New adults-only resort on lesser-known Fiji island has a 34-guest limit

The helicopter rises off its pad, darts across the water like a dragonfly and then heads directly for the mountain crags of Waya Island.

Its nervous passenger (me) thought she was taking a scenic flight to the airport, but this is a bit more scenic than she expected. As we head directly for a peak, a herd of feral goats scatters in fright.

Fiji’s new Waya Island resort.

We turn abruptly, scoot over more peaks, and then turn again, crossing another peak and dropping over the coast, where Yalobi village spreads along a sandy beach. I’m both terrified and thrilled. My pilot, Luc of Island Hoppers, says he’s never flown over Waya before, so why not?

Waya Island is part of Fiji’s Yasawa group of islands, which are less explored than the Mamanuca islands or Viti Levu. I’ve always imagined they were inconveniently remote, but the Yasawa Flyer, the South Sea Cruises ferry from Port Denarau, takes only two hours, and it’s a very pleasant cruise. The helicopter takes about 20 minutes.

There are 20 islands in the group, some of them occupied by well-known resorts, such as Turtle Island, Octopus and Blue Lagoon Beach Resort.

Waya Island is among the most accessible because it’s closer to Denarau and is one of the first stops past the gateway to the Yasawas, with a real-life warrior who stands on a prominent rock and greets each ferry as it goes by. “Poor guy,” I think as we sail past, but I suspect he enjoys it.

Waya is one of the more accessible islands in the Yasawa group.

What distinguishes Waya Island from many Fijian islands, which tend to be flat, is its dramatic volcanic peaks. The mountain looms over the dock as I’m met by a small motorboat off the ferry. It feels like we’ve strayed to Tahiti or Lord Howe Island by mistake.

I’ve arrived at Waya a couple of days ahead of its official opening and I find I’m the only guest. Lucky me. The island would feel intimate and secluded anyway, as it has only 17 bures scattered between ocean front and the established garden. Numbers are restricted to 34 adults.

Something that surprises me – for a new resort, the gardens are lush, the vines abundant and the trees very developed.

There are manicured lawns along the foreshore of the ocean, which has an edge of soft sand on a coral reef. Hedges are neatly trimmed and paths are lined with flourishing tropical plants. The mountain behind is dense with wild vegetation and the beach is overhung with a forest of natural palms.

Natural flow … walkway though the resort.

In fact, the resort on Waya Island began its life 16 years ago when its owner, a New Zealander who wishes to remain anonymous, discovered the location. Having a childhood connection to Fiji, they decided to build something that would contribute to the local community.

For various reasons, the build took many years, and it was about to open just as the pandemic hit. During that time, the local villagers, who are traditional owners of the land, maintained the gardens impeccably. Ficus vines now cover the simple concrete bures, helping them to blend into the greenery of the jungle. They look like they’ve been there for decades.

Inside, the bures are sparkling new, featuring tiled floors and pitched roofs with fans and air-conditioning, slimline furniture, king-size beds, plantation shutters, and luxurious bathrooms which all feature a vine-covered stone walled outdoor shower. All have verandahs or balconies and the bure by the pool has a private thatched-roof hut as an additional outdoor room. Brightly painted green and red coconuts substitute as “enter” and “do not disturb” signs.

Light-filled bures overlook the ocean.

I’m in bure two, which is an oceanfront bure – the highest category – and sits on the lawn directly in front of the beach, with a shady terrace where I happily sit and read crime novels from the resort’s library. One afternoon, a herd of wild piglets runs in front of my bure as I’m engrossed in a book. A colourful crab pops in and out of a hole at my feet.

There’s a picnic bench right on the edge of the sand and I co-opt it for my office in the morning before the sun gets too hot, with Moji bringing me fresh coconuts to sip. I feel like a high-tech Robinson Crusoe. (There is no phone reception, but the Wi-Fi is strong.)

The bures in the garden sell for a lower price point than those fronting the ocean but nothing in the resort is more than a couple of minutes’ stroll from the sand, so they’re almost beachfront too. In the middle of the resort there’s a curvaceous pool, where you can swim up to the bar and restaurant, spacious living areas, the library and small shop, water sport centre and a spa pavilion in the garden. Areas of the resort are connected by walkways shaded by bougainvillea-covered stone pillars, built by hand by an artisan from Yalobi village.

Waya is very simple and just my style. General manager Jon Mossop says the resort is “deluxe” rather than ultra-luxurious and that’s fine with me. I don’t need any glitz in Fiji. And I like the staff’s easy way with guests (at least this guest). There aren’t designated butlers or anything so formal. It’s personal.

Staff have a warm, less formal way with guests.

The first evening, as I return from a walk on the beach, I find a group of five of my new friends sitting on a woven mat by the pool, mixing kava in a big bowl. It turns out that this is my welcome celebration. Luckily, I like kava and I love the way Fijians bring you into their extended family when you share it with them. My little kava ceremony happens very naturally and organically, not as part of a formal resort activity.

Waya Island’s volcanic peaks resemble Lord Howe Island.

We then move onto dinner. Meals are served in an open-sided beachfront building that contains a bar as well as two U-shaped thatched lounge areas stacked with bright cushions that open right on to the sea to catch breezes.

Unlike some small resorts, meals aren’t communal, but taken whenever guests wish at separate tables and from a limited menu of vibrant daily choices. There are no buffets; it’s all a la carte. Freshly caught fish is always wonderful. Meals might include traditional Kokoda, pan-seared walu fillet or a tempura-battered local catch with cassava chips. Everything I eat is bursting with flavour and freshness, beautifully presented, even though the kitchen is only cooking for me. It’s not pretentious.

The resort has a wood-fired pizza oven, with various pizzas on the lunch menu and Waya’s talented pastry chef, Siteri, who is mostly self-taught, makes extravagant desserts if you feel like something wicked. Barman Luke is adept at plying me with cocktails made from local rum.

A bure in the garden is cheaper and only a few steps from the beach.

There’s a sunset bure right on the point for private dining (sunsets here are fluoro coloured) and you can pretty much eat where you want on the property – on the sand, in the garden, or on your terrace.

Picnics can be arranged, as can visits to Yalobi village, which can only be reached by sea. On Sundays, guests can visit the church in the village to hear the choir. In my case, the staff choir comes to me, to sing for me after dinner, as I’d missed out during the day. I find this touching. I can’t help thinking how wonderful Waya Island would be for a wedding.

There’s good beachcombing to be had along the shore, but the extensive reef means that reef shoes (provided free) are necessary if you’re doing water sports such as kayaking, snorkelling or even just taking a leisurely swim. Near the dock, there’s a good swimming channel that’s safe and protected. And great snorkelling can also be found at another nearby beach, reached by boat excursion.

The beach is overhung by a forest of natural palms.

Fishing trips take guests out to the best fishing spots and when they return they can barbecue and eat their catch. I’m a good bit lazier than this, basking in rare downtime under a shaded pergola by the pool, with regular dips in the bath warm pool. Spa massages in an open garden bure are sensationally good but if you want manicures and pedicures this is not the place for you.

I suppose, as they say, true luxury these days is having space and tranquillity.

There aren’t really any good English words to explain Waya Island’s kind of laid-back, natural simplicity. But the Fijians have a word for it – lomalagi. Heaven.

THE DETAILS

Fly

Fiji Airways flies from Melbourne and Sydney direct to Nadi. See fijiairways.com

South Seas Cruises operates daily transfers on the Yasawa Flyer from Port Denarau to Waya Island. See southseacruisesfiji.com

Island Hoppers provides quick airport transfers and inter-island flights. See islandhoppersfiji.com

Stay

Waya Island resort lies at the southern end of Fiji’s Yasawa group. It’s adults only, with 17 bures dotted among gardens and the beachfront. Garden bures are $FJD850 ($578) a room; Deluxe garden bures $FJD1150 and Oceanfront bures $FJD1400. Set menu meals and drinks are an extra charge. Water sports are included. See wayaislandresort.com

More

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The writer was a guest of Waya Island resort.