Monday, May 15, 2006

Fiji Island Vacation – a Traveler’s Tale

Fiji Vacations

Ever since watching Gilligan’s Island as a little girl, I had fantasies of visiting and even living on a magnificent tropical island.  Of course, the dreams of a little girl rarely come true…but in my case, a trip to fantastic Fiji came pretty close!

My husband and I were looking for a destination that would allow us to escape the stressful reality of our busy lives (and I do mean stress).  After doing some research and seeing some breathtaking pictures, we decided on Fiji.  It is often marketed as a romantic travel destination, and I am here to tell you that it absolutely is. 

With so many islands to choose from, we were looking for a gorgeous island that would not be too ‘touristy’.  We really wanted something a little bit more private that wasn’t overrun with other tourists and where you are constantly hounded to buy cheap souvenirs.,

For our first trip, we thought that Virgin’s Castaway Island vacation would fit the bill (we had been to London through your company before and had the best time).  It seemed to have everything we were looking for in a relaxing getaway.  Getting to Castaway Island takes a little bit of work, but I’m telling you the experience is definitely worth the journey.  The location of the island is not far from Fiji’s main island Viti Levu.  Our package included a catamaran ride to Castaway, which was an exciting start to our vacation.

Castaway is a private resort island featuring sixty-six thatched Fijian styled bungalows.  You get your choice of beachfront, ocean view or island view locations.  If you can afford it, I highly recommend the beachfront locale because it is truly stunning to wake up every morning and gaze out onto those crystal clear waters and white sand beaches.

I’ve never vacationed in my own private bungalow before and it was a fantastic experience.  I just loved the thatched, vaulted ceilings, tropical island style furnishings and modern bathroom facilities.  Vacationing in a private bungalow sure beats a hotel room any day!

The staff of Castaway Island Resort was fantastic and they help ensure you have the type of vacation you dreamed of.  If you are content to soak up the sun on their stupendous beaches – that’s fine!  Or, if you want to be more active, they have tons activities available like tennis and swimming and the use of their water sports equipment is free!  There is something for everyone at the Castaway Island resort!

On an island like this one, you hope that the food will match the spectacular surroundings.  Well, this resort did not disappoint.  An unbelievable breakfast buffet got us started each morning. I could have lived on the tantalizing tropical fruits alone!  A terrific casual dining menu is available for the remainder of the day.

Dinners were tremendous as we dined al fresco (I couldn’t help thinking about my friends suffering in a very cold winter as we were dining in beautiful warm evenings under the stars).  The a la carte menu offered up unbelievable seafood and great meat based entrees.  The resort offers truly gourmet food that doesn’t disappoint.

If you go, be sure to partake in the Wednesday Fijian Feast and Saturday Beach BBQ.  These were great opportunities to mingle with other guests and experience traditional Fijian food and entertainment.

As a bit of a wine lover, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a terrific selection of South Pacific wines available.  There was so many that it was difficult to choose!

I almost forgot the diving!  Being new to diving, my husband and I decided to get out once during our trip with their PADI certified dive operation. The unspoiled coral reef was a truly astounding display of vibrant colors and fish species I’m not likely to ever see again!  If you are a diver, or want to learn, Castaway Island is the perfect place.  You can even choose an eel or shark encounter if you so desire!

Well, my trip to Castaway is now a vivid memory in my brain and in digital pictures.  We loved it so much, we are anxious to explore one of the other many island in this truly magical area of the world.  I hope that someday, you too will become a castaway in fantastic Fiji!  Thanks for a great trip!

Mandy L. - Pasadena, CA

Posted by mandylala on 05/15 at 01:14 PM
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