Farewell, Fiji 2A!
July 3, 2026
Bula for the last time, families!
These last two weeks have been a blast, and this group has formed into a tight-knit and fun unit. We have had so much fun getting to know each other while scuba diving, surfing, kayaking, whitewater rafting, and living in the villages. The final leg of our journey was spent at the beach house.
Upon reaching the coast, we spent the remainder of the day relaxing and taking warm showers. We had an abundance of desserts after dinner, did Moonup, and went to sleep. Our next day was spent rafting! We floated through sixteen miles of insane gorges, lush scenery, and clear blue water. At points, the vaulting rock walls on either side of us were no more than sixteen feet apart! There were rushing waterfalls feeding into the river all over the place! We ate chicken sandwiches on the riverbank for lunch, and got back to it. Mae Mae, Annabel, and Matthew ended up speedily rafting ahead of the group and had us all laughing later as they told us about the hilarious conversations they had with their raft guide. The river mellowed out a bit, and this is where the fun began. We hopped from boat to boat and splashing each other in the water! Tyson, Whitt, and Carr fully embraced the raft wars and were determined to drag just about everyone into the river before the day was over. We all had an incredible time, and were exhausted on the bus ride back to our lodging.
We spent the rest of the day hanging out together on the beach, eating through the beach house’s stock of chocolate mudcakes, and taking fun pictures. To close out Moonup, we played an exciting game of mafia! Mary West did a great job as the mafia, but was ultimately found out. After Moonup, we headed to bed to get ready for our final full day of the trip! We awoke to a lovely day. We loaded up onto a boat to head over to an island, but engine troubles forced us to turn back. We still had a sick boat ride with the most incredible views though! When we got back, we had a yummy lunch and spent the rest of the day lounging by the beach in hammocks, getting massages, and playing card games. Alexander and Tab treated themselves to massages at the resort and came back to the group looking noticeably more relaxed than the rest of us! Our final Moonup was a bittersweet occasion, filled with laughs, thoughtful answers, and reminiscing on shared memories of the trip. During Moonup, we all took time to write notes to each other in each others’ notebooks, and we hope the kids will cherish those. We played a chaotic game of mafia to close again, then headed to sleep! For the last morning, we woke up early to go surfing! The waves were great, and we all had such a fun time. Livia, Mary West, and Callie all caught waves, and it was so much fun watching everyone’s confidence grow as the morning went on.
Before packing up, Mae Mae taught the whole group about the geography of Fiji after studying it before the trip. The kids spent the morning soaking up the Fijian sun for the last time before packing up and heading to Nadi for dinner and departure. We had a great banquet dinner, then sadly said our goodbyes in the airport. We are immensely proud of how wonderfully this group navigated these past two weeks! The trip was filled with endless fun and incredible moments of growth. Our time in the village was a beautifully unique cultural experience, and the kids truly shined- consistently stepping up to the plate and embracing every unfamiliar moment with genuine curiosity and maturity. They made our Fiji adventure an absolute blast, and we are going to miss their fantastic energy so much!
Thank you families for sharing them with Moondance and letting us get to know them.
Vinaka!
Zach & Kate
Meeting New Friends!
June 30, 2026
Bula Fiji families!
What an incredible experience we all just had living in the Fijian villages. We met so many kind people who opened their homes to us, had some tasty food, and experienced a totally different way of life.
We started our journey with a bus ride, stopping in a town for a great lunch of fried rice and chow mein. We shopped around a bit, loaded up on snacks, then we were off! After bumping along dirt roads through BEAUTIFUL mountain scenery for a bit, we arrived at our first stop: a school! Our kids and the Fijian kids were soooo excited to see each other. We stopped by each classroom of grades one through eight, mingling and laughing with the kids. One funny revelation is that 6-7 is a global trend. We kept doing it back and forth to the amusement of all! Whitt also proved to be a great dancer and had the most enthusiasm when we joined the kindergarteners for the chicken dance over and over again. We then loaded up and headed to our first village home. Alexander earned a reputation for having the loudest “Bula!” (Hello) and “Vinaka!” (Thank you) of the group. Every time he greeted the group, the village seemed to light up. After unpacking, we jumped right into games of rugby and soccer with the villagers. Carr impressed us, as he ended up being the last one standing in an endless rugby match with the local boys, refusing to quit despite being exhausted. While many played sports with the village kids, Mary West and Livia found an adorable litter of puppies and proudly brought them back for everyone to meet, and of course, the puppies were a huge hit. Then, the village families formally welcomed us with a traditional Fijian kava ceremony. We all sat down around a large kava bowl with the village chief and other important elders, our guides, and a few children who wanted to join as they prepared the kava. The conclusion of the ceremony marked our official acceptance into the village as family, not strangers. After the ceremony, Tab, Carr, and Alexander spent hours sitting in a circle with several of the village men, listening to guitar music and chatting. It was so special to see the connections formed within our new village family. For dinner, we had a large spread of different meats, curry, rice, fruits, and bread. We were also lucky enough to sit in on a daily worship, where families gathered in the main building to sing hymns and pray together. They were incredible! Their voices all together were powerful, creating a beautiful sound that none of us will forget. Callie and Whitt even spent over an hour playing BS with the village kids, and before long they were very invested in the game. As we concluded our night, Livia became the village’s cat whisperer after befriending one of the local cats and having him join us for Moonup.
On our second day in the village, we woke up to roosters crowing and had a breakfast of fresh fruit, cake, rolled pancakes, and fried dough. After breakfast, we went on a nature walk! Our guides pointed out different herbs, flowers, and crops to share their use. There were plants to help with colds, bleeding, stomach aches, and even large leaves that are used to seal heat into pit ovens! Some of the group tried searing chile peppers together right off of the bush! Mae Mae embraced the village life, often returning from walks with the kids with fresh flowers tucked into her hair.
After our nature walk, we headed down to the river to cool off. The village kids all came with us, and we had fun splashing around, playing games, and getting to know each other. At one point, one of the kids speared a freshwater eel to eat later. It was insane!! We had fun walking down to a tree with a massive exposed root system by the riverbank that the village kids could climb up into and jump out of. We ate lunch, then had a bit of free time, where Callie, Kate, and one of the village girls named Ester made friendship bracelets before heading over to the farming fields to learn how to plant cabbages. We worked alongside some of the villagers for a while, playing music over the speaker as we planted cabbage sprouts in neat rows in the freshly turned soil. Tyson especially embraced the experience, planting what was easily the most cabbage of anyone and asking many questions about traditional Fijian farming and cooking. There was a man plowing the field with oxen, which was a new sight for many of us!
Before dinner, Matthew introduced everyone to a magic trick card game that became a favorite. Our entire group, and plenty of village kids, became invested and gathered around trying to figure out how he did it! We joined in on another devotion, and had another wonderful dinner prepared by the women of the village before doing Moonup and heading to sleep.
The next day was spent going to church, saying our goodbyes, and kayaking down the river! We woke up early to prepare for church. We joined the villagers in their worship, listening to their hymns and service. It was an incredible cultural experience. We then packed up and loaded into two-person kayaks to get to our second village destination! Saying bye to all of our friends we had made in the village was sad, but it was time to head to our next village. Annabel and Mae Mae became very close with a young girl named Millie over our stay. By the time we left, Annabel admitted she was heartbroken to say goodbye, which was a feeling many of us shared after forming such meaningful friendships. We kayaked through the breathtaking mountain scenery for over an hour before arriving at our destination. Nestled in a beautiful valley, the village was stunning. We had another welcoming kava ceremony before our dinner. For dinner, one of the dishes was a tender chicken that was cooked in a covered pit. The men showed us how they heat rocks in the pit, insulate the food from direct heat using the stems of banana plants, then cover it with a heap of giant leaves to keep the heat in and cook the chicken. It sat covered for about an hour before being ready. This was a really neat process to see, and they even let us get hands-on with it!
Eventually, we arrived at a natural Fijian cave for a tour. The cave was incredible and was used by Fijian communities in the late 1800s to escape measles outbreaks. It was also huge, being the largest cave system in Fiji! Once this was wrapped up, we drove back into town for lunch, then off to the beach house!
The villages were such a unique experience, and we are so proud of the kids for how they were able to open themselves up to and appreciate such a different way of life. We all learned a lot, made great friends, and got closer as a group. We can’t believe how quickly this trip has gone by, and we can’t wait to update you all from our final destination!
Sota tale!
Kate & Zach
Bula from the Beach!
June 26, 2026
Bula families! We have just rounded out our scuba section of the trip, and it has been incredible! We have eaten some delicious food, had exciting new experiences, met the friendliest people, and made great friends.
Day one was catamaran day! The kids touched down in Fiji at six in the morning, and we met them in the airport before transferring to a nearby hotel for a filling, buffet-style breakfast. After hanging out, swimming in the pool, and sunbathing for a bit, we drove over to board the catamaran! Lounging on the nets, the kids soaked in the stunning views and the island sun. The lush mountains rising directly out of the deep blue pacific ocean was a sight to behold! After riding the waves for a while, we anchored down next to a reef to snorkel around. It was a great appetizer for scuba diving to come, and we saw beautifully vibrant fish and coral formations! Annabel wasted no time and confidently dove off the side of the catamaran into the beautiful blue water. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and plenty of others were following her lead into the ocean. The guides also put out a splash pad in the water that the boys were having a blast on! Upon returning to the boat, the guides gave us a fruit platter along with an incredible homemade meal of chicken pasta with veggies, flakey bourekas with an incredible sauce, and divine walnut cake. After lounging and swimming for a little while longer, we set sail back to the port. The guides were so kind and helpful, and the catamaran was a perfect way to kick off the trip after their long plane ride.
We then transferred to a hostel by the coast, where we spent the last few days scuba diving! We stopped for snacks, and I think this group might just drink the island dry of coca-colas! Upon arriving to the hostel, we had a pizza dinner followed by a brief Moonup before getting to sleep.
Our next day was filled with scuba skills! We split the kids into two groups: one morning session and one afternoon session. But first, we made a “hammock village” as a group on one of the pavilions. Somehow we managed to squeeze every hammock into a cluster, stacking on top of each other and even lying diagonally to make sure no one was left out. During the SCUBA sessions, the kids learned how to assemble and put on our gear, clear our masks, inflate our BCDs, move around in the water, and assist each other in out-of-air emergencies. Our instructors were fun, patient, and so helpful! In the meantime, the rest of the group set up hammocks, played spikeball, and did some fishing with improvised rods. Within ten minutes, Tab caught the first (and only so far) fish of the trip! Despite plenty of determined attempts afterward, he remained undefeated for the rest of the week. Concurrently, our advanced students, Callie and Tyson, were embarking on the first dives of their certification! They had a blast going on two incredible soft coral dives in the morning. After all of the scuba skills and pool dives were wrapped up, we had a lovely afternoon of hanging out on the beach, playing more spikeball and hacky-sack, and lounging in our hammock formation. Livia and Mary West even ended up treating themselves to relaxing massages! Whitt and Callie led a great Moonup as our first leaders of the day before we headed to sleep in preparation for our first open water scuba dives the next day!
The long awaited day had arrived: we were going out to the ocean for open-water diving! We got on the boat together to ride out to a beautiful reef in the morning. Diving six meters deep, we saw bright blue starfish, tons of vibrant fish, insane coral formations, and long striped sea cucumbers. Once everyone got over initial nerves and figured out how to control their buoyancy, the ocean became a wonderfully peaceful place. Back on the boat, we DEMOLISHED the cookies that the guides gave us, before going on our second dive around the reef. While the open water students were getting certified, Whitt and Kate went on a 2 mile run around Pacific Harbor and had a self guided tour while listening to music!
In the afternoon, we took a bus over to Coto-i-Suva: a beautiful national park next to the capitol city! The scenery was incredible!! Surrounded by the songs of tropical birds and a gurgling stream, we hiked about two miles to a gorgeous waterfall that fed into a deep blue swimming hole. Here, we changed into swimsuits and jumped into the refreshingly cool water! The kids loved this stop, and we had so much fun jumping in and splashing around. After the hike, we went into town to walk around and get dinner. Everyone was extremely welcoming, and we had a great time taking the city in and shopping! Carr, Matthew, and Alexander bought matching jerseys and impressively oversized basketball shorts, creating an entertaining uniform for our first part of this trip. For dinner, we ate at an Indian restaurant where we stuffed ourselves with garlic naan, butter chicken, and tikki masala. We ended the day with another great Moonup in our hammock circle next to the water.
Day four was certification day! The group went out in the morning to a larger reef, and dove down twice to 18 meters of depth. The open-water students encountered breathtaking marine life and got to experience the serenity of being that deep under the surface. Meanwhile, the advanced divers, Callie and Tyson, had an incredible dive. Along with Kate, the two of them went to a dive site called “the bistro” where shark dives are usually held. They saw some incredible marine life, including nurse sharks, bull sharks, and lemon sharks!! This was such an insane dive, and they were lucky to have seen such cool sights. It was a beautiful day out, so the group had a great beach day in the afternoon. They lounged in chairs, soaking up the island sun while the boys played hackey-sack, wrestled in the surf, and continued their spikeball streak. For dinner, we had a tasty dinner at a nearby resort, complete with creme brulee and ice-cream for dessert!
Yesterday was our final day of scuba diving, and boy was it a good one! The entire group went in the afternoon to a dive site with towering coral formations first, then to “the bistro” dive site after. We saw some cute nurse sharks swimming around right up close! We also got to explore a shipwreck site, where the scuba instructors pointed out camouflaged lionfish and we saw coral growing all over the upturned hull of the large ship. It was especially exciting to watch Mae Mae, who had been nervous about sharks earlier in the week, confidently enjoying every second. We are very proud of her!! It was so cool, and the perfect way to cap off our scuba diving together.
For this last night, we drove into town again for dinner at a Mediterranean restaurant. There was live music, lots of laughs, and a cozy atmosphere. The food was amazing
This morning, we woke up, had breakfast, then packed up for the village section. We will spend the next four days and three nights in different inland villages. Many people cite this as their favorite section of the entire trip, and we couldn’t be more excited to experience and appreciate a new culture and way of life!
The trip has been amazing, and we can’t believe how fast it is flying by. Vinaka families, and wish us luck in the next leg of our adventure!!
Best,
Zach & Kate
Matthew- Hi, I’m having a great time, scuba was so much fun. Love you
Carr- hello I’m having fun scuba was so fun. Love you and see y’all soon
Alexander – This trip is so much fun. Diving with sharks was the coolest experience and the group is great. Can’t wait to see y’all soon
Whitt – Fiji is great, we dove with sharks and swam in mountain springs, can’t wait to tell you all about it!
Mae Mae- hey! We just scuba dived and it was so fun! I am having a lot of fun but I’m exited to come home and tell y’all everything!! I have a rly good group this year and made new best friends! Mom and rose I hope y’all had fun in NYC!! I miss everyone so much and I’ll see y’all soon! Love y’all! 🩷🩷
Annabel – Hiii!! Having so much fun love and miss y’all 🩵🩵 had so much fun scuba diving and have the best group! also please change my flight home to connect in LAX then straight to Austin Ty 😆
Callie- hi!! We just got done with scuba diving and it was so fun!! I saw tons of sharks and got awesome pictures! I miss you guys so much and I can’t wait to see you guys in one week!! I hope Frankies having fun!! Tell MK to have fun at camp and I can’t wait to hear all about it!! I love you guys!!🩷🩷
Tab – I am having a great time see you soon. Scuba diving was so fun thank you for sending me on this trip.
Livia- hi amazing family!! We saw sharks yesterday when scuba diving it was lit and this is so fun and I miss y’all and Ellie and Layla and pw I miss y’all and have sooooooooooo much to tell y’all 😊 and we abt to see some fijitlens in the village! Love y’all
Mary West- Hii! I am having the best experience ever! Scuba diving has been so cool and I have so much to tell y’all! I have such a fun group:) love and miss y’all☺️
Tyson- Hey. Had a great time scuba diving and got some great shark videos! Overall this trip is great and I’d love to do something like it next year. I love and miss you! See you soon!
Safe Arrival!
June 20, 2026
Hello Fiji Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure! Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
