Naviti Island: Village Culture and Manta Rays

Naviti Island brings together the village culture of Soso and a distinctive marine environment: Soso Village tours visit the village church and local school, while the passage between Drawaqa and Naviti is a gathering area for manta rays from May to October. Guides explain Soso’s customs and history during the tours. The seasonal gathering makes manta rays a possible natural highlight of the trip, but sightings are not guaranteed. Mai Sunset Beach Resort is on Naviti Island in Fiji’s Yasawa Islands.

Soso: A village visit steeped in history

The church and local school are specific stops on Soso Village tours. Guides also explain the village’s customs and history. This means the tours focus not only on individual buildings, but also on the cultural context they convey. For travellers looking to combine nature and culture on one trip, the guided village visit offers a distinct focus alongside the island’s marine areas. It gives visitors a different perspective on Naviti from seasonal nature watching at the Manta Channel.

Manta rays and seasonal marine life

The passage between Drawaqa and Naviti is a gathering area for manta rays from May to October. This period describes a seasonal pattern, not a guarantee of encounters on any particular day. In the mid-2000s, local resorts set up tourist snorkelling trips to observe manta rays in the Manta Channel, generating revenue. This is a historical development; operators and seasonal availability may change. If you would like to include a snorkelling trip in your travel plans, check the current options locally.

Marine areas and conservation decisions

Botaira Bay is a tabu area covering a shallow fringing reef and deeper open water. In 2008, Botaira Resort established a marine protected area of about 53 hectares. In 2013, the traditional resource users and the Ministry of Fisheries recognised a tabu area at the Drawaqa–Naviti Manta Channel and surrounding area. These conservation measures also make the marine environment interesting to travellers who want to learn about conservation and the use of coastal waters.

In September 2025, Tui Naviti, the paramount chief of Naviti Island, and the chiefs of Naviti’s eight villages agreed to expand the protected area to more than three times its previous size. The planned expansion was intended to include additional marine habitats and the channel, described as an important feeding area for manta rays. This is an agreed expansion; boundaries and management arrangements may continue to evolve. More than 160 individuals have been identified in the channel since the project began. That number may rise with ongoing monitoring. If you are making specific plans, confirm the rules currently in force locally.

Ferry travel and trip planning

For travel in 2026, Route 7 of the Yasawa Flyer lists an 8:45 a.m. departure from Port Denarau to Mai Sunset Beach Resort on Naviti Island. The time is explicitly given as a guide and is subject to sea conditions. Check the schedule as you plan your trip.

When looking for a holiday rental on Naviti Island, your preferred focus can help organise your trip planning: Soso tours combine a village visit with history; the Manta Channel offers a seasonal nature theme, while the conservation decisions provide another perspective on the sea. If you are interested in several of these topics, you can take them all into account when planning. Coordinate specific tours and your ferry trip using the latest information.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Nakorokula, Bukama, Nabila, Wayasewa Island, Matacawalevu, Somosomo, Nalauwaki, Viseisei.

For the broader travel overview: Western Division.