The warmth of this 330-island South Pacific paradise goes far beyond the weather
As seen in VITA Magazine March 2023
If Fiji isn’t on your bucket list, it should be. Year-round sunshine, crystal-clear waters, luscious green rainforests and award-winning beaches are just a few reasons why this South Pacific country continues to draw travellers from all over the world. And, for the first time in 14 years, Fiji Airways is flying direct from Vancouver, making it easy for Canadians to enjoy the 330 islands that make up this lush paradise.
Fiji is full of five-star resorts, brimming with beauty, luxury and the friendliness of Fijian culture. The country prides itself on its ability to be both an ideal family getaway and a romantic honeymoon destination.
The Intercontinental Fiji Resort & Spa is located on the award-winning, Natadola Beach, a stunning lagoon of glistening aquamarine protected by a colourful reef. Resting among 35 acres of lush tropical gardens, this property has a spa, golf course and a lively kids club. Water-wise, enjoy plunge pools, a kiddie pool and an adults-only infinity pool that, at dusk, reaches into a dramatic sunset of red, pink and orange.
For a more intimate feel, nothing tops Nanuku Resort—the definition of barefoot luxury. This oasis is nestled oceanside on a 500-acre Fijian estate and boasts suites with outdoor showers, private pools and paths that meander through green gardens, leading to your own stretch of sparkling sand. Voted the No. 2 resort in the entire South Pacific by Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards and nominated for Best in the World 2023 by Travel + Leisure, this place continues to collect accolades for luxury, hospitality and sustainability. Beyond the aesthetics, Nanuku employs a sustainability manager responsible for maintaining a healthy connection to the land, community and staff. In this vein, the resort creates reef rebuilding programs, provides healthcare for employees and their families, donates to local schools and offers traditional Fijian experiences to guests. You can learn to cook barbecue prawns the customary Fijian way or snorkel the legendary reefs of Beqa Lagoon, weave Indigenous baskets and bead traditional necklaces, or indulge in a private island escape for a snorkel and picnic in the sand. This property offers many opportunities to immerse yourself in the earnest and gracious Fijian culture.
Off resort, the land is mountainous and green—a beautiful living being inviting you to explore and discover. Many visitors come here to hike through the lush rainforest in search of fresh inland waterfalls, fully accessible hot springs and mud pools full of minerals that will cleanse and exfoliate your skin. The tropical birds will call as you zipline through the trees, and some will even swoop down to chat face-to-face. At times, you will have to pinch yourself to remember that yes, this is real life.
Fiji’s distance from other countries means that most food is grown on island or caught in the surrounding ocean. The fruit is juicy and sweet, the vegetables crisp and fresh and the seafood buttery and flaky. Bananas and papayas hang from tall trees that frame the winding roads, and pineapples burst from earth, ready to eat. One of the most popular dishes is kokoda: a raw fish salad with coconut cream, onion, tomatoes and chillies served over fluffy steamed rice. It is deliciously creamy and sumptuous while also being light and fresh, epitomizing Fijian food in
each and every bite.
Last but certainly not least, Fijian hospitality is unlike anything else you’ve ever experienced. Guests to the island are greeted by a traditional welcoming ceremony, where a group of warriors in grass skirts and shell necklaces chant, play conch shells and beat long cylindrical wooden drums.
“Bula!” they shout—a word that, although it directly translates to “hello,” indicates a more fulsome sentiment of acceptance, love and joy. Indeed, Indigenous traditions are alive and well in Fiji, all grounded in the importance of family and community. This genuine respect for human connection and reverence for both earth and spirit is what fuels the Fijian people—a warmth that’s felt from the villages to the ocean to the mountains. It is this pure beauty and enveloping authenticity that continually draws tourists to this perfect piece of paradise.