The best luxury hotels in Fiji
Likuliku’s Beachfront Bliss
I thought I knew what I was walking into with Likuliku Lagoon Resort. You know the drill. There’s turquoise water so glossy it could be a Dulux paint sample, and those famous overwater bungalows that pop up on every “dream honeymoon” Pinterest board. But then, well, then you actually arrive.
You step off the boat and fifteen Fijians burst into song, harmonies so beautiful you immediately forget your own name. Someone loops a necklace around your neck, someone else presses a passionfruit-iced-tea cocktail into your hand (I would very much like a lifetime supply of these), and suddenly you’re wondering if it’s possible to apply for Fijian residency before dinner.
Overwater bungalows or beachfront bure?
Our host Tulia greeted us like we were long-lost cousins, and then, this is how slick they are, within half an hour we’d checked in on our phones, collected snorkel gear, and been whisked to our bure. Now, about the rooms. Yes, I know Likuliku is famous for its overwater bungalows. They are ridiculously glamorous. But can I just say our beachfront bure was heaven on toast. Our bed faced straight out onto the beach, and beyond the bifold doors was a plunge pool that caught the pink sunset light so perfectly I nearly wept. There were palm leaves spelling “Bula” on the bed, a sarong laid out like a gift, and a jar of fresh cookies refilled every single day. This is the sort of detail that wins my undying loyalty.
Saluwaki restaurant on Likuliku
And the food! Oh, the food. It’s all included (except drinks), which is dangerous if you, like me, cannot resist “just one more course.” Every night was three or four courses. One evening I had mushroom risotto so silky I worried it might slide off the plate and straight into a modelling contract. Another night it was dumplings followed by sesame ice cream. The new restaurant, Saluwaki, was a proper event, Asian fusion with everything served like tiny edible artworks. You’re only allowed to go once during your stay, which adds a touch of romance, even if you’re dining with your friend, your partner, or just yourself.
Breakfast was another triumph, a lovely buffet plus hot dishes to order. And lunch? Either a three course meal, poolside pizzas, salads, or you can pack up a picnic and toddle off to a private island. It was one long happy parade of meals.
But the lagoon is the real star. The water is so clear you’ll start to suspect they run it through an industrial filter. I swam out to the reef and nearly squealed into my snorkel when a baby blacktip shark cruised past.
Mociu Island known as Honeymoon Island
And then, ah, the highlight, the crown jewel of the whole trip, Mociu Island. Locally known as Honeymoon Island, it’s a tiny, uninhabited nature reserve less than 10 minutes by boat from the resort. In 2018 Likuliku secured the lease, and the Paramount Chief of the Mamanucas declared the surrounding reef a “na tabu”, a protected zone where no fishing or shell collecting is allowed. The result? An island so pristine you half expect Moana to come paddling round the corner singing your welcome song.
Access is by invitation only, which makes you feel like you’re sneaking into the world’s most exclusive club (except instead of velvet ropes there are palm trees). You can go for sunrise hikes to the top, complete with pastries, fruit and sparkling wine; spend the day snorkelling the kaleidoscopic reef; or have a private picnic on the beach with food so good you briefly wonder if you’ve been adopted by Fijian royalty. The island also doubles as a hub for environmental projects, dry forest restoration, coral and clam transplanting, biodiversity protection, so while you’re swooning over the view, you’re also part of something much bigger.
Adults only resort in Fiji
What I loved most, though, was that Likuliku never felt like one of those resorts where everyone is so couple-y you want to hide behind a palm tree. And praise be, no children. Not a single shrieking Marco Polo in the pool, not a Peppa Pig soundtrack on an iPad, not even a rogue floatie drifting past. Just grown-ups, cocktails, and the kind of blissful silence you don’t realise you’ve been craving until it arrives. Everyone mingled. People actually chatted across pool lounges like it was 1995. Phones were politely discouraged in communal areas, which meant instead of staring at TikTok, guests were looking at you and saying hello.
Yes, there’s a spa called Tatadra (House of Dreams, what else?) and yes, you can learn about iguana breeding at the new conservation hub, but what stayed with me were the little things, the singing, the cookies, the way the light turned the lagoon into liquid silver at dusk.
If you’re dithering over where to spend your hard-earned annual leave, let me make it easy. go. Just go. Because when you’re on Mociu Island, clutching a pastry in one hand and sparkling wine in the other, watching the reef glow below, you realise, this isn’t just a holiday. It’s a love affair.
And finally thank you to Rosie Holidays and South Sea Cruises for the seamless transfers to and from Likuliku Lagoon Resort.
