5 things to know about Fiji’s Malolo Island before you visit

If ever there was a salve for this modern, hyperconnected life, it would be found in the islands of Fiji. The combination of warm water and palm trees, its languid pace, and those face-splitting smiles from locals is the stuff holiday dreams are made of.

When pondering which Fiji island is for you – there are 333 to choose from – you don’t have to venture too far from the main island of Viti Levu. Sitting just 25 kilometres from Denarau, Malolo Island is one of the largest in the Mamanuca Islands group, fringed by coral reefs, lapped by turquoise water, and home to a curious critter thought extinct until 2010.

Getting to Malolo Island is quick and easy

The island can be reached from the mainland by a 45 minute speedboat. Picture: @maloloislandresort

Whether you want to stop, drop and flop or spend most of your waking hours underwater (or by the resort’s pool bar – there’s no bad choice here), a trip to Malolo Island maximises time on ground. 

After flying into Nadi, you can reach the island in just 45 minutes by private speedboat from Denarau, or 55 minutes by public ferry. If you need more of an express pass to ‘island time’, helicopter transfers are also an option. 

There are five resorts to choose from on Malolo Island

Malolo Island Resort is a great place to stay for couples and families. Picture: @maloloislandresort

Family holidays, honeymoons and everything in between are well catered for on Malolo Island with a small suite of resorts. The 100 per cent Fijian family-owned Ahura Resorts have the pigeon pair of Malolo Island Resort – a favourite of families who return year on year – and the luxe, adults-only Likuliku Lagoon Resort. Both have serious sustainability cred to back up their beautiful settings, welcoming vibes, and excellent dining options.

On the south-west corner of Malolo Island you’ll also find the child-free Tropica Island Resort which underwent a refurbishment in 2024, Six Senses Fiji with its 24 luxury pool villas (and 60 residences in development), and the low-key and surfing-centric Funky Fish Beach Resort.

A four bedroom beachfront pool residence at Six Senses Fiji is a nice place to escape from it all. Picture: Six Senses

Beyond that, the island is home to two local villages – Yaru and Solevu – a small network of hiking trails, and patches of native tropical dry forest. Reforestation projects by Ahura Resorts Conservation Foundation are working to restore more of this forest coverage, which has been reduced by both farming and wildfires.

In good news for the island’s natural environment, ambitious plans to build Fiji’s largest resort and a casino on Malolo Island have been halted. Chinese developer Freesoul were fined Fiji $1 Million in 2022 for illegally and intentionally destroying a swathe of the island’s important mangroves and reef, which caused irreversible damage. 

From surfing to private beach picnics, there’s so many things to do on Malolo Island

If you can't afford to stay on Tavarua, Funky Fish resort is a great alternative for surfers looking to surf Cloudbreak

If you want to paddle out at renowned surfing breaks like Cloudbreak and Restaurants, Malolo Island is one of the closest spots to stay. Boat charters from the resorts can get you there in around 30 minutes. Beyond the surf, there is an abundance of things to do on Malolo Island to lure you away from your sunlounger. 

Start with a private island snorkelling experience, which is available to guests of both Malolo Island Resort and Likuliku Lagoon Resort. With an exclusive lease on Mociu Island – a pretty blip of rock and white sand in striking distance from Likuliku – boats can drop you off from either resort to be blissfully stranded for two hours, with not another soul in sight. Snorkel the fringing reef, hike to the summit (if you don’t mind a bit of scrambling) and tuck into a pre-ordered menu of treats. 

For more snorkelling in the Mamanuca Islands, jump on an early island-hopping departure to Monuriki Island and you’ll score a private encounter with the location where Castaway was filmed 25 years ago. While Monuriki is a clear headliner on Mamanuca tour itineraries, getting there before the day trippers provides a privileged pass to its beauty – and the chance to snap a selfie with the ‘HELP’ sign, fashioned by Tom Hanks’ character Chuck. Curiously, it’s still there all these years later. The snorkelling here is only rivalled by the coral gardens surrounding a nearby Sand Cay – also part of the tour.

Malolo Island is heaven for kids

There's also massages for the adults. Picture: @maloloislandresort

The best thing about the kids club at Malolo Island Resort is its lineup of authentic activities, with no screens in sight. Tia’s Treehouse is set beneath a sprawling mango tree with a culture-rich program for kids aged 4-12. Opt in for activities like Fijian Meke costume making, Fijian language lessons, "Niu" boat building and Tapa painting. For toddlers, there are babysitting services available and for teens, the air-conditioned Talei Lounge is available when they want to retreat.

Sustainability is at the heart of Malolo Island

In environments as fragile as Fiji, sustainability should make top billing when it comes to considerations to make before booking. Until thinking about sustainability is second nature for every traveller, many of the resorts on Malolo Island are working to balance the ledger on the right side of the planet anyway. 

A shining example by Ahura Resorts is the rehabilitation and breeding program created for the rare Malolo Island crested iguana. One literally dropped out of a tree in 2010 after being thought extinct for 30 years. Subsequent invasive species management and reforestation efforts have seen iguana numbers on the island grow to over 80 in the wild. Four pairs are housed at Likuliku Lagoon Resort for observation and breeding purposes, and you can learn more and get involved during your stay. 

Beyond becoming known as an iguana conservation sanctuary, Malolo Island Resort and Likuliku Lagoon Resort are host to coral replanting and mangrove restoration programs, innovative closed-loop food production and waste methods, and a thriving bee colony supplying the resorts with honey. Life is indeed sweet on Malolo Island.

The writer travelled as a guest of Ahura Resorts, Rosie Holidays, Fiji Airways and Tourism Fiji.

Originally published as 5 things to know about Fiji’s Malolo Island before you visit