Surf Resorts

If you book Namotu, Tavarua, Mantanivusi or Waidroka and mention Fijiguide.com you'll get a free T-shirt from Waterways and I'll send you a Fijiguide.com e-book with everything you'll ever need to know about Fiji.

Namotu Island Resort

Namotu is a tiny island that you can probably circumnavigate in 10 minutes. The advantage, of course to being on this tiny spit of land, is your proximity to seven (almost all of them) world class breaks. This includes:

• Swimming Pools
• Namotu Left
• Wilkes Pass
• Desperations
• Cloudbreak
• Restaurants
• Tavarua Rights

It has three types of accommodations--three private bures, two larger "VIP" units, and the so called “Luv Shack”.

All of the bures feature high ceilings, local hardwoods such as daku, air con and lots of louvered windows and glass to let in those cooling "cagi"--those delightful breezes.

Namotu also offers a posh house, aka "the Villa" which offers marble floors, a large living room, bar, and a private pool, which is ideal for family or a group of friends, willing to share a home. The house also can accommodate 2 other couples or 4 single men in the two bedrooms--one called the blue room and the other, the pink room. Both pink and blue rooms share one bathroom.

Namotu's cooks reportedly specialize in both international and local cuisine. In , is worth the trip itself. Fishing, diving, sailboarding, volleyball. Figure on paying around US$290 per night per person which includes three meals, unlimited surf transfers and airport transfers.

Book a trip to Namotu Island Resort.

Tavarua

Talk about a brand name. Tavarua has become synonymous with surfing in Fiji the way Xerox is equated with photocopying.

Located on the southern end of the Mamanuca Island chain, approximately 15 miles southwest of Nadi, the tiny, heart shaped island makes up about 24 acres. Like Namotu, it exists as a resort for one reason--its proximity to some of the finest breaks in the South Pacific, or for that matter, the entire world.

If the surfing gods had planned to make an island more perfectly suited to riding waves, they couldn’t have planned Tavarua better. It’s position, south by southwest, makes it perfectly aligned to receive swells, consistently generated from the stormy Southern Ocean. By the time they make their way north, they are glassy waves breaking on reefs such as Cloudbreak, Restaurants or Tavarua Rights.

Perhaps the best way to characterize Tavarua is as the ultimate surf camp. It can comfortably accommodate 36 guests in 16 private bures. The bures are small but comfortable.. All are made with local materials such as hardwoods and pandanus and are decorated with Fijian art and surf photos. Each unit is air conditioned with two Queen Beds, a day bed, louvered windows, ceiling fans, mini-bar, and a large beach side deck.

For families or larger the resort offers two air-conditioned "Sunrise" units which have two bedrooms which accommodate four adults. The Sunrise bures have two Queen beds and two sleeper-couches, private verandahs and a mini-bar. Rate for the least expensive accommodations start at about US$360 per night including meals.

The resort serves three meals a day, plus Happy Hour, which begins at 4 PM. Guests can sample pupu platters served poolside and on the deck. Reports are that the food was “plentiful and quite good especially considering it was being served en masse.” Kind of a left hand compliment but good just the same. I didn't speak to anyone who had anything but good things to say. Reports on Trip Advisor have also been consistently good.

In addition to surfing, Tavarua offers surf, kite, sailboard, dive, snorkel or SUP.

Book a Trip to Tavarua.

Waidroka Bay Resort

Waidroka is another option—it’s the name of a surf, dive, and fishing resort located west of Pacific Harbour, about two hours from Nadi's international airport. Waidroka is the only resort on the main island that takes surfing guests to “Frigates”, “Pipe”, “Mata Point”, “Resorts Left”, “Serua Rights”, “Vunaniu Rights”, and “Black Rock”.  Most of these surfing sites are only a few minutes boat ride from the resort.  This resort does not cater to beginner surfers; there is no established surfing school.  However, the resort does employ surfers who know well all the breaks and will gladly share their knowledge. 

For diving guests, Waidroka dives well known sites in Beqa Lagoon as well as world famous Beqa shark dive.  If guests are feeling adventurous, the will even explore new sites.  If you are  interested in learning to dive, Waidroka's diving instructors can certify you for a survey dive or for any diving course you choose.

There are three types of accommodation at Waidroka, all somewhat similar.  The differences in accommodation are closeness to shore, the size of the rooms, and the bathroom facilities.  Prices are competitive and for the services received, a better value than most accommodations in the area.  The rates are as follows:

Matanivusi Surf Resort

A family surf resort sounds like a contradiction in terms. When you think surfing you think young chiseled guys with short boards and an overabundance of hormones.

That's not Matanivusi. Welcome to the Fiji's only family surf resort. 

Although wave riders are their main constituency, Matanivusi goes out of their way to make non surfers comfortable and welcomed. 

Owned and operated by 50 somethings Brian and Donna McDonald, the property is located about an hour and a half drive west ofSuva (85 km) on the Coral Coast. Enveloped by rich foliage it’s only a few meters from the beach and about 2 km from several reef breaks that will keep experienced surfers quite content.

In addition to surfing, there are a variety of activities and excursions such as hikes to a nearby waterfall or even visits to the nearby capital of Suva. At the nearby village you can visit a kindergarten or do a “plantation walk” where locals will explain the use of medicinal plants and show how local crops are grown.

When is the best time of year to visit?

Local reef breaks such as Shifties (right hander), J’s (right hander); Pipe (left hander) are accessible year round.

Brian says between June-Sept winter swells originating from the Antarctic will generate waves from 6-15’. He can also take you out to Frigates which is about 20 kilometers away.

Dining is family style on a long table and the food was both healthy and tasty. It's served any style you like,   A typical lunch was savory beef or vegetarian samosas served with yogurt or and tamarind chutney. Whenever possible food from the property such as avocados breadfruit, taro, bananas, papaya are used, and there’s always locally caught fresh fish.

Breakfast fare includes locally grown papayas and bananas along with 

eggs cooked any style. The McDonald’s offer either a beef, chicken or fish entrée (along with a vegetarian dish) every night of the week. While I was there we had grilled mahimahi (marinated in a ginger, garlic, and lime concoction) with local sweet potatoes (kumala) on the side.

There are eight spacious units, all with 

louvered windows on three sides and an overhead fan to keep things cool. The floors are shiny, dark mahagony and the units have a king sized bed with a canopy of mosquito netting. Families can request an extra bed for children. The bathroom is large as is the shower, where you bath in pure rainwater. The rooms afford plenty of space to practice yoga and stash your belongings. 

The term eco-resort is not an exaggeration. Matanivusi is constructed from locally grown mahogany “plantation” timbers and there’s a wooden walkway built a few feet above the ground to enable visitors to traverse the path from their bungalow to the dining room and bar area without disturbing the fauna. Rainwater (of which there can 

be an abundance) in this verdant section of Viti Levu) is used for drinking water as well as the swimming pool and spa. The resort also has an innovative waste management system from an Australian company called Biolytix, which filters water and engages the services of a worm that consumes the solids. 

A sign in every bathroom reminds readers to “feed the worms”. The resulting waste water is filtered and used to irrigate the garden through a drip system. Compost goes to the pigs and anything that can’t be recycled locally is brought to Suva.

Price is F$500 for surfers which includes accommodations, meals, and of course surfing. For non surfers it’s F$450 per day which includes activities such as snorkeling, kayaking stand up paddle boarding, diving and fishing. The resort will also organize weddings and fishing charters. Children under two are free and there’s a sliding scale for kids under 12. Those above 12 are considered adults.

Book a trip to Matanivusi Surf Resort.

Fiji Hideaway Resort and Spa

Fiji Hideaway Resort and Spa is a family owned property that's been on the Coral Coast for many a year. It's technically not a surf resort but for two reasons it is worth mentioning on this page. One of the Wade family members (the people that own the property) is a serious surfer and he has made sure that surfers are attended to. Just as importantly, there happens to be a decent right-hander, called “Hideaways”, directly in front of the 

property, an easy paddle out. “Hideaways” is best surfed two hours either side of high tide and can really pump if the wind is right.

The resort is located on the beach, 20 km east of Sigatoka and is situated on a strip of land between the main road and the ocean.  

It is definitely one of the better mid-range hotels on the Coral Coast. With about 100 units, it’s big by Fiji standards. Its 16 original, A-frame type units have been refurbished and the newest additions, the deluxe Villas, are a far cry from the bare bones original accommodations. These are spacious and well appointed with tile floors, pastel stucco walls, trim of local timber. They resemble as, Frommer’s said “smaller and much less expensive versions of the bungalows at Vatulele Island Resort” and I agree. One thing the Wades do is constantly upgrade and put money back into the property.

Hideaway’s beach (like most Coral Coast resorts) is nothing special. However snorkeling, kayaking, windsurfing and other water sports are available. There’s also a 25 meter multi purpose swimming pool, gymnasium a 5 Palm Padi Dive School. There are five different categories of accommodations available. Prices start at F$320 for the Frangipani bure, $F350 for the Ocean View units, $400 for the Beachfront Villas and F$429.00 for the two-bedroom units.

If you book Namotu, Tavarua, Mantanivusi or Waidroka and mention Fijiguide.com you'll get a free T-shirt from Waterways and I'll send you a Fijiguide.com e-book with everything you'll ever need to know about Fiji.