Yasawa Island Resort & Spa

I’ve wanted to visit this place for a long time and finally made it. Although it was a bit of a dodgy start arriving late because of weather, we were met with a beautiful Fijian welcome. I will admit I was a tad disappointed originally being put in a tired bure (no 3) surrounded by renovation work, however we were moved the following day into a Deluxe Bure (no 10) which was amazing and much nearer to the beach and pool area. I loved the outdoor shower although it could do with extra toiletries here as the Shampoo etc are fixed indoors. I also enjoyed having a personal hammock and beach chairs that I could retire to with my book. Kadee and her team were absolutely delightful and we ended up having the most amazing 8 nights at this resort. Staff are so friendly and treat you like family. Thank you to Omi, Wati and Manasa (he is very respected being one of the founders) who were always so warm and friendly. The food options are limited, but it’s incredible 5* food and beautifully presented. I really enjoyed the relaxing vibe here except for the odd guest who unfortunately spoiled it by having loud video calls and playing annoying tik toks in public. Although there is a small note at the bottom of the menu, this is not easily visible so a polite verbal mention during the arrival transfer may be a better option to keep noise at bay We also had the same music all week which all the guests noticed and found rather funny so a few more CDs would be good There are plenty of excursions and I enjoyed snorkelling, exploring the caves and local villages plus doing a dive. Pedro is the main man who is so knowledgeable (plus Smigger and Dan) Air-conditioning is somewhat limited in your room however the library was always a cool place to escape during the heat Some of the outdoor decks and furniture are very tired so If you are used to 5 star bling in Dubai or the Maldives this may not be for you. I found it authentic, friendly and extremely relaxing with an intimate atmosphere amongst wonderful guests. There wasn’t much I could fault… I did collect two bags of rubbish from the beach (not sure if this was due to the cyclone) so it may be an idea for the gardening team to do an occasional beach sweep. Just note that there’s often weather disruptions during Jan/Feb so on the return we had to get a boat or pay an extra $450FJ for the helicopter. Other than that this place and its people are amazing and it’s worth the effort to get there. Thank you for a great experience 🏝️

Extraordinary location , attentive genuinely caring staff, spacious accomodation . Picture perfect beaches , house reef has live multicoloured coral , fish , large live shells . The diving is diverse and exciting . The staff go out of their way to accomodate guests ‘needs. The staff cannot be commended enough for their authentic Fijian hospitality , their caring kind service . Picnics on deserted beaches Healthy tasty meals , very caring staff The girls at the Spa …..we kept going back for more of their massages . The Bures are spacious with a great view of the pristine beach and coconut palms .Scenic 30min flight across from Nadi airport We stayed from Xmas-NYE The celebrations were great , terrific band and fireworks for NYE The days flew by . We stayed 8 nights but could easily have stayed longer . There is a lot we haven’t had time to explore . This was our 4th visit and it won’t be our last .

Before we turned up with my mother and grandmother we were absolutely exhausted. We had worked long hours and we caught up in our own busy lives. This beautiful place is truly healing. We swam/went diving everyday, ate healthy food and had beautiful massages almost daily. We all feel rejuvenated into the new year. What feels even better is that we are supporting the Yasawa locals by visiting this resort. More than 90% of the employees are locals, the rest are from the mainland. This means everything is done with soul and love. Not everything is perfect and five star but that is reflected in the price when you compare to surrounding resorts. This is a truly authentic experience. The corals are still alive, there’s almost no plastic on the beaches. The staff care for you like family and still live in their villages. Some even walk up to an hour each day to reach the resort. Somebody had the gall to write the staff are “overly friendly” - I think they completely missed the point. Enjoy the Fiji time, the simple and healthy way of living - you will reap the rewards. After more than 20 years of Fiji trips, this one’s the pick. A bit more effort from Nadi but totally worth it. Tips: - Beach picnics are jewel in this crown, spend a day under an umbrella, snorkel and don’t see another human!!! - The house reef is the best for snorkelling - Cloud 9, also just off the resort is some of the best diving I’ve ever done - If weather permits, try diving the opposite side of the island, beautiful sea fans and different fish ~ 17 m to 20 m level - Bring some Fijian cash for shell markets in the villages, again supports the local women

Yasawa Island Resort occupies a truly beautiful and remote setting, and the staff are warm and kind. However, travelers accustomed to genuine five-star luxury should be aware that the experience does not align with the resort’s pricing or how it represents itself. During my stay, several core amenities were unavailable, including the main pool and spa, without advance disclosure. For travelers who value pool time (and are not ocean swimmers), this materially changes the experience and should be communicated before booking. Food quality was inconsistent and often well below luxury standards, despite feedback being raised during the stay. Accommodations showed signs of wear that do not match five-star expectations. The resort frequently attributes gaps to remoteness, but that explanation doesn’t hold up. I traveled directly from Yasawa to another equally remote Fijian resort where service, food, facilities, and attention to detail clearly met luxury benchmarks. Remoteness is not the issue; standards and execution are. Most guests seem happy here, and I can understand why if expectations are modest. But for travelers accustomed to high-end resorts—where communication is proactive, amenities match what’s sold, and service recovery is built in—the price-to-value equation simply does not work. This is a lovely island and a well-intentioned team, but it is not a five-star experience at a five-star price. P.S. The resort emphasizes the importance of guests raising concerns “in the moment.” That expectation is hard to reconcile with the lack of proactive communication before arrival about closed amenities that could not be remedied on site. True luxury hospitality works both ways.

We have had a wonderful stay at Yasawa resort so far. We have only 2 days left and the end is coming too soon. The staff and the Yasawa family truly want you to relax and enjoy this place. And we have. Everything from the daily included activities to the 3 spectacular meals a day far exceeded our expectations. This is a remote island and resort and that is what we wanted. This means the beach right in front of the resort is never full of people and the snorkeling spots walking distance away is always empty. Just waiting for you 🥰 We. Will. Be. Back.