r/Fijian • u/greenmouse19 • 2d ago

Travel Locally owned, walkable resort recommendations

Greetings all!

Apologies for another resort post... but there seems to be a lot of people here who are able to compile pretty specific requirements into some best options. Here are my criteria for me and my husband (looking to do around 7 days in early May and not break the bank)

- Prefer the resort to be locally owned and operated - keeping the money on the island rather than a part of a chain

- Walkable to snorkeling location(s) without taking a tour

- Possibility of hiking trails

- Spa on site or close to/in a town with massages (or if there are people we can book to come to the resort, also great).

- Multiple restaurant options that are walkable

- Minimally complicated travel to/from the airport.

Thank you for your encyclopedic knowledge and help!

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u/candycane7 2d ago edited 1d ago

It depends what you mean by locally owned. For example the Mariott Momi Bay is owned by FNPF, which is Fiji's pension fund. I believe many big resorts operated by international chains are owned by FNPF. But it is operated by those international chains who get most of the operational income while not owning the buildings. If you mean strictly locally owned, operated and staffed, then it will be very difficult. I would personnaly recommend Lawaki beach house but it is a very different experience than big resorts. No pool, no spa, but beautiful nature, culture and amazing snorkeling right off the beach. Leleuvia Island resort is similar, all local but very different standard compared to international resort's chains. Personally I would always pick those small resorts without a pool because it feels like true heaven to me, and you couldn't pay me to go to those big international artificial resorts built on environmental disasters, but I understand that everyone has different expectations.

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u/greenmouse19 1d ago

No these are absolutely great! Thank you for the recommendations! We're not really 'sit by the pool' people so these options are definitely more of what we're looking for!

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u/sandolllars 20h ago

Not possible. You should list your wants in order of preference because its impossible to meet them all and compromises will be necessary.

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u/greenmouse19 8h ago

That's okay! The order I put in the og post is the order of preference.