Honeymoon Heaven in Tokoriki Fiji
A Fiji honeymoon is the perfect destination for romance. It’s even better when you arrive in style.
With our amazing couple of days in Sydney complete, it’s time to warm up in the South Pacific.
I mean when you’re this close to Fiji, how can you not stop by for a few days?
In my previous visits to the islands, I’ve stayed on the main island of Nadi, either at the Sheraton Fiji or the lovely Westin Denarau Villas.
From the resort area of Denarau, it’s easy to make day trips out to the Yasawa or Mamanuca Islands (the real draw in Fiji), but I’ve always dreamed of staying on one of those gorgeously remote outer islands.
Note: This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to book through these links, I receive a small commission, which I will undoubtedly blow on more flights (it’s a vicious cycle). All of this internet voodoo takes place at no additional cost to you.
So when I discovered the Sheraton resort on Fiji’s Tokoriki island in the Mamanuca Islands, it seemed like the perfect place to sample the deserted island life (while making great use of our remaining Marriott points!).
Arriving in Style in Tokoriki
We arrive from Sydney early on a Friday afternoon and hop in a taxi to the Sheraton Fiji where the check-in process for the Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island takes place.
One of the most exciting things about Tokoriki Island is the process of getting there.
Basically, you have three options:
- A South Seas Cruises ferry
- A jet ski or…(wait for it)…
- A helicopter!
Each option comes with a different price tag and its own set of pros and cons.
The ferry only operates twice daily and our flight doesn’t arrive in time to catch the latest one, so that’s out. And with the jet ski option, your luggage arrives on the next ferry, so we would have to wait until the next morning for our bags. So, while the jet ski sounds like fun, it’s also out.
That leaves the helicopter.
Now, while the helicopter option initially sounds pretty extravagant, it turns out to be only about $70 more per person than taking the ferry. And you depart on your own schedule and arrive at the resort in less than 15 minutes.
SOLD.
After checking in at the Sheraton Fiji, we’re escorted to the nearby golf course to await our helicopter.
Minutes later we board the helicopter and begin lifting into the air as the island of Nadi quickly fades behind us. As we fly over the open ocean I’m immediately glad we didn’t choose the jet ski option, it’s a lot farther than I thought!
Just as we’re starting to enjoy the view of the Mamanuca Islands dotting the bright blue sea, our pilot motions to Tokoriki Island dead ahead.
And just like that our luxurious helicopter ride over the Fijian islands comes to an end. But we don’t mind a bit once we get a look at the bungalows dotting the beach on Tokoriki Island.
A golf cart awaits us on the helipad and we’re swept off to the lobby for an enthusiastic musical welcome from the staff (they do love to sing here in Fiji).
A Beautiful Beachfront Bure
The Front Office Manager, Fiona, greets us with a big smile and keys to our upgraded beachfront villa (called “bures” in Fiji).
She explains the resort’s facilities and layout, which includes a wing reserved for adults only, where we’ll be staying. Then we again climb aboard the golf cart for the quick ride to our villa.
And, WOW, what a villa it is!
The room itself is spacious and plush but the beachfront deck is the most amazing feature – a perfect ocean view complete with lounge chairs and a private plunge pool. Spectacular.
We settle in for a bit before changing and heading to the bar just in time for happy hour.
I assumed that resort prices for food and drink would be high and I was definitely right. On the way to the bar, we stop by the resort’s restaurant to check out the menu.
Though there are a few reasonable options on the a la carte menu, the nightly buffets averaged about $80 per person and a single beer was as much as $14.
Luckily, the happy hour prices are a good value so this will be a nightly stop for us! And we were smart enough to plan ahead and bring a few bottles of wine with us from Sydney.
After enjoying an afternoon on the quiet and peaceful adults-only side of the resort, we are slightly alarmed to find the bar lousy with children. Bellying up the bar ordering Shirley Temples, running in concentric circles, lounging in a corner with their iPads, you name it.
For a moment I’m not sure whether we’ve walked into the bar or the Kids Club. (As it turns out, Fiji is a big family travel destination for Australians.)
A quick check of the sign at the door confirms it is indeed the bar so we pull up a couple of bar stools next to the nearest pre-schooler and order a round of drinks and a light dinner.
The live music in the bar is great and the food is decent so despite the children we manage to have a lovely, if not wildly romantic, evening.
Eventually, we give up on the bar (we are tired, the kids are apparently not) and head back to the villa to enjoy the ocean breeze from our deck.
As we sit down with our wine glasses on the lounge chair, we look up and are completely awestruck by the blanket of stars above us. More stars than I’ve ever seen in my life.
It is so mesmerizing we just sit there staring up at the sky for a while listening to the waves crash against the reef just offshore, the children all but forgotten. Talk about romance!
That night, and every other thereafter, the temperatures are so mild we’re able to sleep with our sliding glass door cracked open and enjoy the sounds of the surf as we drift off to sleep.
It’s absolute South Pacific bliss.
Lazy days in Fiji
For the next few days, we pretty much repeat our routine from day one – lots of time on the deck and the beach during the day, romper room in the bar in the evenings – plus a little snorkeling and an island hike just for good measure.
Though the sun shines during our entire stay, the winds are relentless at times which makes the water too rough for most water sports like kayaking or jet skis. Even snorkeling is a tiring workout against the surf.
I’m a little surprised that there aren’t more excursion options offered from the hotel. Especially with so many of the Mamanuca’s best islands just a short boat ride away.
In fact, Modriki Island (of Cast Away fame) is easily visible from our villa but there’s no way to visit it – an easily bookable day trip from Nadi.
Tip: If you’re staying on Nadi, this Authentic Fijian Day Cruise is the top island-hopping day trip to Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands.
But I guess the purpose of staying at the outer island resorts is to get off the grid and relax, not to spend every day doing day trips. Fine by me!
For our final day in paradise we decide it’s time to check out the spa. We make an afternoon appointment for a couples massage and spend the morning relaxing on our deck.
Our afternoon at the spa is fantastic and we emerge relaxed and refreshed just in time to pour a glass of wine and walk up the hill to the helipad for a perfect sunset.
I couldn’t have written a better ending to our time in Fiji.
Leaving Paradise
The next morning it’s time to head back to the main island of Nadi, this time by ferry. The ferry ride is pleasant enough but makes more stops than we anticipated and takes nearly 2 hours to make it back to the port in Denarau.
As we drive to the airport I ponder whether it was a better Fiji experience this time staying on one of the outer islands.
There’s no doubt the beaches and water are a vast improvement over Nadi and there’s definitely something to be said for the “deserted island” feeling, especially when you’re on your honeymoon.
But you do give up some excursion options and a wider selection of restaurants and shops. However, overall I’d say it was nice to experience a different, more remote side of Fiji.
Alas, it’s now time to leave the sandy beaches and sunshine of Fiji behind and head back to winter…next stop, New Zealand!
