Once the near-exclusive playground of the rich and famous, the hilly, rugged and remote Yasawa islands are quickly becoming one of the most popular parts of Fiji. In fact, backpackers and other budget travelers now choose excursions to the Yasawas rather than Ovalau and Levuka. The three- to seven-day Blue Lagoon cruises are still the easiest and most stylish way to go to the Yasawas, but fast catamarans now make daily Yasawa transfers from Denarau Island near Nadi. One stunning island in this chain is Turtle Island, which has a property considered to be one of the world's best small resorts. It can be reached by a Turtle Airways chartered seaplane from Nadi. Several backpacker camps—some considered the most "luxurious" properties of that type on Fiji—have their own boats for transporting guests from Lautoka. About 45 mi/70 km northwest of Viti Levu.
