The top 5 child-free resorts in Fiji
With the winter school holidays fast approaching, you don’t want to end up at a property packed full of noisy families.
With the winter school holidays fast approaching, you don’t want to end up at a property packed full of noisy families.
1. Likuliku Lagoon Resort
Owned and operated by the Fijian family that runs Rosie Holidays and Ahura Resorts, this very grown-up and nicely secluded property was the first in Fiji to introduce overwater bures of the South Seas bungalow style so popular in French Polynesia.
There are 10 in this category, placed at generous intervals branching from a meandering wooden pier, plus beachfront bures with plunge pools, thatch-roofed cabanas, daybeds and spacious interiors.
The sand is talcum white, the gardens radiant with tropical blooms, and international acclaim has followed a successful program to remove feral cats and regenerate a tropical dry forest habitat for at-risk indigenous species, such as the Fijian crested iguana.
Honeymoon couples abound and the feel is indeed romantic and cosy as the sun sets and cocktails such as Lychee Passion and Coco Mojito do the rounds at Dua Tale Lounge, or by the firepit at Masima shack bar.
There’s a firm focus on fine dining with a rollcall of well-credentialed Australian and Kiwi chefs at the helm since the 2007 opening. Access from seaplane or helicopter from Nadi airport. Minimum age, 17 years.
2. Tokoriki Island
Small and perfectly formed, with five-star credentials and multiple tourism awards to its credit, Tokoriki is a tiny resort on its own isle in the Mamanuca group northwest of Nadi. There’s an inventory of 36 freestanding accommodation options in categories of bures and villas positioned on the immediate beachfront or amid landscaped grounds, many with private pools and all featuring delightful indoor-outdoor showers and local design references.
Aside from dining on fighting fresh seafood, Asian flavours and Indo-Fijian curries at two restaurants, special culinary treats include beach picnics, sunset dinners on the sand, pool breakfasts served on ingenious floating trays, and Japanese dining at the eight-seater Teppanyaki Chef’s Table.
The serene day spa offers treatments with ingredients such as sugarcane and coconut oil plus all-natural Nama products made with sea grapes organically grown and harvested from Fiji’s Yasawa island group.
About one hour by pre-booked resort speedboat from Denarau Marina near Nadi; once-daily catamaran service or helicopter transfers available. Minimum age, 16 years.
3. Vatuvara
Imagine just three villas and a complement of staff worthy of a fully-fledged resort. This is Kaibu, the centrepiece of the Vatuvara cluster of neighbouring private isles. The trio of abodes on the sheltered lee side all come with private pool, sea-facing terrace, massage and yoga bure, and exclusive beach access.
A “conscientious luxury” mantra refers mostly to sustainability and marine stewardship but also to a design restraint that suggests you are in a holiday house, not a mansion. Textiles patterned with shells and coral, woven mats and artefacts hark back to the South Seas plantation era of the Fijian islands and each villa has a golf cart.
Two restaurants include beachcomber-style Jim’s Bar and Grill, its name referring to billionaire owner Jim Jannard, founder of Oakley and RED camera technology. Dress down, chill and play the four-hole golf course with, unsurprisingly, its own resident pro. Private plane charter from Nadi or Suva. Minimum age, 16 years.
4. Royal Davui Island Resort
Just 30 guests are accommodated at this sanctuary on Beqa Lagoon, 10km off Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu. Choose from 15 villas or bungalows, all with hardwood floors and local artworks, private pools, daybeds and sunrise or sunset views.
Beds are draped with mosquito netting, there are indoor-outdoor tubs and decks, and a sense of sequestration. The sand is brochure-perfect, there’s an 18m main pool, and the vegetation is a mix of palms, hardwoods, heliconia and banana trees.
The marine sanctuary includes turtles and coral gardens. Catamarans, paddle boards, sea kayaks and dive equipment are all available.
Menus change daily and beach picnics or candlelit dinners a deux are on the agenda. A refurbishment has just been unveiled. Helicopter transfers from Nadi. Minimum age, 16 years.
5. Namale Resort
The all-inclusive, 46-guest Namale Resort & Spa on Fiji’s northern island of Vanua Levu recently launched additional (and very secluded) honeymoon bures to bring this accommodation style to a seven-strong inventory of such unexpected features as two-person showers and plunge pools set atop boulders with sea views.
Everything about this property feels private and romantic, thanks to the self-contained nature of accommodations, and the bonus option of a two-bedroom Dream House Grand Villa with waterfall feature and infinity-edge pool.
The property has multiple awards and offers a 4:1 staff-guest ratio. Its rate covers all drinks. And Namale’s Kava Bowl isn’t just a cup of the national brew but an activities centre with movie lounge, games, and a 10-pin bowling alley. Fly Fiji Airways from Nadi airport to Savusavu (about an hour); prearranged shuttle to the resort (10 minutes). Minimum age, 18 years.
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