LUSHLY LUXE
Pleasure abounds at Vanua Levu eco-resort, writes Shandelle Battersby.
Postcard-perfect white-sand beaches and azure waters are what first springs to mind when you think of Fiji, but venture into the hinterland, or even not too far from the coast and you’ll find lush, green vegetation.
Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort (JCMR) on the island of Vanua Levu, may only be an hour’s plane ride north of Nadi, but the tiny township of Savusavu feels as if it’s in a completely different country.
After being farewelled from one of those white-sand beaches at Tropica Island Resort on Malolo Island in the Mamanucas with a moving rendition of Isa Lei, it had taken us just 15 minutes to fly back to Nadi Airport in an Island Hoppers helicopter.
From there we boarded a tiny Twin Otter Fiji Link jet for a hair-raising flight into Savusavu’s quaint airport — a paddock complete with grazing animals and a shack for arrivals and departures.
A five-star eco-resort of 25 spread-out bures, JMCR is a 20-minute drive through the tiny but bustling township of Savusavu along a partially unsealed road. The nearly 7ha property, which wraps around a point thick with vibrant, tropical vegetation, once housed a coconut plantation. The son of French ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, Jean-Michel, an explorer and environmentalist in his own right, developed it in the mid-90s, creating a marine reserve on its doorstep.
The resort’s grounds are beautifully maintained, with large mounds along the walkways a sign that land crabs are plentiful. Aside from the odd mongoose and harmless spider, this is as dangerous as the local wildlife gets.
Luxury happily co-exists with environmental sustainability here, and JMCR gives plenty back to the local village of Nukubalavu, whose residents make up the majority of its staff. Like everywhere we went in Fiji, the warmth, spirit and generosity of the people are key to a memorable stay.
Many come here to scuba dive in the marine reserve, and they’re catered for at an onsite dive centre. The all-inclusive (excluding alcohol) resort has a dizzying array of complimentary activities based around themed days, from educational visits to the mangroves and local village; medicine and eco walks; and excursions