A group of us trekked to the far end of the world to Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort in Fiji. Along with being a beautiful five-star resort with a 3-1 staff to guest ratio, they have won a ton of awards for their service and accommodations, including Condé Nast Traveler Gold List and Readers’ Choice Award.

After we were greeted by a group of singing Fijians and offered a frosty beverage, one of my friends whispers to me, “They have their own private island.”
“WHAT!? “You mean with nobody on it?” I respond in delight.
“That’s correct, and we’ll be visiting it tomorrow.” She smiles back.
“Oh my, Christmas just came early!” I squeal with joy. Nothing like spending a day on your own private island.

Indeed, the resort does have their own private island, and so, the next afternoon, a group of us jumped into a boat and took the 10-minute ride to this itty bitty piece of paradise. Pete, one of the lovely Fijians who work on the resort joined us with his guitar and a cooler of Fiji Bitters and wine, and for the next few hours we listened to Pete sing to us under the shade of swaying palm trees.

Fiji is located in the deep South Pacific and is a around a 10-hour plane ride form LAX. You’ll land in Nadi and then take a small plane to small, distant island. The resort is located on Vanua Levu Island, which is just a few minute from the airport, but a world away from civilization.

For Tango Divas who are looking to truly escape, then look no further. What’s great is that most of the expenses are included in the price. Which is nice when you are traveling with other Divas. And just in case you want to bring your children, that price includes private nannies for each of your babies– yes, each child gets their own nanny! They have a fantastic program called Bula Club with children activities and private swimming pools for the kids. Rates include: All meals, non-alcoholic bottled beverages, and ground transfers to and from Savusavu Airport.

Every night ends with a superb dinner, followed by a night of music performed by the one-and-only Bula Boys. This was my favorite part of the trip because we got a chance to hang out with some local Fijians, listen to great music and drink kava. Now, I really can’t tell you what kava does to you, all I know is that it made my both my tongue and mind numb. And, that is just what I needed from this vacation! Based on the all-knowing wikipedia website, it says: “Kava is sedating and is primarily consumed to relax without disrupting mental clarity.” So, there you have it! Good times for all.

Other fun things to do – in case you want to:

For those Tango Divas who want to experience the culture and local flavors of Fiji, the resort offers a few excursions that are included in the stay. Those include a visit to a Fijian villige, a trip to the market, and an adventure to a private waterfall in the rain forest. Of course, you can always just hang out by the pool and re-read The Hunger Games.

Definitely visit the private island, it is an additional fee, but it is well worth it. And for a very special treat, request dinner on the pier. It is a wonderful one-in-a-lifetime experience where you dine by candlelight and starlight while the beautiful blue water sparkles below you. That too is additional, but my goodness, how many times do you get to enjoy dinner in such an incredible place?

To learn more or make reservations:
Website
(800) 246-3454 (toll free in USA & Canada)
(415) 788-5794
email: info@fijiresort.com