Our Story

In 2012 our family decided to forgo the yearly European Family summer vacation for a much more relaxed and nurturing trip to Fiji. We had heard of a place at the edge of the world. A place wild and free. A place where the people are the kindest you will ever meet.

As we arrived at our hotel in the Yasawa’s a group of Joyous Fijians greeted us in the road, as they always do, with jubilant song and flowers to say hello. In the middle of the singing and dancing one of them leaned over and placed a flowered lei around my neck and whispered into my ear, “ Welcome Home”. I was startled. What did he mean? He knew I didn’t live here. As I stepped back he reached over gently and touched my arm. He looked directly into my eyes and said it again, “Welcome Home Mr Barry”. At that moment it was as if everything had stopped around us. My eyes filled with tears. So much joy. So much happiness. So much love. He was right. I was home.

Below, my wife stands on Paradise Beach years before we purchased Vawa Island. Vawa’s sandy coral point can be seen in the background to the right. That is where we would build our dream. A vegan Paradise. We would protect the reef, reduce the carbon footprint to 0 and invite only our friends and family.

We built Vawa Island for our friends. We built Vawa Island for our family. We are not a commercial Enterprise.

And now I say to you, Welcome Home.