Surf spot guide · Kadavu, Fiji
A top-quality, hollow left off Nagigia Island in Kadavu that wedges up on a notch in the reef and barrels fast.
King Kong Left is a top-quality reef left that breaks at a notch in an otherwise straight run of fringing reef, where the swell wedges into a horseshoe-shaped peak. From there it opens up quickly into a fast barrel, eases off for a moment, then throws again over the shallow inside. Rides are short, up to about 50 metres, but the wave is consistent and usually has something rideable. Even small days hold great shape, and once it climbs past roughly 2 metres the tubes get wild. It wants swell from the southeast round to the southwest, and a southwest swell is the pick. Rideable size starts at around 0.6 metres and runs up to about 3 metres. A northeast wind suits it best, while the usual trades blow cross-shore. You can surf it on any tide, but the tide has a big say in how it breaks. It suits intermediate and advanced surfers, and how hard it feels depends on the tide, the swell size and the trade winds. On smaller days it is quite manageable, but bigger swells make it fast and intense, and the wipeouts hurt. Reaching Kadavu means an extra flight on a light aircraft that touches down on the short, narrow strip at Vunisea. That flight adds to the cost, but it also keeps the line-ups around the island free of crowds. The wave itself breaks off Nagigia Island, also called Naninya, at the southwest tip of Kadavu. A resort there once made it an easy wave to reach, but it has closed, so today you need a long boat trip from another Kadavu resort or an arrangement with the locals. Several other breaks sit within about five minutes of the island by boat or paddle. The water is clear and warm, with mountains rising behind the break.
A short, hollow left that barrels, backs off, then throws again inside.
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The extra flight keeps the crowds away, so the line-up is usually quiet.
Remote island reef with warm, clear water and a mountain backdrop
Kadavu
A fast, hollow right-hander breaking over reef at the western end of Kadavu's south coast, reached only by boat and best left to experienced surfers.
Kadavu
Daku is a split reef peak sitting closer to the beach in Kadavu, with fun rights, a few lefts and a beginner reform nearby, all best on the higher tides.
Kadavu
A remote right-hand reef off Kadavu, about half an hour's boat ride from Nagigia Island, that serves up long, makeable barrels when a south swell meets a northerly wind.
Use the trench cut into the reef floor as your lineup marker, as it is easy to pick out.
On the smaller waves, sit deeper at take-off, as they hold their wall for longer.
Pack reef booties for the shallow reef.
HAZARDS · KNOW BEFORE YOU PADDLE
Getting here takes real effort, starting with an extra light-aircraft flight to the small strip at Vunisea on Kadavu. The break sits off Nagigia Island, at the southwest tip of Kadavu. A resort on Nagigia once made this an easy wave to reach, but it has since closed. These days the way in is a long boat trip from one of the other Kadavu resorts, or an arrangement made with the locals. Either way, get permission before you surf the reefs.
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