CITY: Matangi Private Island Resort

HOW LONG: 5 NIGHTS

Let me preface this post by saying this trip (Fiji + New Zealand) was a once in a lifetime trip that my parents gave me & my sister as our 2022 AND 2023 Christmas gift. It’s incredibly generous and Ellie & I are so grateful for the unbelievable memories we got to make as a family. However, as such, this is not a normal backpacker trip or a normal backpacker budget. I still thought I’d share all the details though 🙂

To get here you fly to Nadi (we spent a night on Nadi before & after our time at Matangi, but nothing worth reporting on). Then you must take a tiny hopper flight to Taveuni Island. From there, the resort picks you up in a jeep that takes you to a dock. Finally you get on a speed boat that takes to the beautiful oasis that is Matangi Resort!

ACCOMMODATION:

OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY. Matangi Private Island Resort is a literal dream. This place isn’t cheap, but is worth every penny (although technically can I say that when I didn’t have to pay??). Regardless, if you ever find yourself planning a trip to Fiji (that isn’t budget constrained), I can’t recommend this place enough. My sister & I shared a bure, while my parents had one next door. The level of service was unreal. Everyone was so kind & helpful. Even when my dad got caught on a chaise lounge next to the pool under a big shade/umbrella in a rain storm, the staff walked over and brought him an umbrella so he could come back to the main lounge area. There are only 12 bures so it really feels like you have the island to yourself. The most amount of people that were there while we were at the resort were 4 others. By the end of our stay, there was only one other guest. We all wished we’d stayed two more nights to really soak up all that we could from the island.

Where to eat:

As you are on a private island, there aren’t a lot of dining options 😉 However, you won’t be disappointed in a single meal you have on the island. The resort is all inclusive so eat up & drink up. For every meal, you are offered 3-4 options for your starter & main course (both for lunch & dinner) and a few options for dessert. I swear, each meal was better than the last. Truly spectacular, interesting, crowd-pleasing recipe options that had each of us excited. Ellie and I would often strategize to pick different options so we could try a few of the offerings. Win-Win.

What to Do:

Matangi offers so many fun things to do (and the following is all included!):

• Snorkeling
• Hiking
• Sailing
• Stand up paddleboarding
• Reading by the pool
• Reading in a hammock
• Reading on a swinging bed next the ocean waves
• Local village tour (on another island)
• Local Fijian dance performance

For an extra charge, you have a few other options but that standouts are:

Scuba diving– This is what got me the most excited! Within a 20-mile radius of Matangi Island are countless dive sites including the world famous Great White Wall and Noel’s Wall. I got to do one day of diving (3 dives) and they were all fantastic. My favorite was the Cabbage Patch dive (see here for some photos of the spot)

Horseshoe Bay Picnic – this is more for a honeymoon, but Horseshoe Bay was listed as one of the “1000 places to see before you die”

Spa– I had a great 90 min Matangi Bush Herb massage + a coconut hair & scalp treatment.

Overall Thoughts:

I have only overwhelmingly positive things to say about Matangi & Fiji. It’s as beautiful as they say. The waters were so blue & clear. The days were hot. Even the powerful afternoon 5 min rain was lovely & mesmerizing to watch. Everyone in my family hopes to return to Matangi in the future!

BUDGET FOR 5 DAYS IN Fiji:

Flight to Fiji – $900 (one way)

Accommodation: $1944 ($486 per night) – This represents what my share would’ve been. I want to reiterate this was an insanely abnormal trip for our family, but it truly was the most special trip 🙂

Food: $0 (all included)

Groceries: $0

Activities: $600 (scuba + massage)

Local Transportation: $450 (flights, van, boat to Matangi)

Total: $3894 (Daily average: $973)

Transportation to next destination: $390 (flight to Christchurch, New Zealand)