Monuriki, Fiji

I saw the Tom Hanks movie Cast Away (2000) just one time, yet glimpses of the island on which the Tom Hanks character is "cast away" have continued to flash across my mind's eye ever since--a visual setting both stunning and staggering.  So imagine my surprise and subsequent pleasure to discover one evening in March while perusing my Moon Handbook: Fiji that this island of movie fame (1) is in Fiji; (2) has a name--Monuriki; (3) truly is an uninhabited island, one situated on the western edge of the Mamanuca chain; and (4) I could not only see it, but actually spend a couple of hours on site as part of a day cruise embarking from Denarau Port, the port about a mile away from our first hotel, The Westin.

At The Westin travel desk, Beth and I booked the Seaspray day cruise, which, in addition to other activities, included about two hours on Monuriki to swim, snorkel, and explore a bit.  I loved the entire day--think sea, boats, tropical islands--but on Monuriki I was absolutely enchanted!

Beth on the beach of Monuriki

Here I am (at my whitest, by the way).

The Seaspray at anchor off the beach of Monuriki.  (The crew was preparing a barbeque lunch while we played.)

Looking back at Monuriki as we depart aboard the Seaspray.

Thanks to Netflix, another viewing of Cast Away awaits me when I arrive in the USA for my summer sojourn with my dad.  I am curious how I will respond now to the panoramas of Monuriki as portrayed in the movie.