When we were first planning this trip Anna was very keen to do a Pacific island after NZ to top up our tans before heading home. The Qantas BA round the world ticket gave us the choice of either Fiji or the Cook Isles and we plumbed for Fiji.

We had ideas of desert islands, white sands and a few palm trees and but for the weather we would have had our wish. At Christmas 2012 a cyclone blew through Fiji flattening lots of the outlying island resorts. Because of this we put off booking any accommodation until later on when places would have had chance to recover. While some are back accepting guests again, they have significantly increased their prices as there is currently much less choice. This meant that we couldn't afford to visit one of these islands like we'd hoped so we're staying on the largest island and travelling along the south coast from Nadi to the capital Suva and back again. This stretch of coastline is called the Coral Coast because there is a fringing coral reef all along it.

So instead of getting aboard the Yasawa Flyer to the islands, we found ourselves being driven in a minibus by a stoned driver who drank three cans of fake red bull and clearly thought speed limits and road markings were merely guidance, to our first stop at Mango Bay.

Having been here a few days we feel qualified to offer these pointers.

You will enjoy this resort if:
- you like surly, unhelpful and insincere staff
- you like all food either grilled or fried and served with tepid veg or limp salad
- your concept of a continental breakfast is toast
- you like unclean toilets that smell of stale urine
- you like sleeping in someone else's sheets
- you like being in the presence of false, rich people being loud
- you like waking to the noise of strimmers being used, ludicrously, to cut acres of grass
-you enjoy being leered at by dirty old men
-you like to have an upset stomach/food poisoning

Despite us not fitting any of those categories and feeling like we don't fit in, there are some positives. Some of the food, notably the fish and pizza, has been very tasty. The sea is warm and clean and is home to lots of crabs, interesting and colourful fish, blue sea stars (starfishs' official new name as they are not fish) and what we think are sea cucumbers.

We are making the best of a situation that neither of us are particularly happy with, until Saturday when we leave. The time is passed with enjoying the warm seas, the free to use kayaks, the complimentary massage and playing lots of draughts, cards and monopoly cards and hoping that Raintree, our next stop, near Suva is better.