Where do I start. My husband (non diver/fisherman) and I met and married in Fiji in 99/2000 and have come back to Fiji over 20 times. We’ve been to most regions and love it. We came across Matava 4 years ago when recommended during one of our other trips. I did communicate with the staff via email for sometime prior to our first visit just to get a good understanding of what to expect, heat, mosquitos etc. The communication was fantastic and my expectations were set for a hot humid stay with the potential of assorted wet season bugs. With this knowledge in hand we chose Xmas/New Year as our first trip (wet season).
From the minute we landed at Vunisea’s quaint airport we knew we were in for something different. We loved the ride from the airport in the old truck with a few stops to get supplies before meeting our transfer boat. The 40 minute trip from Vunisea to Matava is absolutely mind blowing and after 4 return visits to Matava I still can’t get sick of travelling around in these transfer boats. Rain or shine.
Upon arriving on my first visit I was a little disappointed that there was not the traditional golden bar of sand out the front, but that disappointment faded within about 5 mins. Matava is primarily a dive resort however, there is so much to do, including some great snorkeling at the reef right in front of the resort,which incidentally is a marine park thanks to the resorts owners agreement with the local villages, bush walks, guided canoe trips, surfing, game fishing, just hanging out on the deck, having fun with the staff or just chilling on your stunning deck with a good book/ipod whatever.
Our stays have generally been 2 week visits at Easter or Xmas/New Year (so we can have more time off work to spend at Matava) and there are lots of fun festivities to be had with the guests, staff and villagers. Last Xmas/New Years was the absolute best. Our stay was initially 2 weeks, we extended to 3 then extended to a 4th and final week (reality – need to get home to start saving for the next trip). I would have thought that after 4 weeks we may have got a little tired of the best diving I’ve ever experienced. I hooked up with some great dive buddies and seriously, for 3 weeks straight (in the wet season) our chant after surfacing was “that was the best dive ever!”. I managed to pack in 40 dives this trip and could have still done some more, but I’m also a fan of the game fishing.
Bite Me, the 31ft Blackwatch is a fantastic boat completely equipped with all you need for a great day’s fishing. Adrian and Joe are just fantastic and I’m sure they enjoy it just as much as the punters who head out past the reef for some deep sea fun! I’ve been lucky enough to get some Fiji National Records which always puts a smile on everyone’s face. I’ve shared charters with non-fisherpeople who’ve always had a fantastic day and come back for more. I recommend always take plenty of sunblock, shades, a hat and a sarong to cover up when it gets a bit hot.
During the 4 trips to Matava we’ve chosen to try all the accommodation. We love it all. From the budget oceanview bure right on the water’s edge (very traditional) to the medium budget with own bathroom, to the awesome Honeymoon Bure’s on the top of the hill. We loved the deck at the Honeymoon Bure and the fact that you can keep the bathroom door open, stand in your shower and enjoy the most wonderful view of all.
I could continue to go on and on more than I already have however, I would like to list a few points which make us keep coming back:
1.Remoteness – means that guests who travel here are doing so for like minded reasons
2.Great Company – we’ve hardly met a guest we didn’t have great fun with
3.Awesome diving, you name it (apart from wrecks) they have it, drift, no drift, deep, not deep, big fish, little critters, manta’s, sharks, day/night. The local dive team really know their stuff
4.Game fishing, activities, chillin (from someone who usually can’t sit still for 5 mins)
5.Staff – Maggie and the team just do everything they can to make your trip the best – they truly make you feel like one of the family (not a cliché in this instance)
6.Food – and lots of it! Fresh, diverse, GREAT deserts (and I’m NOT a desert person) and cold beer
7.The new Bure – we loved the character of the old bure but the new one is something else
8.The Deck – a great place for those cold beers and stories at sunset, before dinner, and for just chillin
9.The most amazing blues and beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen – I will NEVER get sick of those waters

I SOOOO wish I was back there right now....

I had a hard time writing this review of Matava, and I would have given it a rating of 3.5 if that was possible. There were several things that we really liked about the place, and some that we didn’t. The Fijian staff (Maggie and Joe especially) were really great. The staff and the unspoiled Island of Kadavu, make the resort as special as it is.

The snorkeling was amazing. We went on the dive boat in the morning and really enjoyed Joe and Drex. They were a lot of fun and definitely knew what they were doing. The other guests were a lot of fun and we had some really good laughs. However, it is a small place and everyone eats meals together so personalities can really change the dynamic of the place.

What bothered me, is the management including the outdated website and lack of enthusiasm of the owners. Richard and Adrian would sit in the bar while the rest of us had dinner. It was very awkward.

Our room, especially the bathroom, was not as pictured on the website. It was up a slick trail and located next to the trail to Richard and Adrian’s houses as well as the path to the garden and beyond. So, there was foot traffic and you could hear quite a bit of noise from the houses above and people passing by. You had to access the bathroom from the deck, which could be seen from both paths, so bring something to cover up. The view was very good, but the deck, especially the stairs and railing were starting to rot. It really wasn’t worth the extra money for the “Honeymoon Bure”. Going in, we understood that there would not be power available. But it was very hot and humid and the lack of a ceiling fan made sleeping very difficult.

The rooms did include mosquito coils, even though the website says they are available for purchase. And they did have a charging station set up in the renovated main bure for cameras and laptops that could be used around the clock, again not as described on the website. I used the packing list on the website, but there is one huge omission. Bring a sulu or long skirt for village visits, long pants aren't adequate. Kadavu is very traditional.

It is advertised as an eco-resort that grows their own vegetables and serves fish caught each day. The garden was overgrown while we were there and was in the process of being cleared and re-planted. The only fish served was that caught by another guest during our stay, otherwise the meals were chicken, lamb or sausages. The food was very good, with the exception of desserts, and there was always plenty to eat.

We knew to expect an open skiff and an hour ride, so that wasn’t a problem. On the return trip to the airport, heavy rain started as we neared Vunisea. They gave us torn, mildew covered rain coats to put on. At low tide, you also have to walk through 4-5 inch deep mud to get to the beach at Vunisea. This wasn’t the high point of the trip.

It wasn’t until we got to the second resort of our trip (Nanuya Island Resort) that we really understood that Matava just isn’t as good as it could be, especially for the price. Kadavu is amazing and we will probably return.

Matava is a tiny eco resort with room for only about 22 guests. All guests eat together and we made some great friends this way. The staff are unique and funny. The location is so lovely, by the sea and very remote so it feels like a real adventure to actually be there. Great snorkling and I wasn`t bored at all just soaking it all up. Fill up on the real fijian experience!

I began my stay at Matava only planning to stay a week or so before venturing onward to explore the rest of Fiji. However, in the end I stayed just over 3 weeks and now I wouldn't have planned my holiday any differently. I chose Matava because I wanted to dive the Astrolabe reef, and I was looking for a remote and fairly rustic resort (to weed out the people that expect chocolates on their pillows) with some interesting people to drink some beers and chat with during dinner. Also, as a solo traveler, costs at most resorts were out of my budget, so accommodation was also an issue.
Given that it was the wet season, the diving did not disappoint. Colorful hard corals, some soft corals, nudi branches, and great shark and manta dives. The dive staff are wonderful and do a great job of keeping things organized and efficient while maintaining a fun atmosphere - and catering to the particular needs and desires of the divers that come through and whatever nature had delivered for the day. Due to the sheer size of the reef there is a lot of diversity in the dives that are offered – and the “exploratory” dives were some of my favorites.
I was fairly impressed with the grounds of the resort given the remoteness of the island and the inherent challenges that comes with the humidity. They have just added (sometime in 2008) a lovely main bure with a nice bar and a deck where most meals are eaten. There is no beach actually attached to the resort - so you do have to motivate to paddle to the nearby island (15 minutes or so). Meals are served on a (mostly) fixed schedule - although they will keep your food for you if you for some reason miss it. As a fish-eating vegetarian - they did an excellent job feeding me. Most of the food was handmade and the most memorable dishes featured fresh fruit, produce from the organic garden, and whatever fish was caught that day (bit of luck required here) with some chilies thrown in for good measure. And I discovered that even fresh tuna gets tiring after three weeks! Although the toasted coconut chips served during happy hour never got old.
My stay was really made so enjoyable by the staff. When I came down with a bad cold on my second day (perfect for a diving vacation!) I was immediately force fed fresh pineapple and given a selection of sudafed from their personal stash to ease my suffering. Most of the guests that came through were friendly and fairly adventurous – and made for some enjoyable evenings. Due to the lack of electricity at night (bring a headlamp!), and the long days in the sea and sun, most people went to bed fairly early. The nights were normally hot and humid. There were usually lizards rustling the thatching, mosquitoes lurking around the netting with spiders waiting in anticipation, and occasionally a crab or some other creature would make its way into my bure. But that’s the fun of sleeping in the tropics! Luckily I could also hear the water and there was usually a breeze to help with the heat.
Overall, I had a fantastic stay at Matava. I loved the remoteness, the basic and natural feel of the place, the amazing staff, and the friends I made during my stay. So I recommend it for the adventurous people of the world that want a relaxing holiday with some good diving and fishing without the crowds or the frills and the expectations of fancy resorts.