I absolutely love staying at matanivusi resort, it feels like your staying with family but have your own private beachfront bure to hide away in if you want to. The owners are a wonderful couple and the staff always have a amile on their face and go out of their way to help you out and make yourself feel at home. With all meals and most activities included in the price it is definitely well worth it, you can do as much or as little as you want, It felt like I had my own personal tour guide showing me where all the best snorkelling and kayaking spots were. I highly recommend this place to surfers and non surfers alike.

We stayed at Matanivusi last month and loved it! We travelled to Fiji with our two children, and although we don't surf we had a fantastic time. The pool is great, the rooms are beautiful (right on the beach), and the food was AMAZING, as were the cocktails! The staff couldn't do enough for us, they love children (great babysitters) and we will definitely be back as soon as we can! Thank-you.

This was our first trip to Fiji. There are 4 of us- My husband, a keen surfer, myself (not a surfer ) and 2 kids aged 11 and 9 (not surfers either). What we always look for in a holiday is good quality accommodation and good service. We certainly got both of those at Matanivusi. The rooms are really lovely . The people...where do we start with our praise. they have the balance just right- they are there when you want/need them yet don't hover and give you space and privacy. What I liked most was that the service was NOT a matter of "this is the way we do things" but rather, what would you like to do? The guys were excellent with the kids. They taught my daughter to kayak; they organized beach volleyball, rugby games, fishing trips, snorkeling...you name it. These guys are experienced, take safety seriously while making sure everyone has fun. My kids both caught massive fish each weighing 12-14 kg. Imagine how thrilled they were! The guests loved us as the chef made sashimi, fish fingers and curry out of them! the food was of very good quality. I had a bit of an upset stomach on arrival and the chef cooked me boiled chicken and really made sure I was on the mend. I was upset when I saw the huge samosas he made everyone for lunch. So, when I got better he made them again just for me! Touches like this really made the holiday even better. We really had a lot of fun. There weren't too many guests and we all got to chat and share stories/experiences. Also, lots of different types of people stay at Matanivusi. There were seasoned surfers as well as beginners and people like me who don't surf. There were also people of all ages . One American family from Huntington beach brought Grandma along who was truly delightful and entertaining. There was a guy who had just graduated from school who came with his Mum, more families. SO much to do! I read one review where a person claims that you are isolated/stuck. Not true! the staff offer to take you to heaps of other places whether it is shopping, visiting a church/village, a trip to a waterfall which you get to on horseback and also adventure sports. What I really liked was that there wasn't a fixed schedule and that you could do things at your own pace in your own time. We were also taken on a sunset boat trip with champagne and nibblies for my husband's birthday. That was very special...and then when we got back to the resort, the chef had made the most delicious chocolate cake I had ever tasted and we celebrated with all of the staff and other guests. We came to Matanivusi after a week at a 5 start resort of which we were club members. matanivusi was FAR better. At the other place all there was to do was eat and swim in a pool full of people drinking all day! There were activities but you were on your own- you hired flippers etc and there was no help/supervision. You could go and do organized activities but they were expensive and you had to do them at a certain time with other people. At Matanivusi, we were so well looked after. This place is real value for money and you will have loads of fun and leave with great photos and special memories.

A cool experience to say the least - it's like you have a cool uncle and aunt (the owners) who have an amazing beachfront cottage who get locals to take you out to surf and cook you meals. Very friendly staff / enjoyable other guests makes for a great time you won't forget. Beach views are unbelievable (though i think the Fiji islands are like this as well).

Just a little steep for a surf camp - at about $575 USD / night per couple, this is about what you'd pay for a room at the plaza on central park in New York or a 5-star hotel in Paris. The meals are good and local - but not close to a 5 star level, nor are the rooms really - without AC, etc (though it is an eco resort). They don't really have much equipment - not even a long board when we were there (surfed a paddle board one day!) - you need to bring your own board / booties, etc. Plus the excursions / drinks can be pricey - though not that far off other resorts.

Part of this is Fiji which is a little more expensive as it is remote from a large population, but a similar surf camp in Bali or other developing country is about $100-$200 / night (with air-con in the rooms and meals).

All in all though - a great experience we won't forget with great people ( the owners, the guests and the locals from village who work there), just hit the budget pretty hard. That said - they seem to be really full and guests are quite happy, so they are doing most things right.