As we land in Fiji, there are a whole lot of sad individuals on our airplane. Due to a severely delayed departure, we’re touchdown late afternoon, which implies that everybody who was planning to catch a sea airplane to an island resort will now need to in a single day in Nadi.
These of us travelling to COMO Laucala Island, nevertheless, are exempt from the final dismay. In contrast to different resorts, Laucala Island has a runway, permitting its non-public planes to land at night time.
One 50-minute flight is all that stands between us and the beginning of our getaway.
Laucala Island is known for doing issues in a different way. Created greater than a decade in the past by Pink Bull cofounder Dietrich Mateschilz – and having lately joined the wellness-focused COMO portfolio – Laucala Island is called the resort the place there aren’t any limits.
Visitors together with Oprah Winfrey and George Clooney are glad to pay the steep charges – beginning begin at $US5600 ($8371) an evening for a one-bedroom villa – for a vacation the place each luxurious is on the market.
Among the many most important luxuries is area, and Laucala has that in spades.
There are simply 25 residences on this 12 sq. kilometre island, and my one-bedroom villa sits on a plot larger than the home I grew up in. It has two separate pavilions for dwelling and sleeping, a freeform infinity pool, indoor and out of doors bathtubs and showers, an al fresco eating pavilion and yoga deck overlooking the seaside, in addition to a fully-stocked (complimentary) mini-bar with a beneficiant collection of wines and spirits.
You could possibly simply spend your complete keep holed up in your villa, and I think many guests do. Even once I hop in my electrical buggy to go exploring – if you happen to want, your tau, or butler, will drive you – I not often stumble upon one other visitor.
The all-inclusive price covers water sports activities equivalent to snorkelling and diving, crusing, browsing and jetskiing. There may be horse driving, and yoga, a tennis courtroom with a professional glad to hit with you, and a jungle-shrouded 18-hole golf course designed by David McLay Kidd that enchants me regardless of my lack of golf expertise.
Nearly the one factor not included within the price is spa remedies, though a supremely stress-free 60-minute therapeutic massage is supplied to each visitor – an excellent option to kick off your keep.
Equally stellar is the meals. Most substances are grown on the island or sourced from native suppliers. (Our tour of the 97 hectare farm reveals not solely fruit timber and veggie beds but additionally a vanilla plantation, hen, sheep and cattle.) There are breakfasts on the colonial-styled Plantation (juice menus embrace an excellent watermelon, ginger, cucumber and mint combo), lunches by the seaside and dinner on the clifftop Seagrass the place we get pleasure from teppanyaki.
At Laucala Island, you’ll be able to fill each second, or just let the moments stretch out, sitting on a abandoned seaside watching turtles swim previous. But when I needed to establish only one factor that lifts this resort above the competitors, it could be the truth that, it doesn’t matter what the request, the reply is at all times sure.
Whether or not it is making an attempt to slot in a fast snorkelling session earlier than a sundown sail or ordering one other serve of Laucala’s more-ish tackle Magnum ice lotions, this employees makes issues occur and makes it look easy, too.
THE DETAILS
FLY
Fiji Airways flies to Nadi twice every day from Sydney and every day from Melbourne. The 50-minute switch from Nadi to Laucala Island on the island’s non-public airplane is $US750 ($1120) a technique.
STAY
Charges begin from$US5600 ($8345) an evening for a one-bedroom villa and embrace full board, together with wines and spirits, one 60-minute therapeutic massage, non-public periods on the golf course and actions together with yoga, horse driving, and watersports together with crusing and diving on the inside reef.
MORE
Ute Junker was a visitor of COMO Laucala Island
