Vakanananu Retreat

On the North Coastal Road in Matei at the northern tip of Taveuni — the Garden Island whose Rainbow Reef, Bouma waterfalls, rare orange dove, and the specific quality of an island that remains genuinely tropical and unhurried have made it a destination whose travellers return not once but repeatedly — there is a private eco retreat in the hills above the ocean whose eleven TripAdvisor reviews are all five-star. Vakanananu Retreat is the specific kind of Fiji accommodation that produces the vocabulary of guests who say they couldn’t remember staying anywhere they enjoyed more: the bures that feel like original and delightful cottages full of light and fresh air, the 2.5 acres of grounds whose fruit trees and vegetable gardens provide the kitchen’s daily supply, the veranda that guests describe as a spot they promise themselves they will leave and then remain on until the sunset has completed itself across the coconut trees, and the two owners whose warmth, knowledge of the island, and genuine investment in every guest’s experience produce the retreat’s consistent record.

Sharon and Grant are the specific human quality of Vakanananu — Sharon in particular, whose first-rate cooking, baking, and daily breakfasts that change to surprise guests, whose chai and homemade sweets in the afternoon, whose packed lunches for big hiking days and private dinners on the veranda are described by guests with the vocabulary of the unexpected: the best breakfast on the trip, the best cooking on the island, the specific care that made a quarantine recovery from COVID not just tolerable but genuinely comfortable. Grant is the practical counterpart whose knowledge of the island, car, and helpfulness with the logistics of Taveuni exploration provide the support that transforms a private retreat in the hills into a fully connected Taveuni base.

Vakanananu Retreat is on the North Coastal Road, Matei, Taveuni Island — a short distance from Matei Airport, accessible by domestic flight from Nadi (approximately one hour) or Suva’s Nausori Airport (approximately 45 minutes). The property offers private bures with ocean and jungle views, veranda, well-stocked kitchenette, rain shower, and comfortable beds on 2.5 acres of tropical grounds with fruit trees and vegetable gardens. Breakfast is prepared daily by Sharon and changes each morning. Prepared meals, packed lunches, and private dinners are available on request. Airport transportation is available. The beach with excellent snorkelling is approximately 10 to 15 minutes’ walk. Sharon and Grant organise activities including hiking, waterfall trips, birdwatching, Rainbow Reef diving connections, and in-room massage. Free WiFi is available.

Matei and the Taveuni Setting

Matei at the northern tip of Taveuni is where the island’s airport, the Somosomo Strait dive shops, and the access to the Rainbow Reef and the Bouma National Heritage Park are concentrated — the specific node from which Taveuni’s full range of natural attractions is most accessibly reached. Vakanananu occupies the hillside above the road whose elevated position above the northern coast produces the ocean views and the specific quality of a retreat that the word implies: removed from the road noise, private within its own grounds, the sound of tropical birds in the fruit trees and the sea visible through the palms.

The beach with its excellent snorkelling is approximately ten to fifteen minutes’ walk down the hill from the property — a proximity that the staff’s willingness to provide lifts makes even more practical on days when the heat of the climb discourages the return journey. A cafe directly on the beach — The Dive — provides the additional food option for days spent entirely at the water’s edge.

Taveuni’s principal attractions — the Bouma National Heritage Park’s Tavoro Waterfalls and Lavena Coastal Walk, the Des Voeux Peak summit hike, the Rainbow Reef’s thirty-plus dive sites of the Somosomo Strait, and the rare orange dove’s birdwatching territory on the island’s forest trails — are all accessible from the Matei base, with Sharon and Grant’s network of local guides and contacts making each excursion an organised adventure.

The Bures

Vakanananu’s bures are designed with the specific intention of making guests feel they are in a private home rather than a hotel room — the light and fresh air of a cottage whose orientation takes the ocean view and the jungle view as its primary visual assets. The rain shower, the comfortable bed, the well-stocked kitchenette, and the veranda whose hammock chairs and sea view through the coconut trees produce the specific reading-book pleasure that guests describe as the unexpectedly dominant memory of their stay.

The kitchenette is well-equipped for those who want to prepare their own meals, and the property’s fruit trees and vegetable gardens produce the fresh supply that makes self-catering at Vakanananu a considerably better proposition than a supermarket run. Snorkelling gear is available for use at the nearby beach. Yoga mats are provided. The property has a library of books and resources for guests.

Sharon’s Kitchen

Sharon’s cooking is the element guests mention most consistently and with the most evident enthusiasm — the daily breakfast that changes to surprise rather than repeating, the homemade bread that waits for arriving guests, the chai and sweets in the afternoon, the packed lunches prepared for long hiking days, and the private dinners on the veranda as the Taveuni sunset completes itself.

The retreat’s 2.5-acre grounds include fruit trees — papayas, bananas, and tropical varieties — and vegetable gardens that provide the fresh produce whose proximity to the kitchen makes the cooking a specific expression of the island’s bounty. Sharon’s meals for guests are available on request and are described as the finest cooking of a Fiji trip that for many guests has included resort restaurants and fine-dining properties at considerably greater expense.

Taveuni Activities

Sharon and Grant organise the full range of Taveuni’s activities through their network of local guides and contacts:

Waterfall and hiking trips to the Bouma National Heritage Park — the Tavoro Waterfall series and the Lavena Coastal Walk whose guide arrangements Sharon coordinates with the precision of someone who knows which local guides are best for which routes.

Birdwatching on Taveuni’s forest trails provides the encounter with the rare orange dove — the bright-plumaged Fijian endemic whose sighting guests describe as a specific trip highlight — along with the island’s other endemic and migratory species.

Rainbow Reef diving through the island’s dive operators whose morning pick-ups from Matei Sharon connects guests with — the thirty-plus dive sites of the Somosomo Strait and the Great White Wall accessible from the northern Taveuni base.

Snorkelling at the beach fifteen minutes’ walk downhill, with the retreat’s own gear and the option of boat trips to offshore reef sites. Local fishermen provide the boat access to more distant reef systems.

In-room massage arranged by Sharon — the private massage experience whose quality guests describe as among the finest they have had, available without leaving the retreat.

Buba — the retreat’s driver and local guide whose warmth, fishing skills, and knowledge of the island make him the practical companion for the day trips, fishing excursions, and transport that guests want beyond Sharon and Grant’s direct provision.

Getting to Vakanananu Retreat

Taveuni is served by domestic flights from Nadi International Airport (approximately one hour) and Suva’s Nausori Airport (approximately 45 minutes) to Matei Airport, operated by Fiji Link. Airport transportation is available from the retreat — Sharon or Grant collecting guests directly from the terminal to begin the Vakanananu experience with the island welcome that the retreat promises.

Final Thoughts

Vakanananu Retreat on the North Coastal Road in Matei is the Taveuni eco retreat experience at its most genuinely personal: bures in the hills above the ocean whose veranda views through the coconut trees, Sharon’s daily breakfasts and home cooking prepared from the property’s own fruit and vegetable gardens, Grant’s organisation of the island’s activities, and the warmth of two owners whose investment in the experience of each guest has produced a perfect five-star record. For the traveller who has come to Taveuni for the Rainbow Reef, the waterfalls, the orange dove, and the specific beauty of Fiji’s Garden Island, and who wants the most personally hosted and genuinely warm base from which to explore it, Vakanananu is the retreat that Sharon and Grant have made the island’s finest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Vakanananu Retreat?

On the North Coastal Road, Matei, at the northern tip of Taveuni Island — a short distance from Matei Airport, in the hills above the northern Taveuni coast.

How do I get to Taveuni?

By domestic flight from Nadi International Airport (approximately one hour) or Suva’s Nausori Airport (approximately 45 minutes) to Matei Airport, operated by Fiji Link. Airport transportation from the retreat is available.

Is the beach accessible?

Yes — the beach with excellent snorkelling is approximately 10 to 15 minutes’ walk downhill from the property. The staff will provide lifts. Snorkelling gear is available.

What does the retreat include?

Bures with private kitchenette, rain shower, veranda with ocean and jungle views, hammock chairs, and 2.5 acres of grounds with fruit trees and vegetable gardens. Daily breakfast by Sharon is available. Prepared meals, packed lunches, and private dinners can be arranged.

What activities can be organised?

Waterfall and hiking trips in Bouma National Heritage Park, birdwatching for the rare orange dove, Rainbow Reef diving connections, fishing boat trips, snorkelling, and in-room massage. Sharon and Grant organise all activities through their local guide and operator network.

What is breakfast like?

Sharon prepares breakfast daily — it changes each morning to surprise guests rather than repeating the same menu. Fresh fruit from the property’s trees and gardens, cooked options, homemade breads and pastries, and hot beverages are typical. Guests consistently describe it as among the finest breakfasts of their Fiji trip.

Is the retreat adults-only or family-friendly?

The retreat is suited to couples and individual travellers but also welcomes families — the bures are spacious and the grounds are safe and enjoyable for children. The hillside setting and walking distance to the beach are practical considerations for families with young children.

By: Sarika Nand