. There’s a reading lamp right over your shoulder, just like a hotel room. The airline has a house cocktail that’s made with local rum, grenadine (I think it was!) and fresh mint leaves.

Once you land, how to get where you’re going? Fiji Transfer and Tours is known by locals as “Selva” after its owner, an enterprising Indian-Fijian who knows everything that goes on in Fiji. He can arrange everything from a taxi to helicopter rides around the islands.

Where to stay

Because of the sailing schedules, getting to ship and likely fierce jet lag, you’re going to want to book lodging ashore (in or near Nadi) for a night or two. Selva told me about a particularly Fijian phenomenon: the “backpacker hostels”.

Young people from Australia and the U.S. flock there, after having spent thousands on airfare. Some of these places are $6 a night! They are barracks-style rooms with several cot beds in a room. They all seem to include free WiFi and ATM on premise: probably to better contact mom and dad for funds.

For a relaxing and reviving way to start your landing, the Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa provides all the creature comforts of home. A true resort, it has lots of facilities besides the hotel aspect. There’s a shopping arcade with locally sourced jewelry, souvenirs including local coffee and Fiji Pure brand coconut-based skin care for sale. Their products are naturally based. Is that a result of not having the infrastructure to manufacture chemicals or an eco-conscious decision? It’s probably six of one, a half dozen of the other.

The resort has a few restaurants, ranging from semi-formal to casual outdoor dining and room service. Their menu includes the “De-Light Thalassa” section, to help you keep that beach body. Kokoda fish (on the regular menu) is an excellent rich ceviche incorporating local coconut and bush lemon. They put out a phenomenal breakfast buffet in the morning, incorporating fresh locally sourced juices, French pastries, organic Fijian pastries and breakfast meats. You can eat outside, which I did, but know that the local myna birds are very aggressive! Turn your back for a second or grab a spoon from another table, and they’ll come and partake of your plate. I yelled at one for grabbing my hot bacon, which he immediately dropped, but I sadly rejected the 10-second rule. I also pondered the birds that eat eggs. Is it a form of cannibalism, like Fijians were wont to commit as recently as the 19th century?

I have a suggestion for if your room isn’t ready after a long flight (or during rainstorms): get yourself a treatment at the spa! The jacuzzi and sauna weren’t in operation when I was there, regretfully. But they have an outdoor lounge with teas and fruit waters, a dressing room with shower and robes, as well as private “bures”/bungalows for treatments. So get a massage or nail treatment, a hot shower with Fiji Pure goodies and stretch out on a chaise lounge.

I was there on the anniversary of Fiji’s independence from Great Britain. The resort had a special flag-raising ceremony in the day, plus natives performing songs and dances in traditional garb at night.

I was intrigued by the television programming, including a whole Bollywood music video channel and PSA ads from Australia about the tropical disease dengue. Fiji can be quite arid; islanders often have to collect rainwater in plastic barrels. Australia’s health service runs ads chiding the Fijians for helping to contribute to the spread of dengue. A new election has brought strong Fijian voices to the nation, who probably doesn’t appreciate the tone. I kept thinking that in the U.S., poorer communities wouldn’t stand for admonishments not to source water. There’d be protests and marches!

Swimming grotto in Fiji.

The all-Fijian owned and operated Blue Lagoon Cruises, with its boutique ship Fiji Princess, redefines cruising. Most cruise lines nickel and dime you for activities. Blue Lagoon includes everything except diving and sports fishing. That includes private island visits and beach access every day, challenging bush walks through wild mango groves, hand line fishing with the crew, beach-side massages, swimming in secret grottoes (left), movie nights, kayaking in ocean coves and the famous kava ceremony.

Pure kava beverages don’t taste like the health food store stuff; I found it to be like when I rinse off a red clay face mask. It’s supposed to get you high, so only adults drink it. I felt nada. Just like we keep beer in the fridge for ourselves and guests, they would never have a house without a kava serving set. Also, if you visit a chieftain, you bring kava, like we’d bring wine to a dinner party.

Girls dorm at Yasawa High School.

The most special and moving activity: visiting Yasawa High School (includes grade school). The high school serves several islands in the group, so many students either climb a small mountain each day to attend, boat in or board. There’s no electricity for the open dorm rooms or main school rooms, and currently they have a shortage of water.

The highly motivated students perform songs and dances for the weekly cruise visitors, which bothered me as being a bit “shuck and jive” and I told the administration so. On the other hand – as my mom explained to me – under colonialism, they weren’t allowed to keep up with traditional customs. If you visit, bring any kind of school book, magazine or office supplies (as well as cash) as a donation. I brought lots of pencils.

Blue Lagoon Cruises’ meals range from an elegant welcoming dinner featuring a surf and turf appetizer with seaweed jelly to outdoor dinners with fish and pork wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in-ground. The full bar serves Fiji rum that comes in several flavors.

One tip that’s good to know: the ship was built in Europe, so it takes Northern European plug adapters, not Fiji/Australian/New Zealand adapters. I was okay, as I followed my own infamous advice: “Anyone who doesn’t bring every plug adapter you ever owned on a trip abroad is an asshole.” You just never know what’ll work and what won’t!

Only rock stars and tech CEO’s can own their own tropical island, it would seem. But Tokoriki Island Resort may be the next closest thing for most of us! They own the whole island and there are only 36 bures. You reach it by helicopter, seaplane, catamaran, speed boat, or local boat (from which you transfer to one of their speed boats). Though there are plans to build a dock (after 40 years in business!), currently you experience a “wet landing.” You may have to walk through a couple of feet deep of water through the sand, so that’s not the time to wear cute white jeans.

All the bures face the ocean and have infinity personal pools. I was there on a cold, rainy day, so I just dipped my toes in, to say I did it. The bures have a great deal of privacy, but it’s not 100%: with staff working around, I wouldn’t suggest skinny dipping in your pool. The bures are exquisitely appointed with Fijian and Southeast Asian art, with spacious sleeping areas and sitting areas. There are indoor and “outdoor” showers, the outdoor ones being enclosed by high stone walls.

Rooms are tech-free: no television or WiFi. The thought is that you’re supposed to “be on honeymoon”! A central cottage has the check-in, a gift shop, bar, dining area and WiFi. The front desk is not staffed after about 11, so you have to do some planning when it comes to making arrangements and checking into your flight home.

The executive chef is Fijian. Of the three meals I had, I loved lunch the best: classic fish and chips using beautiful, freshly caught fish and bush lime. By special arrangement, you can have a “teppanyaki” dinner, what we would call “hibachi” with the addition of a bit of a Don Rickles routine and conundrums: dinner party parlor games. I’m more of a foodie person than a riddle person, but there may be people who go for the schtick.

Where to eat

On your way back to the airport, keep in mind that there has been a Chinese population in Fiji for possibly centuries. Authentic fare in a working-class part of Lautoka awaits. Nan Ying is a real local insider’s secret, with delicious hot and sour soup, made-to-order pinecone fish, crispy wings and fresh veggies.

I also checked out the International Food Fest at Fiji National University. Their hospitality program is critical for training islanders for tourism, their most important business. It was interesting to see their take on the different cuisines from around the world; some they were more familiar with than others. The USA was represented by “BBQ,” which in their concept was grilled lamb.

Other fascinating parts of the fest were the sustainability exhibits. Living on remote and often impoverished islands, Fijians have learned to take cast-off materials and make them into useful things.