The best part about Fiji's Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa is its infinity pool. It helps you pretend you're in the ocean without having to peel off layers of seaweed. Though the nearby beach is muddy and the water sludgy, the hotel coordinates plenty of excursion opportunities to other parts of Denarau Island where the quality of snorkeling rivals the Great Barrier to the west.
Since the $15 million renovation in 2005, visitors now say the hotel's amenities are closer to what they expect from a five-star Westin. The resort is spread over 30 acres. Guests have access to all the facilities at the adjacent Sheraton resorts including five restaurants, three bars and lounges and three swimming pools.
Guestrooms and suites, constructed using timber from native Fijian trees, has Westin's Heavenly Bed and Heavenly Bath, a 32-inch flat screen LCD TV, high-speed, Bose DVD player, and surround-sound home theatre sound systems. The Heavenly Spa by Westin features eight Fijian-style treatment "bures" (Fijian thatched roof huts) and two suites, a Vichy shower treatment room, a hydrotherapy room, a wet-edge lap pool, Jacuzzi, and a fitness center with state of the art fitness equipment.
Sure, you can't really go in the ocean, but who would want to leave the hotel grounds?
If lazing around by the pool or doing some casually calm snorkelling outside your water bungalow is not enough for you on a holiday in Fiji, the Sonaisali Island Resort reckon they have what it takes to keep you amused. With paintball, jetskiing and sports fishing already entrenched on their Adventure Sports activity list, they're now promoting their new dawn jetski "safari adventure".
Along with your Sonaisali Jet Ski Guide, you'll start of by motoring along to some of the best snorkelling places in Fiji; when you've been down below long enough, the guide will take you mountain climbing to get a view over all the islands. Or you can spend a half day surfing on some of the great waves of Fiji.
At the end of these kind of action-packed days then you definitely need a good bed to lay your head in. Air-con and ceiling fans turn up everywhere (definitely necessary), and the best relaxation comes in the beachfront spa bures, where you'll find a private spa on your balcony.
....to cover the cost of our overnight extravaganza at The Wakaya Club, an exclusive island resort in the Fiji archipelago, a mere 3 ½ hour flight from New Zealand.
A night at this resort is the best gift you could ever give us for the holidays. The nine bures or Fijian cottages have soaking tubs and open-air lava rock shower stalls. Some of the rooms have personal plunge pools. The staff can deliver guests to a private beach, with a ready-made champagne picnic and a two-way radio in case someone forgot the sunblock. Play croquet on the David Niven Championship Court. Chow down on "Whole crispy pakapaka Sichuan style with stir fry vegetables and fragrant rice," with key lime pie for dessert. The website brags that the island has "a heady scent of frangipani and ginger mingled with ocean air."
Look, if it's good enough for Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban (it was reported they booked the entire island for a week), then it's good enough for us. We also think this is the same place where Keith Richards fell out of a coconut tree, so just go easy on those mai tais.
In the spirit of the season, maybe you'll opt for the $7,600 for one night at the resort's "Vale-O."It's a mere 12,000 square feet hugging the cliffside, with its own private chef, staff of six, and chauffeur.
What is the closest thing to travel dogma? Hangin' with Australians is usually a good time.
Since Nadi airport is a relatively quick four hour flight from Sydney, many Australians turn to Fiji when they are looking for a little island fun, which they tend to pronounce Fay-gee.
One Fijian resort we have recently heard Australian's praising is Castaway Island Resort in the Mamanuca group of islands.
Castaway sits on a 174 acre tropical island complete with thatched beach front bures, and a palm tree surrounded pool where you can get fruity booze drinks.
While there are plenty of island type activities here (scuba, sailing, Teivovo island hoping) the overwhelming Castaway theme is relaxation.
One cultural tip: Fiji is a very catholic society and so unwed couples sharing a villa may get some glares. On the other hand, children are apparently extremely well received here.
After you fly in Nadi, there are three ways to get to Castaway, sea plane, helicopter, and boat. It goes without saying what mode of transport we would choose--you know we have a serious sea plane fetish over here.
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by ced138
