Yasawa Island is the northernmost and most remote of the large islands in the chain. It is long, narrow, and volcanic, with a rugged spine of hills and some of the finest beaches in the archipelago along its western shore. The island has several traditional villages and a single luxury resort — the Yasawa Island Resort — which has operated here since 1987 and remains one of the finest small resorts in the Pacific.
The Yasawa Flyer stops here, but most independent travellers find it one of the harder islands to visit on a budget: the resort has no competition, and village-based accommodation is limited. That said, the daily boat stop allows a few hours ashore for day visitors, and the beaches visible from the water are worth the journey. The island's famous Yasawa Island Airport is served by charter seaplanes and light aircraft from Nadi.
For divers and snorkellers, the reefs off the western coast of Yasawa Island are among the least-dived in the chain, simply because the island sees fewer visitors. The visibility here is consistently excellent and the reef structure — steep walls and bommies — is more varied than on some of the more touristed islands to the south.