Our Fijian Paradise

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Blogger Bec reporting in from Matamanoa Island Resort

A marine sanctuary one metre off shore, cocktails, an infinity pool, a massive bure, an un-get-outtable hammock, 4 chick lit novels, the pleasure of being alone and a whole lotta rain meant that our wonderful honeymoon was just not long enough!

Our one island, one resort was about a 90 minute catamaran ride off the mainland of Fiji, or 30 nautical miles. We chose the island as there was no kids and was limited to 60 guests. The surroundings and the room was even better than we imagined!

The resort offered heaps of activities such as pottery market trips, sailing, island hopping, snorkelling and the like but we were far too lazy for that! We managed a small hike up an even smaller hill (not a mountain as they like to claim!), a hours worth of kayaking and a few extraordinary snorkelling forays late in the afternoons but that was the extent of our actual not lying in the hammock/deck chair/bed experiences.

(Unless of course you count the incredibly taxing movement of my arm as I lifted yet another tropical cocktail to my lips.)

Doug did manage a couple of dives and I partook in the world’s most expensive massage ($2 a minute - worth every minute as it was MARVELLOUS!)

We recharged our batteries and mentally prepared for our next chapter - Dhaka.

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Photos

Greetings!
Every morning and afternoon new guests were serenaded as they arrived

Welcome to Matamanoa!
My first of quite a few - this one was non alcoholic

The main area of the resort
This is the restaurant, pool, deck, bar, shop etc from the shoreline

Our bure
The bure (hut) was ENORMOUS and had all you need - massive shower, ginormous bed, fridge, daybed, etc etc

Dinner
The menu each night was very extensive, and the taste was consistent and yummy, though the service was lacking

Life's tough
What's a honeymoon for if not to lie around in a dressing gown all day and take photos of one's self?

Watch out - she's moved from her bed
We "climbed" "Mount" Matamanoa one afternoon and even managed to get a certificate for our trouble that night during dinner.

Sunrise
Somehow I managed to wake at dawn to capture some lovely pics of the island as it woke

Another glorious afternoon
Nothing much better than kicking back with a book on the comfy day bed

Dougo the Brave
One night it was "no sulu, no dinner" so Doug bravely donned an improvised sulu using my pashmina

Really, it's a prawn tree
Yep a tree made out of pineapples and prawns. Only in the South Pacific

More cocktails
What a backdrop! Can you imagine anything better?

$2 a minute
It was worth every cent!

Diving
Doug said the diving was exceptional - great visibility and TONS of fish

Offloading
Pretty much everything came and was sourced from the mainland. Each time a group of new guests arrived, new laundry/food/mail also came

Waiting at the port
We had a 6 hour wait between arriving back at the mainland and the departure of our plane. We managed to fill it...

Comments

[Greg and Caroline]

And now back to the real world
Looks awseome. Very flash!!! Just what we have decided we need in October, a beach holiday. You may also be surrounded by water in Dakka from what I have seen on the news. Loved your wedding.