Written by Kylie Barton

There are so many innovative initiatives happening around the globe to promote a greener way of living to help combat climate change. Recently we looked at how real-life mermaids…

The UN Climate Change Conference held in Bonn, Germany this November was held to look at next steps for the international community following on from the Paris Agreement. And our very own beloved Fiji was the presiding nation with Fijian Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama assuming the presidency of COP23.

https://www.facebook.com/fijitimesonline/videos/10156025315333678/

The…

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

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

What attracts visitors to Fiji is not only its beauty and beaches on land, but also what can be seen below Fiji’s warm South Pacific Ocean, as I was yet to discover!

There is a wide variety of life in Fiji’s waters, including dolphins, sea…

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 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…

Written by Laura Griffith, Marketing and Sales Co-Ordinator

Laura talks about her first month on the Fijian Islands…

“For my first official Island Spirit meeting in beautiful Fiji, Kirsty and I embarked on a 24-hour journey together to head to Fiji’s Garden Island, Taveuni with two friends. With a hire…

Written By Kylie Barton

In December 2016, Fiji declared an impressive target to protect 16 per cent of all land area by 2020, and local communities will play a huge part in helping this goal become reality.

Here at Island Spirit we have been working with the community in Fiji for…

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 Kirsty Barnby

Published in the Fiji Times on the day after Fiji won the Olympic Gold in Rugby Sevens:

As Fiji’s big stars proudly stride forward in full swing showing their best at the Olympics, there is a whole galaxy out there doing amazing things in this strong, resilient,…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

Fiji’s undergrowth is home to a colourful and often surprisingly humorous bunch of creatures and wildlife.

This parrot pictured above is native to Taveuni and has a very cheeky personality. (Whilst photographing him – He actually climbed onto my arm whilst chatting to himself then took the lens…

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 Kirsty Barnby

So I landed once again in one piece, on this tiny island of ‪Taveuni‬ in Fiji‬.

Look at this place it’s insane! I spend a lot of time going up and down the rainforest coastline on a little track by rickety bus which hugs the…

Written by Kirsty Barnby

Fiji celebrates World Tourism Day as a Democracy once more – rejoice!

Although this may seem a tenuous link; the fact that today the Fijian tourism industry is experiencing World Tourism Day as a democratic country once more is something to be very much celebrated. The focus…

Written By Kirsty Barnby

Island Spirit’s Crowdfunder Solar Project; A Brighter Future in Fiji. June 2014.

Island Spirit and Belmont High School are once again teaming up. This time we are asking people to come forward, dig deep and put some pennies towards a solar unit for Vidawa Community Hall, Taveuni,…

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 Kirsty Barnby

“Hurrah Island Spirit have spotted Squids! .. Sometimes it all just makes sense! Today was the first day I’d been in the water at the coral gardening reef in more than four months. I’d saw an increase in algae and some of the coral planted on…

Written by Kylie Barton

Set in the year 2000, the international community only has one year left of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in their current form. So 14 years in, have they made a noticeable difference to the lives of those in less economically developed countries? Or were…

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

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

A Poem

Palm trees sway and chatter in the blue shadowy night.

As my gently clattering bicycle and I ascend the hill,

We lean on each other like old friends.

The summit reached and saddle filled,

Slowly I pick up speed as warm, island air strokes my coconut scented skin.

The moon,…

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

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

Shark facts for y’all!

• Sharks are shy, hesitant animals which have a hard time like any other.
• Soda pop machine kill more people in a year than sharks do.
• Road traffic accidents kill 1,200,000. Sharks kill about 5 people per year.
• Elephants kill more people than sharks.

…

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 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

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…