Vagabond Voyagesvideo
Black manta rays in Fiji… and meeting the village chiefs of the Yasawa Islands. Vlog 115
March 13, 2026 · 25 min · 4K views · Naitasiri, Fiji
What this video covers
Tom and Anissia navigate the Yasawa Islands in Fiji, moving south from the northern end of the archipelago. The route requires precise navigation through reef-heavy waters, often under engine power due to unstable winds and frequent squalls.7:14 The crew anchors in 9 to 10 meters of sand, noting that the bays contain shallow patches and rocks that emerge at low tide.3:00 During their transit, they observe melanistic manta rays with black undersides, a rare genetic variation found in these waters.5:57 While snorkeling, they encounter an outbreak of crown-of-thorns starfish, which threaten the local coral health by consuming large areas of reef.23:17 The pair follows traditional Fijian protocol by presenting sevusevu—a gift of kava—to the village chief to secure permission for anchoring, fishing, and exploring.16:22 They describe this specific village as the cleanest and most scenic they have visited in Fiji, comparing its mountainous landscape to the Marquesas.19:49
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