Article content A kick of my fins and I glide along a shallow reef with fish of every size and colour. Big fish, little fish. Red fish, blue fish.
Some nibble from giant coral platters. Shy fish dart into crevices. When a parrotfish poops, it speeds away from its cloudy white deposit.
With more than 300 picture-perfect islands and tourism the engine of its economy, Fiji offers wide ranging accommodation. Those photos you see of palm-fringed beaches with white sand and turquoise water aren’t just for the rich and famous or the honeymooners among us. My husband and I started our week-long vacation at since it’s close to Fiji’s international airport in Nadi.
After a non-stop overnight flight from Vancouver with Fiji Air we were happy to check in upon arrival, then enjoy breakfast at one of several restaurants on site. (This is another great thing about visiting Fiji; it’s almost exactly one day ahead of Vancouver, so you don’t suffer jet lag.) We enjoyed the adult-only side of Sofitel called , where our third-floor room overlooked immaculately landscaped grounds and a large and meandering freshwater pool.
A larger adjoining part of the resort caters to families. The Garden of the Sleeping Giant specializes in orchids and was once the private collection of the late American actor Raymond Burr. Between 30 and 40 varieties of Asian orchids and Cattleya (some of the showiest) are grown here.
The garden’s shady paths are lovely to stroll while acclimating to Fiji’s heat and humidity. Just a five minute drive from the garden is Sabeto Hot Springs and Mud Pools. Immersing in hot water didn’t sound appealing since we were already sweating in the 30C air.
But lathering cool mud on our skin felt wonderful and washing it off in the large geothermal heated pond was surprisingly soothing. We finished our visit with a traditional Fijian massage where women use the sides of their hands to deliver rapid karate-like chops all over your body. This place is wonderfully rustic and under-the radar.
There’s not even a website, but you can find it on Google Maps. From Sofitel Resort it was an easy five-minutes the next morning to Port Denerau, where we boarded a ferry to deliver us to , an adults-only resort and National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World. It’s only 25 km from Nadi, but Likuliku feels a world away.
An ancient Fijian village once occupied this site on a sheltered lagoon. The resort’s striking entryway and 35 beachfront bures (guest houses) maintain a traditional look with thatched palm roofs. Another ten bures that sit above the coral reef were Fiji’s first over-the-water bungalows.
The lagoon itself has a long history as a safe harbour for canoes during times of tribal warfare. “Bula,” I hear early one morning as I walk from our bure to breakfast. The welcome greeting comes from one of the exceptionally friendly, locals.
Another thing that impressed me about Likuliku is its focus on sustainability. As well as simple things like eschewing plastic water bottles in favour of glass, the resort is tackling labour-intensive tasks. These include replanting the island’s tropical dry forest and capturing feral cats in order to bring back the endangered Crested Fijian Iguana.
The native iguanas were feared extinct until an injured female was discovered in 2010. Now, the resort operates a government-sanctioned iguana breeding facility and sanctuary. Meeting Malolo is a highlight of our stay.
Named for the island itself, he could be the Instagrammer of iguanas, posing as he does for pics! We also meet juveniles waiting to be released into the forest, where more than 6,000 native trees have been planted. Likuliku offers a daily range of activities from a sunrise hike to night-time snorkelling. There’s also a spa where enticing treatments await.
My favourite activity was snorkelling at Pinnacle reef, not far from Cloudbreak, Fiji’s famous surfing wave. All those fish I mentioned earlier? That was at Pinnacle. For our last few days, we flew to by Twin Otter.
A couple dozen staff at Kokomo greet us with spirited singing and clapping. While my husband admires the quality of the paved roads (guests and staff get around on golf-carts), I’m captivated by the layers of landscaping and all the comforts you’d expect in a luxury villa, with a good-sized swimming pool just metres from a beach with the softest of sand and the clearest of water. Kokomo’s history is interesting.
Australian property developer Lang Walker (who recently passed) visited the 150-acre island on his superyacht (also called Kokomo) ten years ago, having learned that someone started to build a resort there and abandoned it. Walker took up the challenge. “He was famously quoted as saying, ‘Oh, we’ll invest ten million dollars,’” the resort’s manager tells me.
“And ten became 20, and 20 became 50, and 50 became 100!” With 21 sizeable villas, five residences (from three to six bedrooms, each with a dedicated butler and nanny), three restaurants, a sumptuous spa, PADI-certified dive centre with marine conservation programs, well-equipped gym, tennis courts, three dive boats, three sports fishing boats and four boats for simply exploring, this place exudes money. Approximately 300 staff maintain the place, fish, farm and look after the 100 or so guests (at capacity). Aside from the resort itself, what makes Kokomo Island special is its location in a large lagoon surrounded by the Great Astrolabe Reef.
Said to be the fourth largest barrier reef in the world, it offers some of the best diving in all of Fiji. Once under the water, another world opens up. A green turtle rests at the bottom.
Black ferns extend furry arms. A manta ray glides past, followed by a white-tipped shark. When our instructor Viviana snaps her fingers at multi-coloured Christmas Tree Worms they disappear into the coral.
That evening, we dine at Kokocabana, where chef Vincenzo serves fresh pasta with mushrooms, and red snapper with juicy tomatoes, salty olives and freshly picked herbs. Vincenzo came to Fiji from Italy for a six month-stint..
. 16 years ago! I ask him if he’ll ever return to Naples and the Amalfi Coast where he once worked. “I never say ‘never’,” he smiles, “but I think I’ll be in Fiji.
” flies twice weekly from Vancouver to Nadi (up to three times weekly during peak season) with its fuel-efficient Airbus A350. Enjoy a free stopover of up to 72 hours in Fiji when traveling to Australia, New Zealand, or Pacific Island Nations. Since Sydney is only four hours from Nadi, it’s easy to have a dual destination holiday.
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