Suva
Fiji


The Experience

When the Cessna Caravan that is "Air Wakaya" lands on the grass runway of this elite, nine-bungalow island resort, a 45-minute flight from Fiji's international airport, peregrine falcons scatter into the air. And on the drive to the resort, the Land Rover passes Fiji's only deer, wild horses and pigs. It's a fitting introduction to this remote island -- with its turquoise bays, secluded golden beaches, ferns and banyans -- and this wild, remote resort where everything from Champagne to scuba diving is included in the price. Its exclusivity has made it a discreet haven for celebrities since it opened in 1990, though it does have a Gilligan's Island liability: Put one loud, obnoxious couple here, and the paradisaical equilibrium goes woefully awry.

The Rooms

Eight individual one-bedroom bungalows (bures) are spread out along the property's ocean line, far enough apart to afford a feeling of complete privacy. They're identical in design, 1,650 square feet, with high ceilings, polished wood floors, separate living rooms, four-poster beds and outdoor lava-rock-enclosed showers. Even here, though, nothing's perfect: The bures are a bit dowdy, with Hawaii-in-the-'60s rattan furniture in hokey tropical prints, and while woven-grass walls are charming, they're also dark. Also be aware that two of the bures are set far enough back in the garden that the ocean can't be seen. Upgrade to the Governor's Bure for a light-filled 2,400-square-feet one-bedroom with Asian artifacts and dramatic touches, or Vale O, the owners' original residence, set on a ridge with views of turquoise inlets from both sides.

The Service

Most of the staff have been here for years, and they're practiced in caring for finicky guests. You can at times grow old waiting for a lemonade, and in their efforts to be accommodating, they can agree too quickly to requests before they've been completely understood, but it's hard to be irritated when you're dealing with such honestly caring people.

The Highlights

Wakaya's all-inclusive rates are the only option on a private island where there are no towns, no restaurants and no shops to visit. Fortunately, there's no skimping anywhere (the only extra charges are for deep-sea fishing and the spa); Wakaya even has a nine-hole golf course, unique at a private island resort. You'll find breakfast and lunch the best meals at Wakaya -- from morning's fresh-baked fruit muffins to a midday grilled fish and salad; dinner menus can suffer from being overly ambitious. Take breakfast outside on the deck built around a towering old dilo tree, then venture out for a snorkel through the live coral, and you'll see an encyclopedia's worth of tropical fish, vivid snakes, eels and rays. The whole experience is an escape from the everyday into an alternate universe dedicated to babying you -- and absolutely no one is sucking up for a tip.

-- Laurel Delp

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