Daniel M
10. maaliskuuta 2025
Toberua is a hidden gem. We just returned from spending 8 days on this island paradise in the low season (February/March) when it is a bit warmer and wetter. We were consistently blown away by the exceptional standards and hospitality of the entire staff, and would highly recommend this to travellers interested in a secluded island getaway. The manager was there to greet us on arrival, welcome drinks in hand. By the end of the first day everyone knew and greeted us by name. The premium Bure (No. 2) was positioned perfectly right on the beach, complete with hammock and loungers. We were initially worried about the lack of air conditioning but the nights were breezy and the ceiling fan kept us reasonably cool. Evening temperatures were about 24-25C. Being away from the mainland there are very few bugs and I never needed the bug spray I had packed. The food was excellent and a cut above most of my previous resort experiences in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Hawaii. The current chef, who I believe is new to the role at Toberua in the last few months, is a definite keeper. The menu changed every day with a good variety of meat, fish, and vegetarian options. The tuna poke and bacon wrapped fern dishes were standouts. Zac, the bartender was great. The main purpose of the trip was for scuba diving and we chose Toberua in part because of the convenience of having its own dive outfit on site. We did 8 dives over 4 days and though this is not the best time of year to dive in Fiji from a visibility perspective, our dive master made a concerted effort to find the clearest dives for us with good success (see photos). Though Fiji may be better known for the soft coral in the North, I was very impressed by the hard coral formations and the density of fish. We also saw many turtles, white tip reef sharks, and rays. The water was very warm, about 29-30C. We considered some of the other scheduled activities and did make a trip out to Bird Island to see the red footed boobies and the black and white sea snakes. Apparently they are quite venomous but docile and unable to bite humans. We considered chartering the fishing boat, but ended up deciding against it since we got a taste during the surface intervals between scuba dives. Our guide cast out a line and managed to catch both a Spanish Mackerel and a pretty remarkable 73lb Giant Trevally, which was subsequently incorporated into the dinner menu the following day. Other quick notes: The island is fully solar powered. The water is safe to drink, and the internet (if you pay for the 5$ per day premium wifi) was more than fast enough to make WhatsApp calls home. I inquired about tipping and was advised to use the tip box in the main office, which seemed a nice way of doing it so that gratuities are split between all staff. There is a resident Parrot named Jack who had much to say and would occasionally come to the terrace to join us for breakfast. 10/10. Worth a return trip.
Käännä