Fiji Is Not Just for Lovers

by Lisa Spiller, Luxury Travel Advisor affiliated with Preferred Travel & Company.
Lisa@PreferredNaples.com
www.preferrednaples.com

The biggest tragedy of my otherwise perfect marriage is that my husband doesn’t share my insatiable wanderlust and passion for travel. So when, in February 2025, I was chosen for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Fiji in partnership with Tourism Fiji and Fiji Airways, I saw an opportunity. I strategically planned the trip over Valentine’s Day and presented it as an irresistible romantic getaway—surely a gift he couldn’t turn down.

As our tragedy goes, Jay said “No.”

My coping mechanism for his lack of participation in my “opportunities” is to have a girlfriend on standby. I wasted no time calling my girlfriend Stacy and telling her she was “IN,” to which she responded with screams of ecstasy and the sound of bags being packed.

Two movies, three meals, and eight hours of sleep later, we touched down in Nadi before catching a short connection to Savusavu on Vanua Levu—often called “Fiji’s hidden paradise.”

Upon arriving at the luxurious Namal Resort & Spa, we wasted no time slipping into our swimsuits and heading straight for the spa. We eased into the holiday with their signature aromatherapy circuit—moving between cold plunge pools, the sauna, and a tropical rain shower—while we waited for our room to be ready.

It already felt like the start of the ultimate girls’ health-and-wellness escape.

A pair of barefoot, brightly dressed iTaukei women—hibiscus blooms tucked behind their ears—soon arrived to collect us in a golf cart. With effortless warmth and the familiarity of family, they poured us champagne from the front seat and passed it over their shoulders while they navigated the bump and crunch of crushed seashell pathways enroute to our fantasy suite overlooking the South Pacific.

Our four-room, treehouse-style bungalow surpassed every expectation. Complete with a private plunge pool, floaties, beach cruisers, a pool table, and a fully stocked kitchen brimming with drinks and snacks, it felt less like a hotel and more like a perfectly imagined home away from home.

At night, we slipped into sarongs and flip-flops and followed a torchlit path that flickered softly in the dark, leading us to the resort’s open-air restaurant. There, we savored fresh fish and fragrant curry under the night sky. As we ate, local villagers gathered nearby, seated cross-legged on woven grass mats, strumming guitars, ukuleles, and bamboo instruments. Their voices rose together in warm, harmonious renditions of classic Fijian songs.

Drawn in by the music, we joined them on the wood floor and were invited to take part in a traditional kava ceremony—a ritual that embodies Fijian hospitality. The kava root was carefully prepared, brewed, and strained into a large bowl. One by one, our host ladled the drink into a coconut shell, which we accepted, drank, and honored with a clap, sharing in a moment that felt both ancient and deeply welcoming.

Namale Resort spoiled us with bottomless inclusive experiences. Our personal concierge organized a private waterfall hike, swim and champagne picnic for us in the morning. In the afternoon, we rode pastel beach bikes under the umbrella of tropical foliage to a golden sand beach. With the beach entirely to ourselves, we sunk into hammocks dangling from coconut trees and ordered lunch from our beach butler who delivered the works. The evening brought one final surprise: a fully catered, sunset dinner for two in our own stilted, open-air cabana, perched above the shimmering sea.

Fiji proved itself to be more than just a wellness escape or romantic retreat – it revealed itself as an unexpected playground for pure family fun. The next morning, our resort concierge whisked us off to the marina where we gave paddleboarding a college try before bouncing around in a big fat yellow banana behind a speed boat. It was the kind of joy that makes you feel like a kid again, and even better, we had it all to ourselves.

That evening, we reserved the recreation center for our private use. We ordered tiki cocktails and snacks, blasted American 80’s music on the surround sound and went head-to-head in foosball and bowling—barefoot, sun-kissed, and completely carefree.

From Vanua Levu, we boarded a prop plane back to Nadi, where we joined the Sigatoka River Safari—an award-winning jet boat journey along Fiji’s longest river. This remarkable experience carried us deep into the island’s interior, offering a glimpse into the heart of Fiji and their extraordinary tribal lifestyle. We arrived at an authentic local village, where we were welcomed with a traditional kava ceremony led by the very handsome bare-chested village chief.

Seated on woven palm mats, barefoot children played with our blond hair and our iPhones while we shared a lovingly prepared meal made by the village mamas and grandmothers. We were then invited to join the villagers in song and dance—a joyful, heartfelt finale. The experience felt both intimate and deeply rooted in tradition. Ultimately, it was so much more than an excursion; it was a meaningful immersion into Fijian culture, human connection, and community and the memories are forever engraved upon our hearts.

No trip to Fiji is complete without visiting the breathtaking Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands—famous for their powdery white sand beaches, the kind you’ve seen splashed across travel brochures.

We boarded a ferry from Nadi, passing the iconic Survivor filming island enroute to the remote Matamanoa Island Resort, where we spent the final leg of our adventure.

There, we surrendered completely to the rhythm of remote island life. Mornings unfolded in soft pink sunrises that melted into languid, breezy beach days and quiet sacred sunsets. Time slowed, leaving space for snorkeling, swimming, beach combing and simply meditating to the gentle cadence of waves and swaying palms.

When asked to compare Fiji to Tahiti, I always say this: Fiji feels raw, natural, and deeply authentic—rooted in culture and tradition, largely untouched by over commercialization. Tahiti is equally stunning, but more polished, shaped and refined by decades of tourism.

Did I mention that Fiji is also a tremendous value? If Fiji has ever been on your dream list, go now—before the world catches on and transforms what makes it so beautifully, unmistakably special!