Matanivusi Beach Eco Resort really goes out of its way to ensure that you and your family have a relaxing Fiji vacation in a truly tropical hideaway setting.
Located about 2 hours drive from Nadi Airport down on the Coral Coast near Sigatoka. Matanivusi Beach Eco Resort is set about 3km of the main road near the local village of Vunaniu. The setting for this personable resort is idyllic, with its stylish bures spread along the waters edge which are linked by the meandering timber board walks which float above the tropical forest floor and under the canopy of tall tropical trees.
The Bures or as some say “Bungalows” are divided into two one bedroom apartments with well finished bathrooms, making the accommodation an ideal set up for families with parents on one side and kids on the other side. The rooms all open up on to private deck with a day bed, which is blissful for that sneaky sleep with the sound of the warm tropical waters lapping on the shore and sound of the distance waves crashing on the outer reef.
As the resort only caters for a maximum of 16 guests the resort feels intimate and very personal, with evenings being spent sharing stories of the day with other guests around dinner with the soft sounds of the tropics in the background. It really is a great way to finish a day of activities whether its surfing, exploring the area or just doing nothing by the pool.
What your host Brian and Donna McDonald have done very well is to cater for surfers who are beyond that stage of finding basic accommodation with other party goer backpacker types, and are looking for place that is comfortable which they would be happy to take a partner, family or other like minded surfing friends.
Resort Activities
When it comes to the activities there are heaps of choices from snorkelling, diving, paddle boards, fishing, kayaks and surfing being the main attraction. If your feeling water logged there are many land based activities to choose from. I took a tour with Kevu (one of many friendly staff members) to some local waterfalls using the local buses for transport. On the return we dropped in on the village at the end of the walk to the falls. Where we all kicked back on Fiji time and shared some rugby stories over a cup or two of kava with the village elders.
“This is truly one bit of surfing paradise I would happily return to over and over” – James Hayward
With surfing the breaks of Fiji being my main focus it was pleasing to surf the famous “frigates break” which is located 1 hour by boat about 30 miles offshore! This is a must break for any keen surfers, the left was working perfectly for my board selection on the day with a high tide dropping to a low in the afternoon. It was the perfect situation for building confidence as the wave started to perfect its curves and shapes as the tide dropped. Two of guys who ventured with us scored some perfect barrels in the afternoon, with Ben from WA smiling all the way back to his new wife on his return, and Hill from San Fran just so stoked to be getting barrelled at Frigates in board shorts!
Our Recommendation
Matanivusi Beach Eco Resort is the perfect place for keen surfers who maybe looking for something more from their honeymoon, families that are keen to break away from the big resorts with all the trappings, small groups of friends, couples and even single travellers as I was on this occasion. Would I visit this place again absolutely, would I tell my friends maybe those who appreciate hospitality and vacations don’t always need to come with a big brand name.
Bookings and Further Information
For bookings and further information visit www.surfingfiji.com or visit surfinglife.com.au/travelbible for a great overview of the resort.
We made our booking through a preferred travel agent who arranged our trip via the surf travel company
