By Craig Osment
Likuliku Lagoon Resort, Malolo Island.Credit: Alamy
Although it was many years ago, I still clearly recall my first "bula" (hello). After a late arrival on my inaugural visit to Fiji, my wife and I were walking through the dimly lit grounds of our resort when what appeared to be no more than an enormous smile the size of a 1950s Buick grille leapt out at us and boomed "bula".
My partner fell backwards in surprise while I struggled for a response, which was probably an inadequate "g'day". Within a few hours, however, we would become very familiar with the ebullient and cheerful bula, and it remains so today after many more visits to these stunning Pacific islands.
Among the more memorable bulas was a fully musical version sung by the staff at Likuliku Lagoon Resort in the Mamanuca Islands. We were treated to this on arrival by boat with a small choir performing on the jetty. Amazingly, throughout our stay there wasn't a single occasion we encountered a staff member without being greeted by name with a smile and a bula.
Corral reefs are a Fijian highlight.Credit: Alamy
All this good cheer is no doubt why Fiji was voted the "happiest country on Earth" (by Gallup International) a couple of years ago and, as the longtime tourism hub of the region, has developed a very slickly lubricated hospitality industry. Whether you're a family seeking plenty of supervised amusement for the kids while the parents get some "me time", have dropped in for a business conference or are there for a romantic getaway with a significant other, Fiji does the full range of hotel/resort holiday options to perfection. They include every water sport imaginable – kayaking, sailing, paddle boarding, snorkelling, scuba diving, fishing plus swimming with sharks if you want to raise your adrenalin levels – and a variety of land-based adventures.
THE BIG ISLAND
Viti Levu is the largest of the nation's more than 300 islands; it's also home to more than three-quarters of all Fijians, the capital, Suva, as well as the international airport at Nadi.
Fire dance at a resort on Fiji’s Coral Coast.Credit: Alamy
There's plenty to amuse and delight within a few hours of the airport. Just 20 minutes away and conveniently well served by big hotels is Denarau Island, which in spite of a slight Disneyworld ambiance is perfect for families. It offers a great range of accommodation, good transport options and close proximity to a perfectly manicured golf course, along with a shopping and restaurant precinct at the Port Denarau marina.
The hotels fringe the coast from the Wyndham in the west to the Hilton in the east, with the choice of the upmarket Sheraton Villas or the sprawling Sofitel among those in between. There's one for every budget and every taste, and all just a short drive from the airport. This remains one of the country's most popular destinations but does rather miss the point if you're looking for something a little more authentic or intimate.
The easy 200-kilometre drive from Nadi to Suva takes in the gorgeous Coral Coast as well as, at its centre, Sigatoka. This town is dominated by a large orange and white Hare Krishna temple, and has a selection of cafes, restaurants and tourist shops. Pick up an elaborately carved and finished kava bowl here if you're planning to continue drinking the local drop when you get home; better still, use it as a fruit bowl.
Children offer cheerful “bula” greetings.Credit: Alamy
Nearby is another clutch of hotels, the biggest of which is the five-star Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa (home to the Fiji International if golf is on your list) on the shores of Natadola Bay; the latter claims one of "the best beaches in the world" and the only stretch of white sand beach on Viti Levu.
Best of all, though, awaits in Suva: The Grand Pacific. This is the grande dame of Suva's hospitality industry and rightly claims to be where "elegance meets history". With its colonial Raffles-esque main building, the Grand Pacific has been at the heart of Suva's social life and high society since its opening in 1914, when the room rate was 18 shillings and sixpence a night.
THE SMALL ISLANDS
An exhilarating 45-minute boat trip from Port Denarau is Malolo Island, gateway to the Mamanuca group of islands and home to several resorts. Our first stop is the eponymous Malolo, which is a 100 per cent Fijian-owned "family" resort, meaning adults can bring along the offspring and be assured that while the kids are being entertained, they can relax in sophisticated grown-up style.
Around the corner – well, literally in the next bay – is the very sophisticated, adults-only sister property Likuliku Lagoon Resort. Here you'll find the ultimate in understated island luxury: beachfront villas with private plunge pools and over-water bures which sit directly above a reef.
It's perfectly situated for boat trips to explore the neighbouring islands. These include the deserted Honeymoon Island, where you can picnic in private, or Monuriki, made famous by being the location for the 2000 Tom Hanks' film Cast Away. Mana and Matamanoa offer discreet boutique resorts, deserted beaches, snorkelling and diving spots.
Further north are the Yasawa Islands, which are less sophisticated but a more affordable and relatively untouched alternative to the Mamanucas. Get there before the rest of the world finds out.
For total indulgence, Fiji offers several ultra private and deluxe private island getaways. One such destination is Wakaya Club & Spa, which is now under new management and recently reopened after Cyclone Winston devastated Fiji in 2016.
This resort boasts 10 guest bures and two private villas with everything you could wish for. There's scuba diving, private beach picnics, the best wines and gourmet food, golf on the doorstep, tennis, paddle boarding, a fitness centre and some of the most spectacular coral reefs on the planet.
I greeted my first, seemingly benign, reef shark up close here with a gurgled "bula"!
This article appears in Sunday Life magazine within the Sun-Herald and the Sunday Age on sale March 17.
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