Our trip to Fiji, a beach resort in the South Pacific, is finally in its final installment.
Leaving the Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay behind, I headed to Denarau Harbor for the third time. It seems that if you want to enjoy a beach resort in Fiji, this is a place you can’t miss. I boarded the South Sea Cruises ferry for the second time, which departed at 9:30am. I had thought that this was the ferry that would take me to Mala Mala Beach Club, but in fact, it was responsible for taking me to and from the resorts scattered around the Mamanuza Islands.
The ferry departed almost full and first docked at the Mala Mala Beach Club. Nearly half of the passengers disembarked here. After passing this point, we finally reached the Mamanuza Islands. Located approximately 20 to 30 km west of Nadi, there are more than 20 islands, including some that are submerged at high tide. The islands are also known as filming locations for popular American reality show series and survival movies.
Of these, Malolo Island is the largest in area, with resorts clustered along its western coast. The ferry passes through the north side of Malolo Island once and stops at “Mana Island Resort & Spa, Fiji” and “Castaway Island, Fiji. Each time, the passengers are gradually replaced, perhaps to send the checked-out passengers back to Denarau Port. The last stop on the route is Likuliku Lagoon Resort on Malolo Island, where we will stay for the last day.
To visit this place, you can take the morning ferry or the two afternoon ferry services. For celebrity guests, a helipad is also available. While the limited transportation enhances the sense of privacy and seclusion, it also makes it difficult to visit casually.
However, at the Fiji Tourism Exchange 2024 conference, South Sea Cruises announced the introduction of two new ferries and the addition of evening service. It looks like it will make these resorts a little more accessible.
Riklik Lagoon Resort is located in a cove northwest of Malolo Island. The name “Riklik” means “calm sea” because the Castaway Island in front of the resort across the sea blocks the waves.
You must be at least 18 years old to use this place. In other words, this is a resort for adults only. To our delight, the official website is available in Japanese, and a dedicated smartphone app is also available. This app is also available in Japanese.
After transferring from the ferry to a small boat and arriving at the landing, you will be greeted by a staff member who will present you with a welcome lei. After a welcome drink at the bar right next to the pier, we crossed the pier to the reception area. A wide sandy beach spreads out under the pier, which becomes a sandy beach at low tide but becomes shallow at high tide.
There are 36 beachfront villas: 18 “Deluxe Beach Front Bures” with small private pools and 18 “Beach Front Bures” without pools. There are also 10 “water bures” standing on a coral reef. Each bure has a capacity for two guests, making it a retreat for only 92 people, and only adults are allowed to stay.
As it was just time for lunch, we had lunch at Fijiana Restaurant. The menu changes daily, with a choice of amuse, main dish, and dessert for each day of the week. The aforementioned application allows you to view the menu for each day of the week, so if you are interested, please check it out. As for the taste, I can only say that it was “excellent” due to a lack of vocabulary. In particular, the main dish, “Yellow King Fish with White Butter and Soy Sauce,” was a gem that seemed to know all the Japanese people’s taste buds.
After lunch, it was time for a little study. While developing resort facilities, Afra Resorts, which operates the Riklik Lagoon Resort, focuses on protection and restoration with environmental sustainability in mind, and has implemented several measures around the hotel.
One of the most eye-catching programs is the iguana conservation program. The Fijian Crested Iguana, an endemic and endangered species, was discovered at Likuliku Lagoon Resort only recently, in 2010. Until then, they were thought to be extinct. Since then, they have been trying to breed the iguana under natural conditions, while promoting programs to restore the forests where they live and prevent the influx of non-native animals that would be their enemies. The breeding cages are located around the reception area, and visitors can actually see the iguanas.
Our room for the day was a beach front bure. From the reception area, a path leads through the forest, and you will see a series of small bures dotted along the path. Upon finding your bure and entering, you are greeted by a traditional wooden floor, thick wooden beams, wooden doors and window frames, and a space finished using traditional construction methods. The atmosphere is calm and relaxed, free from intrusive luxury, and the setting sun streaming in through the windows is somehow soft.
As the sun goes down, the stars twinkle overhead, and the presence of the Southern Cross, which shines brightly, reminds us that we are in the southern hemisphere. As you sit on the deck and gaze up at the starry sky, all you can hear is the wind rustling the trees and the waves lapping against the beach. Time just passes slowly, and I guess this is what a resort is really all about.
The next morning, as I was heading to the restaurant for breakfast, I saw a staff member walking toward me from the other side. As one would expect after staying in Fiji for such a long time, I was used to it and greeted him with a “blah” as if to get a head start, to which he replied in Japanese, “Konnichiwa, Takeshi! I was greeted in Japanese, but with my name. I couldn’t understand ……. I frowned and thought about it, but it seemed that they knew the list of names just like first class airline staff. It is a bit puzzling that they know my face, but I guess it means that I am the only Japanese guy in the group. I am not used to this kind of “hospitality,” so I was a little embarrassed.
Before checking out, we took a short boat ride to the other side of the cape. While Likuliku Lagoon Resort is an adults-only resort, Malolo Island Resort, also by Afra Resorts, is a family-friendly resort. The distance between the two resorts is only 500 meters, so you can go to and from the beach at low tide or on foot by hiking a bit.
This one is family oriented, and the entire building, including the building itself, is casual. In addition to a restaurant and bar, there is an ice cream store and a pool for kids.
This was the last day of my long stay in Fiji, and I had to catch flight FJ351 at 2:15 p.m. I boarded the boat before 10:30 a.m., said goodbye to Malolo Island, and arrived at Nadi International Airport at 11:40 a.m. via Denarau Harbor. After a hectic check-in and passing through customs and baggage check, we went to the departure lobby. The duty-free stores are well stocked, and alcohol, clothing, and snacks seem to be in abundance. This is your last chance to buy duty-free goods.
Seats on the return trip are in economy class. This is a 2-4-2 seating arrangement, with a seat pitch of 31-32 inches. They can also recline 7.5 inches. Tapa-patterned cushions and blankets are also provided at each seat. The in-flight entertainment display is 10.6 inches.
Lunch is served as soon as you take off. There is a choice of three main dishes, plus a butter roll, coleslaw salad, and a pastry. After 8:00 p.m., dinner was served with meat or fried rice. The volume of the meal was about the same as lunch, but since I was just sleeping as I had been on the outbound flight, this was just fine. We arrived at Narita Airport almost on time. Our Fiji trip was over.
In retrospect, Fiji seems to be an unquestionably high level beach resort. The beauty of the ocean can be seen in the photos, and although I could not tell you much about it, the hotels I visited this time were excellent in both location and hospitality. Some people may be concerned about the food, but I found it to be acceptable from a Japanese point of view, as it was not as peculiar as in Southeast Asia.
The prices of goods and services have actually risen considerably due to the depreciation of the yen, with the 2019 Travel Watch article stating that 1 Fiji dollar will be around 50 yen, but in 2024, 1 Fiji dollar will be almost 80 yen. However, the prices of beverages and food at retail stores do not seem to be much different from those in Japan. It is nice to know that even though we are going to a resort, it is easy on the pocketbook and we don’t have to be so uptight about getting there.
For beginners traveling abroad, the fact that the country is an English-speaking country is also significant. I cannot speak English properly, but I am sure that Japanese people can understand some words, and nowadays, translation software on smart phones is very sophisticated. It is also refreshing to see so few Asian tourists in the area. Even if I narrowed it down to only Japanese tourists, I saw less than 10 people outside of the airport.
Transportation is probably the most difficult obstacle. Basically, you have to rely on cabs, which, although less expensive than in Japan, pose a high psychological hurdle. However, if you are staying at a resort near Denarau Island, which is very close to Nadi International Airport, you do not have to worry about such a problem. Cab fares are not expensive, and if you take a ferry from Denarau Harbor, you will be close to some of the best beach resorts in the world! If you take a ferry from Denarau harbor, you will be close to the beach resorts.
Another thing to remember to mention is that the time difference is only 3 hours (4 hours for daylight saving time)! I returned to Narita Airport on flight FJ351 and was able to get up and do my work normally the next morning. Fiji is now in its dry season, and the best season is just around the corner. I hope you will visit Fiji and enjoy the beach resort to the fullest.
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