The first time I experienced an exquisite coral reef was during my trip to Fiji, or more specifically, a prolonged stopover. My trip had originally been from Auckland to Los Angeles, but was offered a stop in Fiji for only $20. At this price, who could say no? New Zealand was rainy compared to Fiji, and upon my arrival, I couldn’t stop sweating. It was difficult for me to adapt to weather in the 80s with a 90% humidity.

There were initially no plans for my four-day stay in Fiji, but the coral reefs kept nagging at my thoughts. I had a packable hammock with some books just in case, but my first night was spent in Nadi. The next day, I traveled on bus and boat to one of the farther island. There was no need for my hammocks, as there wer several already set up.

The island was very small, as it only took three hours to walk all around it. It had two resorts on its shores, neighboring each other, and with one electricity generator on the island, lights off was at 10pm. Fresh water was scarce on this island, so rainwater collectors gathered much of the island’s water supply. While I didn’t have a dive license, I still got to explore Fiji’s magical reefs by snorkeling. On my second stay at this island, I rented fins and a snorkel and headed to the reefs just off the shore.

The moment I submerged myself in the water, I was transported to a different world. The coral reef was another world with colorful fish and creatures swimming around freely. Exploring the reefs made me feel as though I was in a marine museum, with fish darting between the complex structures and large fish that seemingly patrolled their home. The rest of my day was spent exploring the reefs, and despite my sunburned back and salty hair, it was worth it. I knew where I was going to be the next morning.