They all have sunbaked sand and irresistible water but of Fiji’s 333 islands, these private islands and resorts take a holiday next-level.
Unwind among the A-list
The VIP vibes kick in as you arrive at Kokomo Private Island aboard the resort’s private seaplane or helicopter. Set amid the Great Astrolabe Reef in the Kadavu Island chain, where manta rays glide through kaleidoscopic coral, this140-acre island is a bolthole for the glitterati (spot the superyachts in the pale-blue lagoon).
It’s easy to see why. There’s an elegant, understated aesthetic to the resort’s design, which leans on local timber and stone. Island-grown produce is given aromatic flair at three restaurants and the wine cellar, which can be booked for private dining, is stocked with drops to thrill a vinophile (someone who is wine friendly).
And the wellness spa trades in flowing Pacific Island-style massages and aromatherapy rituals. It’s unmistakably a super-luxe retreat – but you can bring the family. And not just for the kids’ club. Kokomo’s five spacious hilltop residences, each with three to six bedrooms, come with an infinity pool, nanny service… and dedicated butler to cater to a parent’s every cocktail whim.
Dine in the treetops
Nanuku Resort Fiji, 20 minutes flight south-east of Nadi, takes eating alfresco up a notch. Culinary experiences include traditional Lovo dinners and a Fijian food safari through a local market and farm but the candlelit treetop dinner is the pinnacle.
On a platform nestled in the branches of a 70-year-old dilo tree and above a lagoon, a white-clothed table for two awaits. Executive chef Oliver Scarf’s multi-course menu celebrates the best of Pacific Rim cuisine: freshly caught reef trout or mahi mahi comes barbecued on sugarcane skewers and grilled lobster features an array of zesty salsas.
Back at your private villa, sip champagne under the stars on your secluded deck.
Upgrade your adventure
It might only be a 12-square kilometre speck in the Koro Sea, but ultra-exclusive Como Laucala is big on “pinch me” experiences. Accessed by a 50–minute private flight from Nadi, the island and resort delivers its adventures with style.
Go game fishing from the resort’s yacht, tee off at a 18-hole championship golf course overlooking cerulean sea or ride a horse along the beach. Up the ante with adrenaline-charged kitesurfing, jet skiing and wakeboarding or zip through a colourful inner reef on an underwater scooter.
To refuel, you have a choice of five bars and dining spots. The flavours at Seagrass Lounge and Restaurant, which is set into a lush canopy, will take you on a Pan-Asian journey.
Upsized relaxation is also part of the very luxurious deal. The 8000-square-metre Plantation Residence, a three-bedroom beachfront-hugging showpiece of Fijian craftsmanship and design, and its vast private pool are next-level.
Play castaway on a lovers’ island
A couple might beg to be shipwrecked on the shores of Royal Davui Island Resort, an idyllic green-swathed blip in Beqa Lagoon.
Staff here specialize in the kind of picnic set-up where important questions are popped – you’ll be taken by boat to a hidden tidal sand islet, where you’ll be left alone under a beach umbrella with sun loungers and a hamper of goodies.
Back at the adults-only resort, each of the 16 plush villas feature two private decks, a climate-controlled plunge pool and mesmerizing views of the surrounding marine park (you might even spot a dolphin or two).
The pavilion-style restaurant and bar, with a tiered deck that wraps around a banyan tree, will probably tempt you out of seclusion for sundown. A lychee Daiquiri and kava Bloody Mary cannot be resisted.
Customise the ideal family holiday
When you land at Six Senses Fiji after a 35-minute speedboat transfer from Port Denarau, the first things you’ll notice are the private crescent of beach, the instant shift to island time and that most of the staff go around barefoot. Then you’ll meet the resort’s secret weapon: your personal guest experience manager, called a ‘gem’.
A 120-acre swatch of Malolo Island in the Mamanuca archipelago, this resort presents options for all ages: yoga in a hilltop pavilion, a spa with a line up of detox and relaxation rituals, three restaurants serving Pacific-inspired dishes and Italian favourites, an outdoor cinema and a huge roster of surfing, sailing and watersport adventures, nature experiences, Mini Master Chef cooking classes, bikes to ride and cultural excursions. Then there’s the ice creamery.
Your gem helps everyone in the family fit in everything they’d like at a cruisy pace. If you’re a big crew, book one of the expansive residences with an infinity pool, panoramic views of the ocean and nanny on call.
Sleep inside a luxury spa
If pampering is at the top of your holiday wish list, an overnight stay in the deluxe spa suite at the recently renovated Shangri-La Yanuca Island (conveniently located just off the main island’s Coral Coast) is hard to beat.
On the Dusk Till Dawn experience, you’ll check into the thatch-roofed spa bure and slip into an outdoor bath at sunset to begin a wellness journey. A full-body scrub and muscle-melting Fijian Bobo massage assure a deep night’s sleep. In the morning, breakfast is served on a balcony overlooking the blue Pacific before the final glow-up: a customized facial.
Live like royalty
Your A-list fantasies come to life at Raiwasa, a private 1.2-hectare bolthole perched above the waves on Taveuni, where a grand villa worthy of an oligarch sleeps just six pampered souls.
Your exclusive playground includes all the amenities of a five-star resort, including a spectacular infinity pool and a small army of staff – plus a personal chef on hand to cater to every culinary whim.
Have a lesson in decompression
The everyday grind becomes a hazy memory when you’re at Vomo Island Resort. On a private island most memorably reached by a 15-minute helicopter ride from the mainland, this crocodile-shaped outcrop in the Mamanuca Islands helps you master the art of slowing down, starting with morning yoga sessions on the beachfront.
Luxurious villas and free-standing havens for two nestle among palm trees along this curve of white sand. Beyond the beach, there’s a coral reef teeming with sea life to be discovered and mountains waiting to be hiked in the island’s interior.
Or you could just swing in the hammock beside your private deck. Whatever path you take, all roads lead to the adults-only beach club, The Rocks, and a coconut Mojito to toast the sunset.
Article brought to you by Tourism Fiji
Start planning your luxury escape to Fiji with me.
Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before travelling. OnantaForbes.com does not endorse travelling against government advisories.
