I followed Tom Hanks to Modriki Island in Fiji, I never expected this

She never considered herself a "set-jetter" but this traveller found herself inspired by the 2000 movie Cast Away on an island escape - which led to an unexpected brush with a filmset. 

“If you lose your hat,” Simon says, “you’re not getting it back,” and promptly roars twin 200 horsepower engines to life, sending the pointed nose of our sleek craft upward and sea spray rushing through our hair.

It’s a movie-star scene befitting glamorous types with zillions of social media followers, “set-jetting” purposefully into the distance, eager to dazzle with rare images shot “on location”. Our situation is somewhat different.

We’re bound for Fiji’s Modriki Island, the stage for the turn-of-the-century film Cast Away starring Tom Hanks, which this year celebrates 25 years since its release.

I’ve never been a trend-setter, let alone a “set-jetter”, nor a jet-setter, and my followers are jamming up the seats beside me, snorkels and fins in hand. They’re a good-looking lot, but out here in the Pacific Ocean, glamorous we are not. I’m here with my extended family, day-tripping from the nearby resort of the same name, Outrigger’s Castaway Island, where three generations have gathered to celebrate a milestone birthday.

Located in Fiji’s Mamanuca Island group, Castaway Island, or Qalito, as it’s traditionally known, is a remote tropical paradise of lush rainforest, vibrant coral reef and soft oatmeal-coloured sands – small enough to paddle a kayak around in under an hour.

The resort’s amenities and its 65 bures are clustered around the island’s western tip and pristine beachfront. It’s been the set for our own castaway adventure for the past five days – an idyllic edit on the epic survival drama.

Castaway Island, an Outrigger resort in Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands.

Our experience emulates all the dreamy aspects of being marooned on a beautiful island without any of the uncomfortable bits poor Tom Hanks had to endure. Shelter in a dark, damp cave? I think not. Our thatched-roof bure is stylish and comfortable, contributing to the resort’s understated aesthetic, which takes a back seat to the stunning natural environment.

Hanks might have wept at the sight of our shoes, discarded by our front door along with the routines of our day-to-day lives. Being almost entirely disconnected helps. Even the teens have cast aside their phones, allowing our days to unspool on island time.

We’re quick to get to know Ben, chief of water sports, who has a special knack for spotting wayward guests at sea while simultaneously booking our next adventure. Helpfully, he’s well placed to know where the kids are.

Beachfront bure at Castaway Island Fiji.

The teens roam independently, devouring the smorgasbord of activity at their disposal. Hobie cats, kayaks, paddleboards, snorkels, inflatable water course, banana boat rides, wakeboarding – the list goes on. When it’s time for a rest we invariably find them clogging up the “adults” pool with like-minded rule-breakers and ratcheting up a mocktail tab to rival our own.

Snorkelling the reef that stretches the length of the front beach is a highlight of the resort. Thriving and colourful, it’s home to an impressive display of sea life and the water is beautifully warm and clear.

While Hanks found friendship in a volleyball he named Wilson, daily duels of beach volleyball (and touch football) bring guests together in the afternoons. Teams form, familiarity grows and so does a sense of community on the island.

Tom Hanks starred in Cast Away, filmed at Fiji's Modriki Island.

The best match-viewing perch is with feet in the sand at the beachside tiki bar, nestled among reaching palms with a brightly coloured cocktail or icy-cold beer in hand.

Hearty appetites are no match for the all-inclusive dining package, which offers buffet and à la carte options for lunch and dinner (hunting for our food is not an option, Tom).

We love the fresh seafood and Fijian curries, and find plenty to choose from throughout our stay. The Sundowner bar is also a popular option, where drinks and wood-fired pizzas come with incredible ocean views.

Modriki Island was the location for Tom Hanks' film Cast Away.

In the distance, Modriki Island looms beyond the reef break shrouded in a glow of sea spray. Its gnarled outline is ominous, yet strangely intriguing. Our trip to the island comes at the end of our stay and delivers an unexpected twist to our own holiday plot.

Beyond the reef break, the swell is heaving. Simon deftly guides us towards the island and it’s a relief to see Tom’s beach come into focus.

Only that’s as close as we get to Modriki Island. We’re stopped 50m short by two roving security boats and are politely turned away. Behind them we see a group gathered on the beach and three tall makeshift timber flagpoles. The latest series of American Survivor is unfolding right before our eyes.

Perhaps I am a set-jetter after all.

View from a beach bure at Castaway Island Fiji.

The writer travelled with support from Castaway Island Resort.

How to get to Castaway Island Fiji

Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin operate direct flights from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to Nadi. Castaway Island is about an hour boat ride from Naisoso Jetty. A bure for a family of five with full board starts at $966 a night, excluding taxes.

Originally published as I followed Tom Hanks to Modriki Island in Fiji, I never expected this