The harmonious strains of “Bula Maleya” lure me into the vibrant lagoon as at least 15 smiling staff clap and sing the Fijian welcome song. A smooth stone pendant necklace is placed around my neck, and looking beyond the boardwalk, a baby blacktip reef shark cruises near a hammock strung above the glass-like water. Destination bliss officially reached.

Location

Likuliku Lagoon Resort is on Malolo Island in Fiji’s Mamanuca group, nestled into its north-west corner. It feels delightfully remote yet easy to reach – I leave Brisbane at lunchtime and am eating fresh Fijian walu (Spanish mackerel) that night. After a three-and-a-half hour flight from Brisbane to Nadi, a 20-minute road transfer puts me at Port Denarau Marina where my speedboat transfer awaits. Depending on arrival times, the ferry is also an option, as are helicopter transfers.

The vibe

Although this resort is primed for honeymoons and elopements, it doesn’t feel suffocatingly couple-y. Multi-gen adult families and groups of friends enjoy dinner together and guests get chatting across pool loungers. It helps that phones are discouraged from being used in communal areas. While undeniably luxe, the resort sits well in its environment. Bures are coated with sand and shell fragments to blend in and paths meander beneath coconut palms. 

The room

This is the home of Fiji’s first overwater bungalows, and after having a peek inside, I can understand why they’re heavily booked. I’m staying in a Deluxe Beachfront Bure and arrive to find palm leaves spelling ‘Bula Welcome Home’ on my king bed, alongside a complimentary sarong that becomes my uniform for three days. Being shown through the room on arrival is a welcome touch and ensures I don’t miss anything – like the jar filled with home-baked cookies, which is refreshed daily.

Considering these bures were built 17 years ago, they have a modern yet timeless feel and strong Fijian craftsmanship shines through in the lashings of carved timber and textiles, soaring thatched roof, and my favourite part – a curved courtyard with outdoor shower (there’s another inside, but I don’t use it). Pushing open the bifold doors beyond my sunken lounge, a private plunge pool and cabana await, with the lagoon mere footsteps away.

Food and drink

Dining is an all-inclusive (food only), multi-course affair at Fijiana restaurant, which means mealtimes can feel quite sumptuous but everything is well-executed with veggies and herbs plucked from the resort gardens. There are 18 choices on the breakfast menu – on top of the beautifully presented buffet – so you’re never in danger of being bored (don’t skip the mud crab omelette).

For lighter lunchtime bites, perch poolside and order pizzas, burgers and salads. The picnic selection for an afternoon spent on the private Mociu Island just offshore is a highlight with the likes of tempura eggplant, cheese drizzled with island honey, pickled vegetables, and rice paper rolls. Come May 2025, a second restaurant called Salawaki will open, offering an intimate live-cooking experience for a handful of guests each night.

Wellness

I feel as though I am floating at Tatadra Spa, even before entering my treatment room, after therapist Liti leads me to a lounge that hovers over the lagoon where I’m instructed to choose my preferred oil. “Tatadra” means “House of Dreams”, and within, my full-body massage with lime blossom oil starts with firm pressure and ends with foot wipes, but I’m so relaxed I don’t recall much in between. There’s also a gym here, but the only weight I intend on lifting is a sunset cocktail.

Conservation

Since 2005, the waters and reefs fronting Likuliku Lagoon have been a Marine Protected Area or “Na Tabu”, to improve fish stocks and work towards coral rehabilitation. Likuliku’s parent company, the Fijian family owned Ahura Resorts, has an impressive conservation foundation, which operates mainly through voluntary contributions. Guests can join educational talks in the new na Vanua Conservation Hub (currently under construction) and get involved in programs that span coral propagation to tropical dry forest restoration, and a breeding program for Malolo Island crested iguanas, once thought extinct.

The extras

The resort has its own app which allows you to pre-plan and book spa treatments and activities prior to, and during your stay. Book ahead for one of the coveted private beachfront dinners.

What’s hot

Sunset drinks in Masima Bar in the middle of the lagoon, when the flame torches have been lit and the water shimmers beneath a bruised sky.

What’s not

The use of single-serve containers for excursions, though compostable, seems at odds with the resort’s sustainability ethos during my stay. Pleasingly, tiffins are now used instead and a new glass bottling facility means plastic water bottles will also be completely removed by early 2025.

The verdict: 9.5/10

Authenticity is a term that gets bandied about too freely, but at Likuliku Lagoon Resort, there’s a depth and responsibility that goes beyond luxury. Don't think of it as only a bucket list destination – this is an experience worth repeating.

Rooms from $1,980 per night. Likuliku will be closed for renovations 1 February to 30 April 2025. 

The writer was a guest of Likuliku Lagoon Resort, Rosie Holidays, Tourism Fiji and Fiji Airways.