
Nestled between a white sandy beach and a meandering creek, the eco-friendly Matanivusi Resort is set in a stunning location where guests can immerse themselves in the natural beauty of the area and experience a true tropical paradise.
Located on the beautiful Coral Coast of Fiji, Matanivusi Resort is just two hours from Nadi. Resort guests can unwind and explore everything this beautiful region of the Pacific has to offer, from surfing the world-class waves of Frigates to snorkelling the colourful coral reefs teeming with marine life. There’s something for everyone, surfers and non-surfers alike.
At Matanivusi Resort, surfers can enjoy a range of challenging surf breaks including Fiji Pipe, Frigates, Shifties, Vunaniu and J’s. These breaks are suited to experienced surfers and offer a variety of conditions, from fast, hollow barrels to long, rippable walls.
Fiji has two main surf seasons. From April to October, the low-pressure systems in the southern hemisphere produce consistent ground swell from 8 to 10 ft, then the cyclone season from December to April offers shorter swells – this is when the local breaks perform the best!
Eco-Friendly Fiji Surf Resort
The resort’s owners and developers, Brian and Donna McDonald, discovered this amazing piece of coastline on one of their trips to Fiji. When building the resort, they knew that a responsible development philosophy was needed and planned a construction that had as little impact on the surrounding area as possible.
Matanivusi Resort was designed by the award-winning architect, Paul Uhlmann, a surfer from the Gold Coast, Australia. It was designed to perfectly integrate into the natural landscape, the bures situated only a few steps from the ocean to give guests the ultimate Fiji experience.
When building the resort there was minimal clearing and minimal disturbance to the area. The native vegetation along the beachfront was sustained, with new planting to protect the beach from erosion and storm surges.
For Brian and Donna it was essential that once the resort opened they implemented the best sustainable operating practices and fully integrated with the Fijian villages. Rainwater is collected in tanks and used throughout the resort, as well as recycling programs to ensure all waste is sorted and disposed of through commercial contractors. Educational programs are also run in the local primary and secondary schools.
Accommodation
Nestled between the meandering creek and swaying coconut palms, Matanivusi Resort’s accommodation consists of 12 beachfront rooms with uninterrupted ocean views. The adjoining duplex-style bures are ideal for families and couples travelling together.
Surrounded by a variety of exotic flowers and fruit trees, the bures perfectly integrate into the natural environment. Experience the beauty of nature from every corner of your bure, where stunning glass panels offer uninterrupted views of the beach and rainforest.
The cleverly designed louvres capture the cool sea breezes, and ceiling fans circulate the air, meaning there’s no need for air-conditioning. However, air-conditioned rooms are available on request. Each room is beautifully furnished with a king-sized bed (or two king singles), a mosquito net, relaxing chairs and an ensuite bathroom. All rooms are screened and there’s a spacious deck to take in the beautiful views.
Within the grounds of Matanivusi Resort, you can relax by the pool while reading a book from the resort’s library, or chill out in a hammock over the white sandy beach. You can do as little, or as much as you like while staying at this gorgeous Fijian resort.
For groups of 12, you can exclusively book the entire Matanivusi Resort and enjoy the resort’s facilities all to yourself.
Meals
The Matanivusi Resort restaurant is perfectly positioned to admire the incredible views of the coral-fringed lagoon as you enjoy delicious meals and tropical cocktails.
At Matanivusi Resort you can look forward to a fusion of Fijian, Indian and contemporary dishes. All meals are prepared with the freshest ingredients, focusing on a sustainable approach by using resort-grown fruit, vegetables cultivated in the local villages and fresh Yellowfin Tuna and Mahi Mahi from the daily catch in Suva Harbour.
The restaurant serves three gourmet meals a day, with dinner consisting of three delectable courses. For drinks, the Dua Tali bar offers a delicious range of cocktails as well as wine, beer, spirits and liqueurs.
Are you celebrating a special occasion during your stay at Matanivusi Resort? For a touch of romance, the staff can organise a beautiful candle-lit dinner on your private deck.
Surf Matanivusi Surf Resort
Matanivusi Resort is the perfect place to stay for a Fiji surfing holiday. There are three right-hand reef breaks only a short boat ride from Matanivusi Resort, and the famous Frigates Pass 20 km offshore.
The surfer package includes a daily transfer (two transfers if tides permit) to the local breaks around Matanivusi Resort. There’s also the option to head out to Frigates Pass, 20 km offshore. The separate trip is run at the resort’s discretion and requires a minimum of three surfing guests.
J's
A hollow, fast wave that breaks from 2 to 6 ft. J’s is best at high tide with winds from northeast to west. For longer waves, this breaks needs a little west in the swell.
Shifties
Shifties has a deep-water take-off and is an outside point that picks up plenty of swell. It can be double the size of other waves in the region. It’s powerful, and thick and when everywhere else is flat you’re almost guaranteed a 4 ft wave at Shifties. It can be surfed on all tides, and a wind with a northerly aspect is needed.
Vunaniu
A short wedging right with a bowl section at the end. It’s usually a bit smaller than other waves in the region, so it’s a good option for younger surfers. It’s best on a high tide.
Fiji Pipe
A hollow and heavy left-hand reef break in the right conditions. Great on a 2 to 6 ft swell and with southeasterly trade winds during the winter, you’re sure to score an epic barrel ride.
Frigates
Frigates is a world-class left-hander that rivals Cloudbreak for power, size and consistency. It’s located 20 km from Matanivusi Resort and picks up lots of swell. Because of the tapering of the reef, this wave can handle swells of all sizes.
Frigates is offshore in a southeasterly trade wind, so when the inside waves near Matanivusi Resort are blown out, there’ll be consistent waves at Frigates. When there’s a little west in the swell it can be sketchy, however, the end stands up well!
As Frigates can be accessed from several resorts, it can get a little crowded, however, swell over 10 ft means there’s more space in the lineup. A gun is recommended in bigger swells to take on the big drop and strong offshore winds.
Non-Surf Activities
Whether you’re surfing or not, Matanivusi Resort offers a range of incredible activities for guests of all ages. Fish, dive, swim, snorkel in the lagoon, kayak, raft, explore the beach, laze around the pool or spa, or treat yourself to an indulgent Fijian massage.
Fishing
If you’d love to hook up a Trevally, Mahi Mahi, Yellowfin Tuna or Sailfish, then Matanivusi Resort is the right place for you. Bottom fishing is also great with massive Coral Trout and Red Emperors hiding in the local reefs.
The resort offers half-day and full-day fishing charters. If you’re serious, it’s recommended that you bring your own equipment and favourite lures. The right tackle would be two trolling rods with about 50-80 lb test and spinning rods with 30 lb test for Trevally.
Diving
Come see giant schools of Barracuda and Trevally and massive coral reefs teeming with marine life. Upon request, Matanivusi Resort staff can organise local dive trips directly from the resort. Matanivusi also offers PADI certification on the premises with the use of their pool for your Discover Scuba lessons.
Snorkeling
Take a local trip out to some of the most magnificent coral reefs fringing the lagoon, where you’ll find various parrot fish, sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, clown fish, sea anemones and an array of soft and hard corals. You can snorkel inside the lagoon around the coral bombies or outside the fringing reef along the drop-offs.
SUPs & Kayaks
Take a morning paddle around the calm lagoon or an evening paddle to watch the sunset from the water. Matanivusi staff can also take you by boat to the creek where a guide will give you a tour of the area on your SUP or kayak. The SUPs are 11 ft long, and easy to paddle, even for children.
Waterfall Trek & Eco Tours
Organise a guided trip up to Korolevu where you’ll see a tropical waterfall hidden away in the lush jungle. The plantation walk will give you a great understanding of the traditional village subsistence living and medicinal plants.
Sunset Cruise
Enjoy a romantic sunset tour on Matanivusi Resort’s power catamaran with beer, wine and appetisers. For bigger groups, you can hire the whole boat for a sunset party. The tour only operates on an evening high tide.
Other Activities
Other non-surf activities at Matanivusi Resort include massages, beach volleyball, bocce balls, ping-pong, board games, the entertainment room, zip lining, whitewater rafting and mountain bike riding.
Yoga
Matanivusi has a yoga teacher on site all year round. Free yoga classes and stretch sessions are offered twice daily, catering to all levels.
Matanivusi’s beautiful yoga studio is built on an elevated wooden deck, overlooking the lush and sacred rainforest. Enjoy the calming sounds of the bush and feel the gentle wind grazing against your skin while flowing through a group or private yoga practise.
Beauty & Wellness Spa
Relax, unwind and indulge in a treatment at Matanivusi’s Beaty & Wellness Spa. With a range of treatments available in a secluded and tropical setting, there is no better place to complete your Fiji experience. Matanivusi’s Beauty & Wellness Spa is newly built with eco-conscious operations in mind.