Designated as Fiji’s first National Park, the Sigatoka Sand Dunes are on the south side of Viti Levu. We drove there in a light rain, and started the trek as the rain stopped. The hike was short, only a couple of hours, and the park was closing soon.
The plants and landscape felt otherworldly, even before we reached the sand dunes. Right before we crested on the dunes, we reached an overlook viewing the town below. It was a surreal moment, the palms and the low fog. It reminded me of that moment in Lima in the ruins, looking down at the city below.
The dunes themselves were stunning, the contrast of misty and dry sand, and the wet wind. It was gritty. We trekked across the dunes, and then back down to the water. At the edge, we discovered dozens of driftwood structures. It was eerie in the fog. We learned later that they build them for erosion control. Finally, as we re-entered the forest, we stumbled on another creepy image: treehuggers. These little people were hugging the trees. It felt like we were in The Blair Witch and not on a Fijian beach.
