The Modern Nomads

On a small secluded island in northeastern Fiji you will find a little piece of heaven called Matangi Private Island Resort. With luxurious beachfront bure accomodations, gourmet dining and 5-star service, this magical place is like none other I have ever experienced. Matangi is the epitome of a private island resort!

One thing you need to know about this island is that it is designed to allow you to relax, recharge and renew. And to do that, you need your private time. Matangi helps give you that in a few ways, 1) this is an adult only resort 2) they are at your beck and call and 3) they help you unplug. So while the island has all the amenities of a 5-star resort the one thing you won’t find is a TV or even Wi-Fi in your room. So pack your kindle, or grab a book and get ready to relax, unwind and unplug.

Disclaimer: Now don’t worry, you can make your way to the pool and common area and find a relaxing spot and check your email or FaceTime the family to let them know that you have decided its time to quit your day job and move to Fiji.

Getting there

Taveuni Island is Fiji’s 3rd largest island and is where you will have to stop prior to getting to Matangi Private Island. The highlight of this part of the journey was leaving the airport in Nadi and flying along the coast of Viti Levu and across the Bligh Waters, and then along the coast of Vanua Levu. Taveuni is called Fijij’s Garden Island and is surrounded by colorful coral reefs and covered by lush waterfall-laden forests. You will fly into the tiny Matei airport, and honestly the smallest airport I have ever seen.

After you land you will have a 20 minute drive down unpaved roads to the wharf for the last leg of the journey which is a 15-20 minute boat ride to reach Matangi Private Island.

The resort has a private van that will pick you up and get you to the boat and even help with the bags. Just be prepared to wade into the crystal clear waters to get onto the boat as there is no dock, the boat just pulls up to the embankment to pick you up!

Paradise, we have arrived!

As you drift up to Matangi Private Island, you will be greeted by the welcoming staff serenading you with a traditional Fijian welcome song.

We were welcomed by staff singing a traditional Fijian welcome song as the boat pulled up to the island. While we didn’t know their names, they all knew ours! From the moment we got off the boat and throughout our stay the staff would greet us by name which made us feel at home! It is these moments that stay with you long after you leave.

A little about how Matangi Island became such a place

This horseshoe-shaped piece of paradise is a 240 acre island that has been privately owned since 1878. Originally a coconut plantation, the Douglas family has been operating business on Matangi Island for 5 generations. As of today, there are two generations that still call the island home and oversee the day to day operations. On any given day you will see one or more of them greeting guests, checking on projects that may be in progress or just strolling the island. When we asked if they would sit with us and give us the history of the island they were happy to!

In 1986, almost 100 years after the island became privately owned, the island began the transition from a thriving coconut plantation to what it is today. While the resort has grown over the last 30 plus years, the Douglas family says that for now, it has reached its capacity. This ensures that they can provide the personal attention and superior service their guests have come to expect. While they have no current plans to grow in size, what they continually plan for is updates throughout the resort. I would have never guessed this island resort had been in business for almost 30 years. With ongoing remodels and updates, Matangi will always provide a luxury experience.

Horseshoe Bay

Horseshoe Bay has been listed as one of the 1000 places to see before you die (Patricia Shultz). With crystal clear waters this island can provide you with everything you need for an Island getaway. From trails across the island to the secluded horseshoe bay, there is honestly no reason to even leave the island! But if you have the time to venture away from the island there are plenty of things to do off the island. Day trips to Taveuni are very popular and include places like Bouma National Park where you can see beautiful waterfalls, or visits to the pearl farm.

A day in the life

Each morning you are given the itinerary for the day which may include cultural demonstrations or outdoor activities such as Matangi Bush Hike or Coastal Walk on the island, to coconut demonstrations where you learn all the ways they use coconuts, to local medicine demonstration. Optional excursions are also offered and the staff can plan any time of activity your heart desires.

On the island there are plenty of things to do or you can simply relax. There are non motorized equipment that are available such as kayaks and gear for snorkeling. There is even a small sailboat that you can give a try. We opted to take the kayaks and do a tour around the island. We should have paid better attention to the daily weather briefing though. Now we know when it says moderate to rough seas it is probably not the best day to try and kayak around the island. It was nothing we couldn’t handle but just took a LOT longer than anticipated – but who doesn’t need a good workout while relaxing on a private island right?

Wether you find a place on your front porch relaxing in your floating daybed, a lounge chair by the pool, or one of the many floating beds hanging beneath the trees throughout the island, you most certainly will find a place to relax overlooking the pristine waters and ocean breeze, take a nap or even meditate if that is your thing.

Dining on the Island

With only 15 Bures, this island experience is about as private as you can get. During our week there were some days where we were one of only 5 couples on the island. There seemed to be more staff than guests at times.

Each day will start with a gourmet breakfast where you will receive a daily brief of activities available, introduction of guests that are arriving or departing and a peek at the daily menu which always had fresh fish dishes and vegan options as well.

The meals were as beautifully prepared as they were delicious to eat. Whether you are in your shorts and tshirt or that cute islandwear outfit you have been saving to wear, the dining experience was outstanding! And most meals were accompanied by a local singing and playing live music.

Scuba Diving at Matangi

Just a short boat ride you will find some of the most spectacular dive sites in the world. These include world famous sites such as The Great White Wall, Rainbow Reef, Even the Somosomo Straight is nearby. One of our favorite was the lesser known dive site called the Yellow Wall.

Our favorite part of diving at Matangi was that each dive was like a private dive trip with a guide. During our stay we were the only ones on the island that were scuba diving and we really felt like we were given the royal treatment. Fiji was hit by two separate cyclones over the past few years that really took a toll on the marine life/reefs. Our dive master was a local that has been diving his entire life. He was very knowledgeable and we learned so much not only about the local reef system but also the village that he lives in.

The diving itself was great! While the cyclone from 2016 had done signiticant damage to the surrounding reef system, the dive sites we visited were nothing shy of spectacular. One of our favorite was the Yellow Wall. We saw a little of everything while diving around this part of Fiji.

And after reflecting on our dive experience we both agree that Fiji is definitely somewhere we would return to dive again.

Sharks, Dolphins, Whales, oh my!

The other highlight for us was the afternoon fishing charter. We had the boat to ourselves, along with the captain and fishing guide. Even had we not caught anything this was the Perfect way to spend the afternoon. But the good news is Pete did have a nice catch, a blu fin truvally! What was even more exciting was the pod of false killer whales we encountered. We at first thought we saw sharks, then as we got closer we thought just some dolphins, but when we saw them up close we realized these animals were special! They were huge, first of all, and after they swam around the boat a while we were able to see them up close and personal. They were even doing their own fishing as we got video of them making their big catch of the day as well.

Living the Island Lifestyle isn’t always luxurious

We met so many amazing souls while on Matangi Private Island. The staff working for Matangi are many of them. While most of the staff come into work via boat from the surrounding small islands, there are a handful of essential employees that live on the island in staff quarters with their families. Our dive master is one in particular that I really enjoyed listening to. He shared information on not only the island’s story but his own as well. I found his life fascinating and he was very open and welcomed any questions we had. He told stories about growing up on the island and what it is like to live in his village now. I was surprised to learn that their small village on the nearby islet of Qamea, had no renewable energy and relied on kerosine for lighting until about 11 years ago when they had their first solar panels installed. Ongoing efforts are being made to help electrify these rural areas of Fiji. Many countries help contribute to help these Small Island Developing States (SIDS) by providing support with their sustainable development efforts.

Tourism makes a huge impact on many of these countries we are traveling to and in many of these countries, they depend on tourism to provide jobs. And while we see the luxurious side of these places, there is another side of living on these islands. Just like many of the places we visit, the people of Fiji are the most welcoming and genuine people you will meet. They will ask you about your family and are excited to tell you about theirs when you ask. And you will always hear “Ni as bula Vinaka” which is the Fijian way of wishing you good health and life.