Taveuni rightfully earned the reputation of being Fiji’s “Garden Island” thanks to the swath of plant and animal life that the island hosts. When you hear of people’s favorite destinations to visit in Fiji, Taveuni often comes up as a top contender. A fellow expat friend, Clare, and I ventured from our home island of Viti Levu to Taveuni’s tiny airport to see if the island lived up to its reputation.
As a travel writer, I’ve been lucky enough to check out some incredible properties. Clare and I checked into Tides Reach Resort as part of an assignment, a boutique luxury resort set on a sandy beachfront on the stunning island of Taveuni.
Smiling staff, fresh flowers, and signs with our names welcomed us to the site that would be our home for the next four days. It’d be our sanctuary as we standup paddled, surfed, hiked, and explored over four days on Taveuni.
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Overview of Tides Reach Resort
Tides Reach Resort is all about personalized luxury with just four villas on a small, sandy beach. There are two 1600ft2 two-bedroom villas and two 750ft2 one-bedroom suites. All are spacious with modern decor. Each has its own private patio that opens out to the ocean. Rooms have outdoor seating and lounge chairs shaded by umbrellas.
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Meals are served at an open-air restaurant that links to a small pool and bar area. There is also an activity area where standup paddleboards, kayaks, jet skis, and bicycles are available for guests to use. Papaya and coconut trees accent the property.
One thing to know about Taveuni is that most resorts are situated on a cliff ledge or on grass. Tides Reach Resort is one of the few places you can have a beach-getaway feel you’d find at the Yasawa Islands, while still being able to experience the beauty of Taveuni’s waterfalls and lush forests.
Next to Tides Reach Resort is a small cafe serving coffee, fresh juice, and snacks. In between the resort and the cafe is and dive center where you can pick up snorkeling gear and plan dives to Taveuni’s famed dive sites found at the Somosomo Strait, the trench dividing Taveuni from Viti Levu.
Food
Meals (three times per day) are included in your stay at Tides Reach Resort. Dietary requests are well catered for and you can opt to enjoy a meal near the pool or just steps away in the dining area. I opted for the vegetarian plan and every meal was delicious.
As a plus, Tides Reach Resort will pack up your food as a picnic if you head out on an all day excursion. Tip: Let the chef decide what to make for your lunch rather than requesting a sandwich or something specific.
Rooms
We checked into the two-bedroom villa ideal for groups of friends or families. It had a lounge room that doubled as second bedroom with plenty of seating areas. The master bedroom overlooked a main patio area with the ocean just a few paces away.
The accommodation came with a spacious closet, a bathroom complete with a standalone tub, rainwater shower, and door that leads to an outdoor shower. The main room featured a plush king-sized bed, a TV, lounge area, and mini fridge stocked with drinks and snacks.
The evening turndown service is a nice touch and helps add that extra element of luxury.
Activities
Some activities and day trips are included at Tides Reach Resort. Each guest is assigned a staff member who will schedule activities during the stay. All the best things we did in Taveuni were arranged through the resort.
You can go on waterfall walks, scoot down rock slides, walk along coastal trails, and so much more. You’d be remiss not to scuba dive along the Somosomo Strait, either.
Tides Reach Resort: Our Experience
We checked into the two-bedroom villa ideal for groups of friends or families. It had a lounge room that doubled as second bedroom with plenty of comfy couch cushions to lounge around in. The master bedroom overlooked a patio that led to a quite beach. The property of Tides Reach Resort is small, making it one of the more intimate luxury resorts on Taveuni.
While many travelers come to Tides Reach Resort in search of relaxation and tranquility, Clare and I refused to spend our days chilling on the sand. Activities are included with the room rate here, so we took full advantage.
At sunrise, we standup paddled and surfed the tiny wave out in front of the resort.
Read: What to Pack on Your Trip to Fiji
By midday, we traipsed through waterfalls and slide down rock slides. We explored nearby settlements and hopscotched across the international date line.
Come sunset, we’d kayak or standup paddleboard along the shoreline.
In the midst, the staff at Tides Reach Resort made our rooms cozy during the nightly turndown service, served incredible food by the pool, and entertained our wildest conversations. A quirky cafe and dive shop (also owned by the resort) was just a short walk away if we ever felt like leaving the property.
As a travel writer, I’ve been sent to tens of resorts to review them for glossy magazines and guidebooks. I’ve been sent by Forbes to see if top-ranked properties truly lived up to their rating.
Tides Reach Resort is easily one of the best in Fiji. Here, you’ll have a more intimate experience than the larger resorts that have gargantuan pools, multiple restaurants, and tens of scheduled activities. Tides Reach Resort caters to travelers who’d prefer a boutique luxury experience, rather than one you’ll find at a large chain.
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This website contains affiliate links. This means I may make a commission on any bookings made at no extra cost to you. I visited Tides Reach Resort as a media guest as part of an outside assignment.