Discover Qalito Island

On Qalito Island, you can plan your trip around a range of nature and activity themes: coral care, a kayak ride around the island, and diving in the surrounding waters. There is also a conservation story on land. The offerings take different forms: guests take a hands-on role in coral planting, a kayak lets you circle the entire island, and the relocation of crested iguanas took place in 2025. You can first decide whether you want to plan an activity of your own or give greater weight to the island’s conservation focus.

Coral care in the water

Around Qalito Island is a Sculptural Coral Gene Bank, established by Castaway Island, Fiji in partnership with the non-profit organisation Counting Coral. Guests can also take part in a hands-on coral planting activity during their stay on Qalito Island. This offers two perspectives on coral: the Sculptural Coral Gene Bank as an installation in the waters, and an activity in which guests can participate themselves. As you consider your interests for your stay, you can distinguish between learning about the project and taking part in it.

Conservation on land

After years of habitat restoration and invasive species management, fifteen endangered Fiji crested iguanas were relocated to Qalito Island in 2025. The sequence is important for understanding the timeline: habitat restoration and invasive species management took place over several years before the relocation. The figure of fifteen refers to the animals relocated in 2025. This means the island’s conservation focus extends beyond coral projects to include a specific land-based species conservation measure. If you are sorting island activities into land and water themes, this relocation is the clearly dated land-based point of reference.

A kayak trip around the island

On Qalito Island, you can kayak around the entire island. This makes the nature of the activity clear for planning: the focus is on a trip around the island. Unlike a coral planting activity, the emphasis is not on hands-on involvement in a conservation project, but on circling the island by kayak. This adds an activity-focused perspective on the island alongside its conservation themes. You can consider this activity as a separate focus when putting together your travel interests.

Diving and training levels

With Castaway Diving, you can reach walls, reefs and pinnacles in the waters surrounding and adjoining the island, with hard and soft corals, moray eels, sharks and tropical fish. Castaway Diving offers PADI courses from beginner programs through to Divemaster certification. This gives you two perspectives to consider: the underwater landscapes themselves and the range of training levels. When weighing up your options, you can consider both the formations and marine life described here, as well as the course pathway. Diving adds another perspective on the waters around the island alongside coral planting and kayaking.

Discover more destinations: Beachcomber Island, Malolo, Mana Island, Treasure Island

Return to the main travel overview: Mamanuca Islands.