Bright, bold, beautiful and blue: Malolo Island's big bula

From Malolo Island Resort to Yaro Village, the story follows a visit that trades resort comfort for traditional village life on Fiji. On a hot, cloudless day, the author follows hotel guidance by wearing a light, shoulder- and knee-covering outfit as a sign of respect. Yaro, home to about 80 people, is described as a cluster of small brick or tin bures around open communal spaces, with washing lines and shared water tanks instead of fences and doors left open. The village’s Christian life centers on church and Sunday services, while roles are shared between men and women across fishing, weaving, coconut harvesting and farming. The piece also links the hotels—Malolo Island Resort and Likuliku Lagoon Resort, owned by Ahura—to clean-water and solar-power donations, plus school support for Yaro’s primary education.