Fun in Fiji – The Best Luxury Resorts for Adults

If you’re seeking a fun and idyllic ‘adults only’ tropical holiday in the South Pacific, Fiji is the best and most diverse luxury destination and the most developed country of all the Pacific Island nations. Fiji is family friendly and children are welcomed, adored and entertained in almost every resort, but for my subscribers I’ve listed luxury options that provide excellent designated ‘adult only’ areas in which to escape the exuberant hustle and bustle of frolicking families (and these all operate excellent onsite spa facilities for sessions of indulgent pampering)

Best Luxury Hotels in Denerau, Fiji

• The Sofitel – Waitui Beach Club – my favourite ‘adults only’ pool and restaurant zone in Denerau.
• The Sheraton – another favourite with multiple dining venues and an in-house bakery and coffee shop (very important to all us Kiwi coffee snobs).
• The Westin – reopening in 2024 following a major refurbishment.
• The Inter Continental – a bit further out from Nadi and Denerau but with good facilities and access to the splendid Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course.
  
  

Best Luxury Resorts in the Yasawa and Mamanuca Islands, Fiji

• Six Senses Resort – blissful luxury.
• Likuliku Lagoon – romantic and exceptional.
• Vomo Island – well known to Kiwi travellers as one of the very best.
• Tokoriki Island Resort– elegant, great food and adults only.
• Turtle Island – minimum 5 nights stay but a truly indulgent experience.
• Paradise Cove – the ‘Beach Houses’ here are the choice for you.
  
  

Other Notable Luxury Resorts

• Dolphin Island Resort – exquisite, tasteful and only accommodates 8 guests (northern tip off Veti Levu).
• Royal Davui Island – secluded, romantic and outstanding (southern island off Veti Levu).
• Kokomo – no designated adults only area, but luxurious and private (southern island off Veti Levu).
  

Important travel tips for fun in Fiji

• Weather conditions can change rapidly in the tropics and the resulting disruptions make comprehensive travel insurance essential.
• The timing of many inbound and departing flights from Nadi International Airport unfortunately do not always coincide with the daily ferry transfer to and from the islands and it is sometimes necessary to overnight at a hotel in nearby Denerau (a 20minute taxi or transfer from the airport)
• Carry a small amount of Fijian Dollars for taxi fares – you’ll find a reliable Westpac atm on the left as you leave the customs hall at the airport
• When booking your island retreat, take advantage of any direct transportation your chosen resort may offer as getting to the islands can be confusing and expensive. Most luxury retreats will advise you of the best options.
• Helicopter flight are best but weather dependent and their frequency varies according to the number of craft and pilots available on any given day. Helicopter companies to contact are the Island Hopper and Pacific Island Air. Book well in advance as seats are limited. Also note a strict baggage allowance of 15kg per passenger.
• The seaplanes operated by Turtle Air are not in commission for the Mamanuca Islands at the moment but there is hope the service will resume in 2025.
• Since many readers ask, Fiji has indeed become a little pricey relative to similar escapes around the globe. This is mainly because of several onerous taxation levies that tourist operators have to bear and also a reflection of the challenging logistics of supplying the islands. However, Fiji still ranks as the best of the Pacific Islands nations.
• The weather in Fiji is warm all year around. The dry season is May to October. The wet season is November to April – also considered the cyclone season with most landing in January or February.
• The peak season falls over school holiday periods in July and August, and December and hotel rates are adjusted higher over these months. The shoulder seasons of May, June, September, October and November are optimal if your timing is flexible.
• New Zealand, Australia, Canada, USA and United Kingdom travellers can enter visa free. For all other relevant travel alerts check out this Fiji Tourism site.
  
  

Fijians are fun, always armed with a welcoming “Bula” (hello) and huge smiles that reach their eyes. Unless you’re an opposing visiting rugby team, Fijians are gentle and kind, and they look after their guests. By way of example, on a chaotic morning gathering last minute supplies before heading out to the islands, I misplaced my iPhone and only discovered the loss more than an hour later. I scurried around Port Denerau on a frantic search. Noting my despair, my friend Lesley, who is a frequent traveller to Fiji, assured me that things were different here and I’d find it. Sure enough, a person in the queue of a very busy local convenience store had resisted the temptation to pocket my new phone and instead handed it to the store owner for safekeeping. I wish I could have found the man to thank him.

This Fiji trip started with 3-day cruise to the Yasawa Islands and finished over two weeks later back in Denerau for a friends’ long and festive 50^th weekend. I’d ‘won’ the cruise at a charity auction – not my smartest bid given my family has access to property there and I can visit at any time. Anyway, said auction item wasn’t landing particularly well that night so I thought I’d help by opening the bidding. The auctioneer, who knew me well, must have thought I looked in need of a holiday because before anyone could rescue me, he banged his gavel and bellowed, “yours Deb!” Within seconds his markers had swooped in to note my credit card details.

I’d begged my fun friend, Les, to abandon her husband and family and join me on the ship and fun we certainly had. By a massive stroke of luck, we were booked on the inaugural cruise of Captain Cook’s lovely ‘new’ 35 year old ship, The Caledonian Sky. This ship offers the most superior cruising experience in Fiji. Being its first time out, the systems were somewhat more shambolic than I imagine its dedicated owners desired, but I am confident the glitches will already be well sorted. The staff, excluding a few dopey newbies, were delightful and couldn’t have been more friendly or accommodating, the cabins were well appointed and comfortable, the lounge and dining areas were lovely too, and the food was delicious – they’d snagged a great chef from one of Fiji’s top luxury resorts. As well as informative lectures, we were kept busy between meals with well planned excursions that included snorkelling, swimming, paddle boarding, and kayaking in several stunning bays off beautiful islands. We were also offered a selection of outings to learn about traditional Fijian culture with visit to a local school, a local church service, a village market and more.

On day three of our cruise, the ship had to scarper back to port to seek safety from the onset of Cyclone Mal that thankfully turned out to be a disruptive wet and windy roar rather than a destructive storm. Unfortunately, those booked on the ship for a longer duration had their cruise cut short, and this along with two days of cancelled ferry services and helicopter transfers, meant a mad scramble for departing flights or Denerau accommodation.

Staying in Denerau is hardly an insurmountable problem given the usually glorious weather and body temperature seas. Of the luxury beachfront hotels available in Denerau, my favourites are the Sofitel and the Sheraton which provide superior ‘adults only’ areas and are adjacent to the Denerau Golf and Racquets club (They also have dedicated family pools, dining areas and kids’ programs that make for an ideal family holiday too) The refurbished Westin reopens in 2024 and from what I could see, this waterfront upgrade will be superb. The Radisson Blu has a good selection of restaurants including an excellent Lebanese called Byblos but this resort is focussed on families and is therefore very ‘active’. Avoid the Hilton for now – despite its prime location, it is shabby and tired and in need of a major revamp. The Inter-Continental is a little further out but also has an ‘adults only’ area and the added benefit of access to the Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course. All of these hotels have superb on-site restaurants but if you need a break from resort food, jump on the Bula Bus and head into Port Denerau Marina. There are several decent restaurants there catering to all tastes but I consider Sails the best with its varied menu and exceptional ‘fish of the day’.

Lesley and I eventually reached our preferred luxury destination at Paradise Cove and settled into blissful days of doing nothing important. It takes only moments to melt into a pattern of wallowing in warm seas punctuated only by food and cocktails, and, if any energy surfaces, participation one of the many available activities.

We stayed in the secluded two bedroomed luxury beach houses tucked into the tropical vegetation across the lagoon from the main Paradise Cove resort – they’re a gorgeous hideaway for romantic couples or those like me yearning for the undisturbed privacy of my own beach. A very short boat ride transfers beach house guests to the main family friendly resort to enjoy scuba diving, snorkelling, kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing charters, yoga, walking, and mountain biking, or there are three swimming pools and a stunning beach to choose from, or perhaps a specialty massage at the spa, or a cocktail in the open air bar and a meal at either of their fabulous restaurants. Like most Fiji resorts, blossoms adorn every dinner table and the beds of arriving guests (or ‘fresh vegetables’ as my wicked friend describes the newcomers) You’ll notice the only surviving flowers on many trees are those flourishing higher than the reach of an outstretched arm.

Paradise Cove is one of several luxury resorts scattered around the Yasawa and Mamanuca Islands, the best of which are Six Senses, Turtle Island, Likuliku, Tokoriki, and Vomo that I’ve linked for your convenience in the list above. Dolphin, Kokomo, and Royal Davui Islands are elsewhere in Fiji but are rated amongst the very best and should be included in your deliberations. Most of these resorts will ensure a smooth transfer from Nadi International Airport and many will likely include a night of traditional Fiji fare and entertainment usually starting with a lovo (a smoky feast of meat, fish and root vegetables wrapped in leaves and cooked over several hours in underground fire pits) accompanied by a sing-a long or traditional meke (traditional dancing) and followed with a session sitting cross-legged on the kava mat, usually with someone singing and strumming a guitar as accompaniment to your sipping of kava that, to my uninitiated taste, seems a lot like swallowing alcoholic mud.

We returned to Denerau to a major change of pace and the onslaught of a festive bunch of 50 guests celebrating a 50th. Following the first day blow out for the majority who’d started the party at the Auckland airport departure lounge the previous morning, we boarded a coach to Port Denerau Marina and shuffled onto a boat that took us out to Cloud9. We had the exclusive use of this floating platform that is anchored in the middle of the clear turquoise ocean. In between unlimited beers, cocktails and gnt’s, party guests laughed and danced, swam and snorkelled on the nearby coral reefs, and dived off the platform roof like a bunch of loose teenagers. When our time was up, the day trippers boating in for the sunset session seemed aghast at the motley collection of merry old timers that disembarked to make way for them. Private hire of Cloud9 certainly facilitates a joyful celebration.

Fiji remains a firm favourite for many New Zealand and Australian sun seekers escaping their winter blues but it has also hit the worldwide radar of many discerning travellers. Repeat guests and multiple visits are a testament to the joyful experience. Whether you’re looking for laughter or lazy days, activities or relaxation, romance or festive celebrations, Fiji has an answer for every scenario.