It was absolutely impossible to relax. While there are plenty of things to do and see - such as Snorkelling, Diving, Swimming, day trips to the Pearl Farm, Taveuni or Qamea to experience village life you can stay on the island and while away the hours with ultimate indulgence in the Day Spa. The Fijian people are the warmest, gentlest and most humble people that are NEVER too busy to make your stay very memorable. They have an uncanny ability to remember everyone's name making you feel that extra bit special. A picnic at Horseshoe Bay is not to be overlooked and an absolute must. If you are a bit more energetic and want to indulge in some heart pumping exercise - take the track over the top of the ridge - not for the feint hearted. Just magnificent in every way. Hope to return sooner rather than later.…
There is no other word for Matangi Private Island Resort than paradise. We stayed the first week of May as a family group of 8 celebrating an 85th birthday and all agreed it was the best family holiday we've ever had. The island is remote (2 planes, a bus and boat ride from Sydney) and so, so beautiful - truly a get away from it all destination. You know from the moment you arrive and are welcomed by the staff singing that you are in for a magical vacation. Everything is relaxed but perfect at the same time. The burés are spacious and comfortable, beautifully decorated and with everything you need but still feel very Fijian and traditional. The food is truly excellent and the twice per day snorkelling trips are amazing. We spent most of our days relaxing and reading at the pool area adjacent to the restaurant but there are sun loungers next to the burès, hammocks at the beach and other places to relax if you want your own space. I loved that you can put your make-up and dress on for dinner then kick your shoes off if you want to. So relaxed and laid back. The day trip to Horseshoe Bay was a real highlight as was a special dinner the staff arranged for us on the terrace of the day spa. It was a beautiful, still evening and I'll remember the golden moon rising over the water while we ate for as long as I live. I had 3 treatments at the day spa (massage, facial and coconut hair treatment) and they were all very good. But like all the reviews say, what really makes Matangi special is the staff. They are the loveliest team I've ever encountered. They all know you by name and go out of their way to make sure you are having a wonderful vacation, teach you a bit of Fijian, have a smile and a laugh with you. It's a very well run team. Nothing and I mean nothing was ever a problem. You change your mind and just want the starter salad as a main for lunch instead of what you ordered because you ate too much at breakfast? (guilty) No problem. You're at Horseshoe Bay and you decide you want a few more beers and wine brought around from the resort? No problem. 6 margaritas at once?No problem. Your dad has a favourite song? Played by the musicians every night. It's that kind of place. We were all so sad to leave that we booked to go again next year as soon as we returned home.…
My wife and I had an amazing honeymoon at Matangi Private Island Resort. The island is beautiful, there are many activities to enjoy, the food and cocktails are fantastic, and the staff provides exceptional hospitality. The small number of guests at a time provides the perfect balance of privacy and a social community around meal times or excursions. We were sad to leave and hope to return some day. 10/10 recommend, especially with the romance package!
36 Wonderful small resort on its own private island. Review of Matangi Private Island Resort Pending review Tropical paradise! A beautiful island. Excellent snorkeling (the primary reason we made this trip). 2 organized reef trips daily, with abundant and varied healthy corals and lovely reef fish. Much less coral bleaching than the other Fiji resort we went to. Bures very spacious and comfortable (limited views from the bure, but excellent views from the patio in front of the bure). Food excellent and varied. Truly lovely and welcoming staff, a delight to meet them. Always available and helpful. My highest recommendation!
It is impossible to overstate how much we loved the Matangi Island Resort. Our 8 day stay in Oceanview Bure # 3 was perfect in every way. The booking process and the van/boat transport from the Taveuni airport was seamless. Upon arrival we were greeted by staff singing a welcome song, given a refreshing coconut drink and escorted to our bure. Our bure has an expansive view of the water and is tastefully designed in the Fijian style. The romantic canopied bed was super comfortable with luxury linens and air conditioning. We loved the the outdoor shower (it too had ocean views), fluffy white towels and plenty of Fiji made organic bath amenities. The bure has a hospitality area with coffee, tea, scrumptious homemade cookies and a mini fridge. But our favorite spot at the bure was the covered front porch with it's swinging daybed with plenty of pillows - the perfect spot to read/chill/nap and enjoy the amazing views. The island and intimate resort is beautiful – lush rainforest, stunning aquamarine water, spa, activities center, white sand beach with hammocks and loungers. The main common/dining area has a number of comfortable sitting areas with views of the ocean and lovely swimming pool. Chaise lounges and two covered swinging day beds are always set up with fresh towels. We hung out in the sitting areas for morning coffee and evening cocktails while utilizing the WIFI there. Every meal was amazing- we couldn't wait for our next one. We loved the lattes, breakfast smoothies and fresh fruit & bakery from the breakfast bar plus our choice of hot entree. At breakfast you choose your appetizer, entree and dessert for lunch and dinner. All were presented beautifully and were delicious, exceeding our expectations. As a very active couple we loved getting our exercise on the rainforest hikes (one coastal, one up to the top) and kayaking around the island, exploring beautiful Horseshoe Bay and Turtle Bay. The twice daily snorkeling trips were amazing- magnificent soft coral and colorful fish and on one trip, a large pod of spinner dolphins showing off for us. There are a number of worthwhile day trips. We did the Taveuni coastal hike to a waterfall that also involved a short swim to the two falls- great exercise! The resort has complimentary activities such as guided hikes, natural medicine demo, boat tour around the island, and cooking class, as well as other day trips for an add-on fee to Taveuni, Pearl Farm tour and a private Horseshoe Bay lunch experience. What made our stay over the top special were the people...every single staff person we encountered was gracious, warm, friendly, and well trained and they did everything possible to ensure we were happy and had a great time. We so enjoyed being on a first name basis with everyone and sharing stories --remarkable, lovely people whom we will not forget. So when it came time to leave and the staff sang and waved, we were very emotional. It truly was the most perfect trip and we look forward to coming back again.…
We spent a full week at the beautiful Matangi Island Resort, including three nights in an oceanside bure and four nights in a treehouse - both of which were stylish and well designed. The rooms didn't have TV or wifi, but that didn't personally bother us as we'd come prepared with our own entertainment options. We particularly appreciated the regular replenishment of drinking water (this is not always a given at resorts, though it should be!!) and the complimentary laundry service. The dining was a definite highlight, with a variety of fresh and tasty options offered (including three courses for both lunch and dinner). My favourite dishes included the smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, and the Thai beef salad. The fresh bread and butter, and welcome juice shots, were always welcome too! We weren't diving on this occasion (a popular Matangi activity), but enjoyed a range of other activities. Our favourite was the half day picnic at Horsehoe Bay, complete with a bottle of sparkling wine. Such an idyllic setting! For those after more energetic activities, we'd also recommend the ridge hike, as well as the day trip to Taveuni to visit the Tavoro waterfalls and the natural waterslide. We'd really hoped to do the Lavena Coastal Walk, too, but unfortunately it hasn't yet re-opened. NYE was a very quiet affair, though we did enjoy the trio of local musicians who entertained us over dinner. Matangi paid close attention to Covid protocols and, from our experience, staff religiously wore masks and sanitised. The dining area is well ventilated and laid out for social distancing. Thank you to the delightful host Sireli, as well as the many other brilliant Matangi staff, for making our first trip to Fiji's north a memorable one!!…
If you really want a good sense of how wonderful Matangi is, stay at another resort and the comparisons are not even possible. From John at the bar with his great smile and devilish wit to Maddie in the spa, Eric on every snorkel trip, Princess Sera and most important the heart and soul of the group, Sireli who ran the front of the house and was the greatest host and driver of every little detail and special event. Everyone was truly and genuinely glad to see you. Like many of you we have been fortunate to stay at several 5 star resorts and nothing compares to Matangi. The food is awesome and how they get a chef of that caliber to cook these meals for such a small guest population is stunning. Our room #7 was recently refreshed and spotless. This was summer/rainy season and it was muggy hot but the over bed AC was perfect and adjustable. We had a large deck which ended up being the cocktail hour spot for several of the island guests. It rained 3 or 4 times but never during the day. Post afternoon snorkeling found all the guests enjoying the coolness of the pool AND poolside delivered cocktails...the guests just became one big family. The snorkeling was stunning, from brilliant healthy coral to tons of colorful fish and an occasional (and very harmless) reef shark. We spent 7 days at Matangi and settled into a relaxing state of wake, eat, swim, snorkel, swim, eat, swim, snorkel, swim, drink, shower, drink, eat and sleep. Matangi is a touch rustic and very closely connected to the village across the straight, where most of the employees commute from each morning. The owner sits in a chair most mornings with whatever native animal he has recently rescued and your welcome to walk right up and talk about birds or bats or whatever he has rescued. We prefer to adventure to new locations but we made the decision to come back to Matangi for a longer stay the moment our butts hit the seats of the boat taking us back to Taveuni while the staff and remaining guests sang us off the island. I wish I could remember everyone’s names and thanks each of you individually!…
Not sure where to begin Everything about this resort was wonderful. Rooms, food, drinks, pool, landscape and staff were outstanding The resort is laid back and casual which makes for socializing with the staff and other guests easy We made some lifelong friends from around the world. Special thanks to Betty and Bibi for awesome cocktails and letting us party till late. Jack, Tim, and all the other boat tour guys. You were incredible thank you. Kava ceremony was educational and interesting and Tim did a great job Snorkeling trip were sure an adventure. The only small complaint....the picnic area for the waterfall hike was on a rocky beach with no table or seating and the food was all laid out in the back of the hot van. The beach was located in a road construction parking area with dusty large trucks moving dirt. NOTE. Bring your own water in a yeti as the only water they had was in 2 small jugs and was lukewarm. My husband and I had to share a glass because there wasn’t enough to go around. Good thing we made awesome friends to share with. Bring bug spray on that hike and wear a rash guard if you plan on doing the natural slide …
We visited Matangi after three weeks travelling in New Zealand, which made the idyllic, away from it all experience even more welcomed. The Bure rooms constructed in The local style are attractive and comfortable, some with outside showers. Beds have mosquito nets. Toiletries are provided along with tea/coffee making facilities. The absolute charm of the place is the family feel from the staff The villagers from the local area are the most welcoming, kind and friendly people that cannot do enough for you. There are numerous spots to relax around the resort. Dreamy hammocks on secluded beaches and a pretty pool area alongside the well stocked bar. Take the coastal path walk, over to Turtle Beach. Meet the farm animals, horses, cows, and piggies. Lovely story of the red pig and it’s descendants. It was rescued from a broken down boat by the owners son, and taken back to Matangi. Chickens abound! No predators on the island, so they are everywhere. I was shown around by Christina, the owners daughter. She is passionate about the flora and fauna of the island. Committed to the local land and seascape. A program to grow clams and coral to replenish the local stocks is commendable. Meals prepared from the local produce are healthy and delicious, and beautifully presented. Wonderful spa with lovely treatments and friendly therapists. Take advantage of the massage packages. Snorkelling trips are offered twice a day. And several free excursions are offered - boat trip around the island and a visit to the local village. Can’t recommend Matangi highly enough for a laid back, away from it all retreat. …
We had an amazing vacation at Matangi Private Island Resort! The location, accommodations, privacy, amenities and food were excellent but it was the people who made the trip so special. They made us feel at home and were so nice and caring. We snorkeled, explored the island, picnicked at Horseshoe Bay and enjoyed the spa services, among many things. A unique one of a kind special experience!
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Listing