Fiji Holiday

Hey all,

My partner and I are looking to go to fiji this xmas for a 7 night holiday. we are looking at booking at the Kadavu Resort on the manta Island in fiji.

Has anyone stayed here before and got anything to say about the place. Good or bad. The resort only takes 25 people at a time and is promoted as a divers resort.

We are sort of ready to book it but thought I'd ask the question.

Peter.

Opps what I meant was the Manta Resort on Kadavu Island...

Peter.

I stayed there 2 yrs ago and it was quite different for us but in the end we really liked it.

On the PLUS side,

You get to know some of the local people from Fiji due the village next door. The chief seems to have a setup for free drinks/food so you see him often. He is fun to get to know and share a sunset drink.

The people of FIJI are what make it special. THe diving is good..the people better.

Family feel to the atm due to the small numbers there. We got to know 5 others well and really made it a special trip.

Nice hike up the hill behind the place with very nice views.

Interesting couple running the place. I liked them both. It was more like hanging with my Aunt and Uncle and they have the mood changes and positive/negative characteristics of hanging with a family.

Dive boats were unique and adequate, nothing special however.

Diving on the east side was great..its a special trip for extra money. We had 5-7 Manta's hang with us for quite a while. I got photos as close as...maybe 2 feet with a ~20 ft manta over me. Not enough wide angle on my camera for those shots!

Diving on the west side is nice but not as dramatic as the east...but enjoyed it.

Each morning...(we are early risers and the time change had us up at 4 am for a while), we watch the local men pass by on the beach wiht their dog and machete and empty basket.

Later, the pass by again with the basket full of food for the day.

Loved the weekend Kava event at the village. Got to know the local clergy and others.

the kids are fantastic. you get to visit the village school and listen to the kids sing.

They sing fantastic! An event you will likely want to video. we loved it.

My wife would walk the beach each day (she passed on the diving) and pick up washed up shells and collect them. Late in the week as she was reading in the shade by the beach, several village children came to her, approx ages 5-8. They were showing her their collection of shells. Each was far better than my wife had collected and she complimented them on all the lovely shells. After she saw each one and had them all in her lap, the kids waved and walked away.

They had seen her collecting..and collected for HER and gave them to her.

We still have them and my wife cries each time she tells the story.

Where in the world will you find such people? Not on the beach in Florida!

ON the less positive side...

there is no air conditioning except at the main lodge. We never needed it..but we were there in July..their winter. You will be there during their hotter and more humid time.

There is electricity only during certain hours. When you wake up at 4 am with time changes.. you have limited power. You always have a nightlight and bathroom light but that is all at night and mid-day.

We had power from about 7-10 am and 5-9 pm..more or less. Do not remember the times exactly.

Be certain to recharge your batteries in the time available!

The owners built the whole place. Its a lot of money spent and less returned. Sometimes they are less than positive in mood. I found it openly human and not bothered at all. They were sharing themselves. If you are expecting a P.R. salesman with smoke to blow...you will not find it.

I found them to be great hosts overall. You see them enough to get to know them...not just the P.R. side of life.

You bring water to your room for drinking. You have running water but its filtered and a bit cloudy. Water is free at the lodge and easy to get...but you have to go get it.

There are no/few big fish on the west side but liked the diving. Not as good as the east side by far and not as good as Somosomo strait off Taveuni.

Upon writing this..I am ready to go again.

BUT..its not a luxury resort. Its a unique experience and the diving is only part of it.

what else do you want to know? If you wnat more...send a PM as I may forget to check here.