Key Takeaways
- When it comes to beach resorts, there’s a new kind of luxury being served up across the South Pacific. We’re talking about barefoot luxury – that feeling you get when your toes sink into the softest, powder white sand – picnics on deserted islands and the freshest, wholesome food that comes straight from the ocean or the farm to your table.
- Where luxury travel was once all about decadence and opulence with marble bathrooms, gold taps and silver service, in today’s more environmentally conscious world luxury travel is about having authentic experiences with local cultures, dining on ethically sourced produce and reconnecting with loved ones away from digital distractions. It’s also having the luxury of time to spend with family that means so much more than high-end furnishings.
- In the South Pacific, Fiji has long been a popular place for reconnection and the warmth and welcoming nature of the Fijians is world-renowned, with ‘Bula!’ and welcome hugs the order of the day for new arrivals.
- And now with the relaxation of border closures, travelers are returning to Fiji and the South Pacific in search of an easy vacation to reconnect and recharge, with luxury Fiji resorts refreshed and ready to welcome international guests.
- Read our guide to discover how luxury resortsin Fiji and the South Pacific are redefining the luxury experience.
LUXURY FIJI RESORT – BEACHES
Is there anything more luxurious than having an entire beach to yourself and your partner? Given their location in the tantalisingly tropical South Pacific, luxury beach resorts have the pick of the bunch when it comes to good looking beaches.
Fiji is home to hundreds of islands – 333 in total – giving holidaymakers plenty of beaches to choose from. The family-owned Turtle Island in Fiji boasts 12 private beaches, with eight available for private use allowing couples to reserve them for the entire day. At Turtle Island, the private beach picnics are one of the most popular activities, where you get to choose what gets packed into your hamper and there’s an endless choice of swimming and snorkeling activities.
Fiji’s location in the South Pacific also means it is blessed with some of the best snorkeling and diving in the world, one of the reason’s oceanographer Jacques Cousteau gave it the nickname of the ‘soft coral capital of the world’, a reputation it more than lives up to. Exploring the underwater world in Fiji means many likely encounters with manta rays, dolphins, exotic fish and five species of sea turtle including the Hawksbill, Loggerhead, Green, Pacific Ridley and Leatherback.
On the water the best beach resorts in the South Pacificwill offer guests a whole host of activities from stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking to sailing and jet-skiing, allowing you to make the most of this region’s natural assets.
LUXURY BEACH RESORTS – DINING
Luxury beach resorts in Fiji and the South Pacific are now morefocused than ever on farm-to-table dining, with kitchen gardens powered by solar energy and where freshly caught seafood is the norm. Here the luxury is firmly about sustainable growing practices utilised by local staff and ensuring that guests know where their food is coming from.
On Turtle Island, guests can tour the vegetable gardenwhich supplies 80% of the produce for guests and staff. Full-time staff manage the garden which covers about five acres housing around 150 garden beds filled with vegetables, fruits and herbs and even a hydroponic section for lettuces.
The best beach resorts in the South Pacificwill also be able to connect to the local cultures they’re visiting through food. One of the most popular things to do in Fiji is to enjoy a traditional ‘lovo’ or Fijian feast cooked in the ground. Hours of preparation go into this meal experience which begins by placing a layer of rocks in a deep hole which are then covered with wood which is set alight until it has burned through. The charcoals are then scattered and the food placed on top and covered in banana leaves. The food traditionally cooked in lovos includes local vegetables such as taro, sweet potato and breadfruit accompanied by chicken, pork and locally-caught fish which have been wrapped in braided coconut palms.
LUXURY FIJI RESORT – WELLBEING
Enjoying a wellness vacation now spans from personal wellness to the wellness of the destination. In addition to spa treatments – a given at any luxury beach resort – many travelers will now seek out activities in Fiji and the South Pacific that help them slow down and take a break from their daily lives.
At Turtle Island this extends to internet access – or the lack of it. Digital detoxing is actively encouraged to help guests take a break from the everyday demands of online communication.
Some of the best resorts in Fiji offer sunrise yoga on the beach or invigorating morning spa treatments. Massage in Fiji is called Bobo, pronounced “mbombo”, and is a traditional healing treatment passed down from generation to generation. Relaxation is taken to the next level with treatments using banana leaves, warm shells or fragrant local oils of coconut, ginger and lemongrass leaving you rested and calm.
Once guests gain a deeper appreciation of a destination through interactions with local staff, many will want to extend their own wellness by giving something back. Many luxury Fiji resorts offer activities whereby guests can get actively involved in marine conservation or sustainability practices.
On Turtle Island, each guest is invited to plant a tree to continue the Island’s approach to sustainability. Marine programs focusing on Turtle Conservation – a tag and release program – and sustainable fishing practices are also practiced on the Island.
AUTHENTIC FIJI EXPERIENCES
Fiji is a Melanesian island nation that lies just over 2,000km to the west of the Cook Islands. On Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu, you’ll be able to enjoy the smells of delicious Indian curries wafting from city roti shops in the capital of Suva, while in smaller Fijian villages Melanesian families will invite you in to try kava, a locally made drink.
On the outer islands, travelers can experience authentic Fijian culture through visits to local villages. These often begin with a gift of kava to the village Chief who will give permission for guests to enter. Sometimes visits will be organised by villages to nearby resorts, which involves performances by the children dressed in their ‘Sunday best’ and a market where local goods are sold with the profits going directly back to the village.
EXPLORE TURTLE ISLAND FIJI
For the best resort in Fiji take a closer look at Turtle Island Resort. This 500-acre privately-owned luxury beach island in Fiji’s Yasawa Group offers vacationers the chance to relax and unwind, in stunning surroundings. Get in touch today to start planning your next trip.
