Islands Business - Pub Crawl: WAITUI MARINA THE BAR TO BE

Chill beer over spectacular Savusavu Harbour

Samisoni Pareti
Forget the look, concentrate on the view, I reminded myself as I walked around the old looking iron and timber copra shed and took the flight of stairs to the bar on the first floor.

Fred, my volunteer guide for the day, was already pointing out the view out on the balcony.

Barman Tomu Vosatino... your local walking encyclopaedia.

Yachts with their sails in assorted colours moored in glassy calm waters on Savusavu Harbour, sheltered by the towering hill of Nawi Island as a backdrop. With a chilled Fiji Gold, hardly any other will beat the million-dollar view at Savusavu's Waitui Marina bar.

Behind the counter is a smiling Tomu Vosatino who can very easily pass as the town's walking encyclopaedia.

"Oh you are here for the music festival?" Vosatino asked as Fred completes the introduction.

"Boy those two Samoans can sing. I took them out diving the other day and wow, they can do the harmony."
Immediately behind Vosatino are numerous foreign notes plastered to the walls, reflecting the international lineup of guests he has entertained over the years.

Couple of American notes, Singaporean notes, Jamaican, English pound, and even those from Brazil and Mexico. The gigantic image of the late King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV stood out in a number of them, indicative of the normal routes many yachties take.

Savusavu is usually the first port of call after heavenly cruises in spectacular Vava'u islands in Tonga.

"I've met all sorts of sailors up here. Now I'm used to serving non-English speakers, especially some yachties who sail in from Europe or from Latin America."

Perhaps what makes Vosatino's job easy is the beer and wine he stocks-only local Fiji Bitter and South Pacific Distillery-supplied alcohol, nothing more.

For chasers or even a decent meal while enjoying a beer or two, Vosatino can easily fixed that by sending your orders to Ili's Kitchen on the ground floor of Waitui Marina.

The bistro specialises in fish and chips, although it can also serve chicken curry and sandwiches.

It opens for breakfast from 7.30am until 4pm each day except Sunday. Vosatino has his Waitui Marina Bar ready from mid-day until 8 to 9pm each day of the week. Make a point of calling on him and enjoying the million-dollar view the next time you visit beautiful Savusavu.

It's one of the many wonderful secrets of a town that prides itself as Fiji's Hidden Paradise!