About 800 people live on Manono in four small villages. Because there are no vehicles, the island is very peaceful and quiet. The only sounds are birdsong, the breeze through the coconut palms, and the voices of children playing. It feels like stepping back to a simpler time.
The footpath that circles the island takes visitors through each village, past open-sided fale houses where families sit and chat, past gardens of taro and banana, and along stretches of beach with views of the other islands. Dogs, chickens and pigs wander freely along the path.
The sea around Manono is rich with coral and fish. Children learn to swim and fish from an early age. Local fishermen paddle traditional outrigger canoes called va'a out to the reef every morning before sunrise. At night, with no streetlights or car headlights, the stars above Manono are spectacularly bright.