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Fiji Maravu Plantation Resort - " The Garden Island " |
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Maravu Plantation Resort is probably one of the best places in the Fiji Islands for a wedding or honeymoon. 
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Tree House Private outdoor jetted tub Maravu’s newest, finest and largest bure is also the most unique. The Treehouse is situated at treetop level, amongst an ancient Rain Tree. Extensive decks and a covered verandah with comfortable furnishings offer premium views of both the ocean and surrounding lush tropical rainforest. The large bedroom and expansive living room feature elegant furnishings, including a king-size bed, leather and palm tree wood furniture, a stocked mini-bar and more. The fully air-conditioned Treehouse has two full indoor bathrooms, and the living area can be converted into a second private bedroom, allowing for privacy for two couples sharing, or a family. A large outdoor courtyard features an open-air shower and a state-of-the-art spa pool. The maximum occupancy for The Treehouse is 4 adults, or 2 adults and 2 children (minimum of 12 years of age).
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 Lunchtime at Maravu |
 The Pool surrounded by tropical gardens |
 Fine wines to complement first-class meals |
 Fijian entertainment |
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 |Restaurant overlooks the tropical gardens |
 Cocktails in the Pool |
 Fijian Meke (Cultural Night) |
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GREAT DIVING - Soft Coral Capital of the World |
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What Makes Maravu Different ? |
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access to Fijian rites and
ceremonies, including the traditional Meke dance that's staged before
leaving the village, which keep visitors coming back. Maravu has
everything you'd expect from an intimate Pacific Island resort -
stunning beaches, a budding spa, lush tropical gardens, swimming pool,
waterfalls, dining, entertainment, friendly staff that call you by name,
and sunsets that could make even the least romantic visitors weep. That might describe a lot of resorts in Fiji, where the accommodating nature of the people and the beauty of the landscape are legendary. But Maravu distinguishes itself with the variety of active cultural adventures offered by the staff. Among the variety of cultural courses on hand are a Fijian cooking lesson, where Maravu guests learn to make Kokoda, a popular tropical dish. Guests can also attend a course in natural healing where they learn about herbs and Fijian magic passed down through the generations. Of special interest is Lovo Night, where guests attend a traditional feast featuring fish, sweet potato in coconut cream and peppered taro are wrapped in banana leaves and cooked on hot stones in an underground oven. Finally, in order to fully illuminate the imaginations of visitors, Maravu offers Fijian storytelling. Like many myths, the tales not only tell of tormented lovers, but also incorporate anthropomorphic anecdotes involving the area's mountains, lakes, flora and fauna. One such yarn often told to Maravu guests involves a princess who was about to be forced by her father into an arranged marriage. However, her love for another man caused her to flee the village into the mountains. Utterly exhausted, she fell asleep on the banks of Lake Tagimaucia. There she cried endlessly, as her tears of anguish turned into beautiful flowers called Tagimaucia, which means 'to cry in your sleep'. Guests at Maravu, however, will be crying tears of joy when under the spell of their special brand of Island massage. According to resort co-owner and managing director Jochen Kiess, Fijian massage reflects the local way of life - relaxed, deep and natural, using coconut oils and tropical plant essences. "Many Fijian people are natural healers, and this reflects in the massage as well," says Kiess. Massages are offered either in the guest's private bure, the Fijian-style bungalow where guests stay, or in the massage bure. "A lot of our guests become so relaxed they fall asleep during the massage". Maravu rounds out its activities by offering opportunities for horseback riding, snorkeling, mountain biking, kayaking, off-roading, diving, nature walks, deep-sea fishing for local species such as wahoo, walu, yellow fin tuna, mahi-mahi and barracuda. |
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| BEACH or GARDEN WEDDINGS | ||||||||||||
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| Maravu
Plantation Resort offers the ideal locations for a wedding. The ceremony
can be held on the beach, in the gardens, by the pool or at the sunset
viewing area with panoramic views of the ocean and outer islands. Maravu
caters for a traditional Fijian wedding with full Fijian costume and
Fijian magiti (feast) or a traditional European wedding with a simple or
full mass. And if you like your ceremony takes place in the jungle
beside a tropical waterfall or in an exotic village.
Maravu offers some of the most exotic wedding packages in the South Pacific.
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NEWS! |
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Million Dollar upgrade at Maravu Plantation completed |
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Maravu
Plantation Beach Resort & Spa
| TAVEUNI
- A FIJIAN PARADISE Maravu Resort highlights Fiji's 'Garden Island' By Les Furnanz High On AdventureTravelmagazine I'm not known as a dancer, but the rhythm was so infectious and the beckoning Fijian woman so insistent that I found myself joining the last Meke celebration dance. Similarly, my wife was beckoned by one of the young Fijian lads who had earlier performed a war dance. A large group of singers and dancers from nearby Qeleni village joined hands with us twenty Maravu Resort guests. We snaked around the swimming pool and the seated villagers playing guitars, ukes, and percussive lali hardwood and derua bamboo gongs. After several dancing encores we exploded in applause and warm thanks for a vibrant evening of fun. This was our last night on Taveuni Island, and as we dined on the lovo feast of fish, chicken, pork, and vegetables that had cooked all day in an earthen oven, we voiced our sorrows of leaving to the staff and guests. "What was the highlight of our trip?" we asked each other. We considered quite a list: Honeymoon Island, which we had to ourselves for a day before kayaking back across the blue lagoon; the incredible reef snorkeling at Fua Point; the jungle hike to Bouma Falls and the swim in the pool at its base; the wonders of Maravu Resort with its friendly Fijian staff, private beach, and coconut plantation surroundings. But deciding on a single highlight was just too tough a decision. Taveuni - Paradise Found A visit to Fiji without a stay on Taveuni would be like visiting Australia without seeing the Great Barrier Reef. There are over three hundred Fiji islands, but the 'Garden Island' is truly unique. It's a world apart from the largest, most populous island of Viti Levu or the picturesque but dry Mamanuca and Yasawa island chain. We had spent several days touring the many sides of Fiji, but when we flew across Somosomo Strait and landed on Taveuni, we immediately sensed that the non-touristy mixture of mountains, rainforest, plantations, reefs, and Fijian villages make it special - a pristine island harkening back to South Seas yore. As Fiji's third largest island, Taveuni sports a 25-mile mountain spine that blocks the southeastern trade winds, resulting in up to 30 feet of yearly rainfall on the windward side. The northern and western sides of the island enjoy a much sunnier climate, but receive enough rainfall for beautiful vegetation and productive farming. Coconut plantations are still thriving on Taveuni, and taro and tapioca fields surround the small Fijian villages. Maravu Resort has an ideal northwest island location near the small airport and several villages. Access to both sides of the island is convenient, and the private beach provides for reef snorkeling and kayaking to nearby uninhabited islets. In addition to our days of lounging at Maravu, we took guided tours along both the west and east coastlines. The west coast boasted the chiefly town of Somosomo with its council houses, the 1907 stone church at Wairiki, crafts shops at Waiyevo, and an excitingly cool ride down Waitarala Waterslide. Our favorite tour was of the east coast where Rupenee, our Maravu guide, drove us on a dirt road past farms, copra plantations, and small seaside villages such as Qeleni and Naselesele to the trailhead at Bouma National Heritage Park. We hiked upstream through the glistening rainforest to Bouma Waterfalls, surrounded by huge ivi trees. We couldn't resist the temptation to take a dip in the pool, feeling strong air gusts coming off the cascading falls. An added treat was encountering Fiji's now rare native frog, the interesting dreli. Maravu - Plantation Resort Previously a 54-acre coconut plantation, Maravu retains the charm of its origins while catering to its guests. Twelve elegant bure cottages are scattered among the coconut palms, spacious lawns, and flowering hibiscus, orchids, heliconia, and bougainvillea. The bures sport reed and bamboo exteriors with terraces and thatched roofs. Beautiful interiors are accented with daku hardwood floors, kiao mats, and coconut and wicker furniture. Lulling sounds of nature make for restful lounging and a good night's sleep. Four of the bures are honeymoon cottages with canopy beds and screened outdoor sundecks and showers. Maravu caters well to honeymooners, including romantic, hilltop-view facilities for traditional Fijian weddings. During our stay we met two happy honeymooning couples, Darcy and Shauna from Vancouver, and Dave and Miranda from Los Angeles. They had already started to build a strong friendship since meeting there only a week earlier. Miranda commented, "This is a great honeymoon spot ... quiet and peaceful. You can socialize or be to yourself. The staff is friendly, and there are so many adventurous things to do!" Maravu's centrally located main building is a thatched open-walled Fijian assembly house containing the restaurant, bar, lounge, boutique, library, and reception. Steps away, a waterfall cascades into the swimming pool, bedecked with comfortable chaise lounges and umbrellas. It was our favorite spot for relaxing after our daily ventures. A major Maravu highlight is the nouvelle Fijian cuisine. At each morning's buffet breakfast we perused the day's menu for lunch and dinner choices. Favorites in addition to the lovo feast offerings included northern Fiji lobster, numerous fish dishes, and desserts made with locally grown fruits, including bananas, mangos, papayas, and pineapples. Owners Jochen and Angela Kiess, who have fastidiously overseen Maravu since 1995, also pride themselves on their excellent wine list offering. Adventures Galore Taveuni's sporting and adventure opportunities are never-ending, including some of the world's best snorkeling and kayaking. Excellent reef snorkeling is only 100 yards off Maravu's private beach. Nearby islets with surrounding reefs are reached with just a two-mile boat ride or kayak paddle. One morning Rupenee boated us to Fua Point for the most entrancing snorkeling of our trip, with many unforgettable views: giant crocus clams; stag, brain, and porite plate corals; digitate and mushroom leather soft corals; sea urchins, Christmas tree worms, sea cucumbers, starfish, and impressive crowns of thorns. We also saw an endless stream of fish, including raccoon butterflies, Moorish Idols, painted flute mouths, angelfish, sea perch, blue streak cleaners, and large parrot fish chomping noisily on the hard coral. On another morning we surf kayaked in a double kayak (no easy venture) and had the good fortune of catching a wave breaking over the reef near Fua Point. Other options available directly from Maravu include horseback riding, mountain biking, guided bush walks along the east coast Levana Trail, and 4-wheel-drive tours to Des Veoux Peak and other inland locations. Maravu also escorts visitors to a local village and holds courses in Fijian cooking, language, and the legends of kava. Several nearby Taveuni companies offer daily trips to Somosomo Strait's incredible diving locations: the Great White Wall, world-renowned for its 90-foot-high ledge of tree and cauliflower corals; and, the Yellow Tunnel with divaricate tree corals of long, slender, yellow branches. We talked with an avid diving family, Ken and Kathi and their children, Eric and Laura, who were fellow Maravu guests. Ken offered, "This place is unique for its amazing soft corals. We take a dive every morning and afternoon. Drift diving the Great White Wall is so breathtaking that we have to see it again and again, as the current changes. And the night dives are fantastic!" Friendly Fijians It wasn't long after arriving that we came to a first-name basis with the Maravu staff. Smiles and laughter were the rule. We won't soon forget Rupenee's excellent tour guide services, or the time we spent with Setoki, expert scuba diver and fisherman, who boated us to Honeymoon Island. When he left us there for the day with our requested kayak for the return paddle, he asked when he could expect us ... he'd have come searching if we hadn't returned. Siteri made all of our meals special with her excellent service. On the evening of the Meke celebration, she introduced us to her family from Qeleni village. Each night we were serenaded at dinner by a band from Naselesele village with Charles, one of Fiji's top guitarists, leading the group. The band members talked quietly and drank a cup of kava, Fiji's national non-alcoholic drink, after each song. Got Those Maravu Blues Even paradise must come to an end, but not before we decided that Taveuni and Maravu had combined to offer our most satisfying tropical vacation. On our last morning when the staff gathered to sing their Fijian farewell, it was hard to say 'goodbye'. Inspired by the local's rendition of the blues that I had heard that week, I took the opportunity to sing them a parting version of the Maravu Blues. |
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Traveling
There:
Flights connecting Los Angeles to Nadi, Fiji (pronounced "Nahndy")
are available through United Airlines, Air Pacific, Qantas
Airways, and Air New Zealand,. Web links and phone numbers are
available at this Airlines
page. Flight times average about 12 hours. Flights generally
leave Los Angeles in the evening and arrive in Fiji in the early
morning, with a day "lost" due to the International
Date Line. Flights from Fiji generally leave in the evening and
arrive in the early afternoon (on the same date, due to the day
"regained" due to the Date Line). Note that Fiji has a
five-hour earlier time difference from Los Angeles.
Travelers
from the United States can make same-day connections to
Taveuni and other islands. Sun
Air provides flights twice daily from Nadi to Taveuni.
Maravu Resort provides a convenient van pickup from the
airport, a short five-minute drive to the resort. Visitors
to Fiji will find that it is generally not necessary to
rent a car, as local transportation arranged through their
resort accommodations or via taxi is convenient.
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