I am sure we have all heard of the ‘cup half full/empty’ analogy? Well, when entering
parenthood, it is more like a bucket. You don’t know whether that bucket is half full or half
empty, has sprung a leak (or several), if the bucket has anything in it at all, if…

The past couple of years has been freckled with doubt about the future of Island Spirit but the more I decided not to panic the more ideas came flooding in.

As some of you know, I cycled Land’s End to John O’Groats which gave me a renewed love for the…

By Kirsty Barnby

I am writing to summarise and share the main points of COP26 we think are important for eco-conscious travellers and indeed any interested in the process. Therefore, we hope this will give you an informed and balanced perspective.

So what is COP26?

COP26 is…

Written by Kyle Barton, edited by Kirsty Barnby and Bruno Fontanet

Pacific Island Nations have united at the UN General Assembly (25.09.21) to highlight the need to tackle both Covid, and Climate Change together to make a sustainable future possible. We at Island Spirit stand with them. Here we learn…

Island Spirit has some very exciting news… we are bringing the spirit back home to our very own Island! Kirsty is in the planning stages of some very exciting community-based projects in the UK. This will naturally include the spirit of environmentalism and sustainability that is found in all…

Island Spirit founder, Kirsty Barnby is taking on the legendary 1200 mile cross country cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats (known as LEJOG). On the 9^th of August, she will start this iconic trip…

Written by Kylie Barton

In recent years here at Island Spirit we have expanded our ecotourism across the globe. However, we will never forget our humble beginnings in our beloved Fiji. Recently it has come to light that there is a new plague threatening this beautiful land, black sand mining.

As…

Plates full to the brim with fresh, locally sourced, colourful curry, beaches akin to dreamscapes and smiles so warm you could hug everyone: you can now start day dreaming of Sri Lanka again! When to travel to Sri Lanka? Well, they reopened their airports to international tourists at the…

Applicant is fully aware of the current global Coronavirus COVID-19 virus outbreak, the current travel restrictions, and inherent risks involved if choosing to travel and participate in Island Spirit’s trips. Applicant is aware that the majority of serious cases and deaths contributing to this virus are in…

By Bruno Fontanet and Kirsty Barnby

If like us, you are a responsible traveller and love to discover typical regions, then this article will be perfect for you. In this piece about Hiriketiya, we share the alternative places

Written by Bruno Fontanet with a personal touch from Kirsty Barnby

You want to travel responsibly in Sri Lanka? In this blog we describe all the sustainable options in Kalpitiya, in the North West of the island. Although this area is mainly known for…

By Bruno Fontanet

Located in the ​South East​ of the island, ​Arugam Bay​ (also called ​A Bay​) is not just ​Sri Lanka’s main…

For All Our Wild Ones!

Our annual newsletter comes to you in the form of a video – because we love movement! If you instead want to read all about our year then we have added content to cover all bases. Enjoy!

By Kirsty Barnby

We are overwhelmed by the impact COVID-19 is having on so many communities despite it being a developed country problem.

Our Fundraising Campaign

Coronavirus and Cyclone Harold appeal, Taveuni, Fiji

Vinaka for listening and we hope you can dig a little to help those…

By Bruno Fontanet

Do you want to ​travel responsibly​ and s​upport local projects​ that are meaningful to you? Maybe you even know where you want to go and what you want to do to give back? Then you’ve probably already faced the challenge of ​finding a trustworthy provider​!…

By Maartje Van Bussel

The Village at the End

June 9^th – 24^th 2019, Taveuni, Fiji

‘Coconut Highway’, that’s what they call the bumpy but beautiful road to Lavena; the village where I will be volunteering for two weeks in a school. This tiny redheaded enthusiastic lady is taking me there. Her…

Resignations and Camaraderie

By Kirsty Barnby

We were all devastated to hear about the catastrophic Sri Lankan bombings which took place on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka. We have personal friends, colleagues and connections all over Sri Lanka and understand the deep cultural and religious complexities but…

Sri Lanka, Let’s Focus on Fairtrade

With unspoiled beaches, timeless ruins, incredible wildlife, and stunning landscapes, Sri Lanka is called the land of serendipity for a good reason.

We are both proud, excited and a little apprehensive to hear that Sri Lanka, locally called ‘Loku Menic’, (Big Gem) in Sinhalese is…

Two female solopreneurs from Bristol have combined their passions for healthy, plant-based cuisine and sustainable, fair-trade travel to develop a unique, wildcrafted, ethical foody adventure in Sri Lanka this winter.

The two friends who have always had a passion for adventure travel, immersing themselves in new cultures and supporting local…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

This blog is about the reefs of the South coast of Fiji and the practice known as coral gardening which helps…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

The great thing about our island experiences is that the islanders benefit as much as the tourist because we use local services and give back to the people and environment along the way. But it’s not easy!

We have just started working with a couple who want…

Written by Kylie Barton

‘The Ocean as our lungs’ was the main theme of the Pacific Blue Economy Conference that was held at the end of August in Suva. The United Nations Resident Coordinator to the Pacific, Osnat Lubrani, said that the ocean is compromised, and as a result so…

Written by Kylie Barton

We are extremely excited here at Island Spirit that the International Civil Society meeting will be held here in Fiji, Suva to be exact, at the end of this year. This is the 14^th occurrence of the event, which provides a platform for key civil society…

Written by Kylie Barton

No, we aren’t making this up. Recreational mermaiding is actually a thing. It sounds pretty awesome alone, but when coupled with the fact that these mermaids are combating climate change, it is simply mind blowing.

Professional mermaids have found themselves at the centre of one of Australia’s…

Written by Kylie Barton

Here at IS when we read a headline about people dumping things in our beautiful oceans here in Fiji we can’t help but get a little emotional. Earlier this month, it was found that a Chinese tuna vessel has been caught in that very act. The…

Written by Laura Griffith

A plastic bag tax has been announced in a Fiji, in a bid to safeguard the environment.

Ten cents will be charged per bag used in order to reduce plastic waste and usage in Fiji. As an alternative, the ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism will introduce…

Written by Laura Griffith

Coral reefs are on track to be the first of the world’s ecosystems to be entirely wiped out by humans. Some scientists estimate that reefs will have disappeared as soon as 2050 – many calculate atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is already above…

Written by Laura Griffith

There are many shapes that responsible travel can take and the rich, long-lasting impact it has on us as travellers and the communities we visit.

If you’re not familiar with the term, ‘responsible travel’ means being socially and culturally…

Written by Kylie Barton

Renewable electricity is something Island Spirit is incredibly passionate about, and we are ecstatic to hear that our new host nation Vanuatu has a renewable, rural electrification project underway that will see over 9000 resident’s homes installed with electricity. We welcome this drive supported by a number…

Written by Kylie Barton

We are very excited here at Island Spirit by the recent news that the Ministry of Fisheries in Fiji will be ramping up protection efforts for our beloved Rainbow Reef in Taveuni and the Waivunia marine reserve.

Work began on the gazetting of the Rainbow Reef in…

Written by Kylie Barton

Sri Lanka is one of our new locations here at Island Spirit, and so we thought we would take a little look at the way climate change is affecting this beautiful zen gem isle.

We hear a lot about climate change, and at Island Spirit we talk…

Written by Laura Griffith

Dishing up a fresh perspective for IS, our team member Laura talks about Island Spirit’s Wildcrafted Fijian headbands –  our latest product to launch in celebration of World Fair Trade Day on May the 13th.

“As a former Textile Designer, with background in designing contemporary garments & products for a Global Design…

How to Remain Environmentally Optimistic During This Presidency

Written By Kylie Barton

With the election of a climate change denier to the White House, it would be easy for those of us who consider ourselves conservationists and environmentalists to throw up our hands in dismay and give up hope. This however,…

Written by Kylie Barton

At Island Spirit we have talked about the importance of protecting sharks, rays and other endangered species many times over. It is an important topic, not only from an endangered species perspective, but also from the perspective of ensuring the natural balance in our seas is retained….

Written by Kylie Barton

It has been all go here at IS! Island Spirit is the first company with WFTO (World Fair Trade Organisation) membership to trade with any Pacific Island Country. It is also the first WFTO to specialise in responsible travel.

At Island Spirit we work with the local…

Written by Kylie Barton

Our increasing taste for seafood is one of the most environmentally damaging trends of the 21^st century. Aquaculture, has the potential to help limit food poverty and create food security in some of the world’s poorest nations, but only if it is undertaken in a sustainable,…

Written by Kylie Barton

As the Coral Reef controversy surrounding dredging and the Great Barrier Reef continues, Island Spirit thought it would be a nice idea to look at some different coral reef management methods to see who is trying to protect what, how, and what is proving…

Written by Kylie Barton

Giant Clams are one of the biggest unsung heroes of the coral reef system. Here at IS we fully support the current work of the Ministry of Fisheries in Fiji who are working to repopulate the Taveuni reefs (along with others) with…

Written by Kylie Barton

The most important message to come out of the 5^th annual World Ecotourism Conference held in the Philippines last weekend was that for sustainable tourism to work it must focus on generating more opportunities for local communities that keep marine life thriving; not dying.

[caption id=”attachment_1626″ align=”alignleft”…

Written by Kylie Barton

Fijians are well aware of the damaging effects extreme weather can bring, especially as an Island state like that of Tonga which was hit by a category five tropical cyclone with winds up to 300km per hour earlier this month where 70 per cent of buildings…

Written by Kylie Barton

Last month, senior representatives from the Chinese government signed a deal with Fijian officials to set up a hydropower station to increase access to electricity for the citizens in and around Somosomo, Taveuni.

Fijian Permanent Secretary Tikoduadua said: “The contractual agreement will allow the Chinese government to…

Written by Kylie Barton

Shark finning has become a hot topic again in the Pacific region recently, with New Zealand and Australia implementing new laws banning the practice to tackle the crisis last month. But in Fiji, the crisis continues.

In Fiji alone,…

Written by Kylie Barton

The health industry has been using mobile phone technology to tackle health issues plighting the world’s poorest for some time now, but as technology continues to advance and become more wide spread, IS asks if it could aid the development process for some of the world’s…

Written by Kylie Barton

Countless research has demonstrated that societies with the least material prosperity are often richest in terms of happiness, community spirit, and general emotional well being. So is ‘development’ in the way the term is most often used actually desirable?

We at Island Spirit ask this question as…

Written by Kylie Barton

A number of scientific experts and academics have championed the role of sustainable tourism for the development of Fiji and the other islands in the Pacific region, at an event in Australia at the end of last month.

Director General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

Tadra Womens Arts and Crafts Project, Taveuni is now officially under the Island Spirit umbrella and will soon be supported by a AusAid volunteer.

3% of each guests Island Spirit escape will go straight into the fund for this project – that equates to at least $USD32…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

Monday

We collected 100 crown-of-thorns from the pearl farm. I spotted a banded sea snake which are poisonous if they bite you but their mouths are small so they can only bite your earlobe or skin between your thumb and forefinger! As I watched come out of…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

Monday 13th May

• VESA arrive on Taveuni and start to use Beverleys as their project site.
• I start researching new coral gardening locations to add to the outer reef of Beverleys.
• On one of out trips to the inner reef between two stunning islands not far…
  

Written by Kirsty Barnby

Robyn, the owner and manager of Nakia Eco Resort, has kindly donated 40 young trees to Island Spirt for replanting in Vidawa village and along the farming section of their rainforest trek.

During the Taveuni Island Discovery trip in April with Kyle Waters from Toronto, Canada, we…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

Eco adventures with ‘Island Spirt’ ( in Fijian – ‘Yanuyanu Yasi’).

This has been one of  my best days on Taveuni. I have finally discovered the brilliance of the natural…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

We are excited to announce a new Optional Activity from Island Spirit …. drum roll please… Horse Riding!

One of the villages I work with has eight lovely horses. Most are bush stallions but four are ridable. I say rideable in the loosest sense of the word!…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

A new trip in the making

25 – 27^th March 2013

I took two friends to see our tour guide’s island with their own eyes. We were testing out two new locations for a back-to-basics island…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

Island Spirit is proud to be partnered with Waitabu Village and Marine Park. Here’s a little more about the village and it’s renowned Marine Park. A paper called: “Sacred Water”; 10 years of community managed marine protection supported by ecotourism-based income generation at Waitabu Marine Park, Fiji Islands. Gives a…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

We help people organise adventure holidays on Taveuni, Fiji. We take real pleasure in helping people find the best adventure for their dates, budget and appetite for adventure.

There are all sorts of possibilities to explore, but sometimes finding practical information about getting to Taveuni and even…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

We turn right under the mango tree and bump our way slowly past the corrugated shed, known as the virgin coconut factory, along a tiny track until we reach the end.

The verges are lush, green manicured grass beyond which the undergrowth is having some kind of…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

I did a little presentation to a group students and guests at Daku Resort, Savu Savu, Vanua Levu, Fiji this week.

It was a last minute request and I ended up with a dog as an onscreen companion instead of any fancy slides. (Note to self -…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

Coconuts trees stand in unison quietly. One side of their tall, lean trunks are glowing orange as the afternoon sun continues to slow-roast them. I…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

Cocktails in coconut shells? More like kava in coconut shells. I’ve got myself a bit of a reputation for being the kava queen wherever I go and drink with the locals because I am one of few women who enjoy drinking it and can stay up for hours chatting…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

Volcanic in origin, Fiji is a group of 300 islands located in the South Pacific approximately 1,770 k (1,100 miles) north of New Zealand.

Flight times to Fiji are 10 hours from Los Angeles; four hours from Sydney; slightly over two hours from Auckland and about six…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

Island Spirit joins with the Honour Fiji Journey

This collaboration came about after meeting the Director of the Honour Fiji Journey and feeling the we had similar goals. Island Spirit facilitated the groups activities whilst they were staying…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

This evening I have admired the fat fruit bats as they wake up, unpacked my goodies, shooed a mouse out of my bread bag, cooked a thai meal, scared myself that someone else was under the bed, written this, talked to the dog, thought about life…