Fiji resort passing as Maldives for a fraction of the price

With international travel finally back, people are keen to splurge like never before — but there’s one way to get the same luxury for a fraction of the price.

With the world denied international holidays for two years, people are keen to splurge on their travel like never before.

But if you’re looking for a luxury holiday that features over-water bungalows, an experience that’s become synonymous with the Maldives, there’s an easier way to do it.

In Fiji, just a short three-hour flight from the east coast of Australia, there are a number of hotels and resorts that offer almost the exact same experience, for a fraction of the price.

Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay, around 40 minutes from Nadi International Airport, is one of the best options.

The over-water bures at Momi Bay Resort. Picture: Rob Rickman

The sprawling resort recently celebrated its fifth birthday, opening back in April 2017.

After a tough two years thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, the resort opened its doors back in December 2021, when Fiji welcomed back fully vaccinated, foreign tourists.

The resort was designed especially to ensure each of the 250 rooms have water views with lagoon and ocean front bures also have their own little stretch of sand.

But the true hero of the resort are the over-water bungalows, the only accommodation of its type on Fiji’s mainland.

The bungalows are in the centre of the resort’s man-made lagoon, with a winding boardwalk taking you to your front door.

Metal steps jut out from the side of your balcony, leading directly down into the water.

The bungalows offer direct water access. Picture: Chris McLennan

And inside the bungalow, glass panels have been added to the floor so you can watch the tropical fish, or your partner, swim under your accommodation.

There are also plenty of sea urchins in the lagoon, away from people, to ensure the water stays clean and clear.

Staff at Momi Bay are also confident the lagoon is shark-free, with the opening to the man-made lagoon reportedly too small for the animals to access.

This means the only thing you need to worry about is if you’d rather walk or swim to one of the hotel’s four pools.

Prices for the over-water bungalows start from as little as $A1,100 a night, which is a fraction of the price usually charges for bungalows in places like the Maldives.

While Momi Bay bills itself as a family-friendly resort, offering a children’s pool and a Turtles Kids Club to entertain the young ones, the over-water bungalow area is adult’s only, leaving you free to enjoy your peace and quiet.

One of Momi Bay’s four pools. Picture: Supplied

Fiji was one of the first places in the world to embrace foreign tourists after the Covid pandemic, when it reopened to fully vaccinated travellers back in December.

While the island nation did enforce PCR testing and a three-day quarantine in a certified resort, Fiji recently dropped those requirements.

From April 7, the Fijian government announced it was removing the three-night stay requirement for tourists coming to visit.

“The timing for the Fijian Government’s decision to relax Fiji’s entry requirements could not be better as we head into the best time of year to visit Fiji,” Fiji Airways CEO Andre Viljoen said last week.

“We’re already projecting big arrivals numbers over the coming months and now we expect the numbers to look even better.”

From last week, tourists entering Fiji need to show proof they’ve been vaccinated against Covid, a negative pre-departure rapid antigen test, travel insurance, and take a rapid test within 24 hours of arrival.

This journalist was a guest of Fiji Marriott’s Momi Bay Resort.