Paradise in the Garden Island of Fiji

By Tim Yeo

Private Oceanfront Bures

The moment your 20 seater island hopper plane touches down on the island of Taveuni you will realize why this beautiful island is known as the garden island of Fiji. The 3rd largest of her islands, Taveuni is one large tropical rainforest. The only road on the island that brings divers from Matei airport in the northern tip of Taveuni to Paradise near the southern tip is paved for about half the way down the island and becomes a dirt road the rest of the way. But whether the road hugs the beautiful coastline or snakes through the rainforest, it is a scenic 90 minute drive till you reach Paradise.

The scenic drive to Paradise up in the highlands and by the coconut plantations on the coast

You are treated like a VIP the instant you step foot in the garden resort. The first order of business is ensuring you are nice and relxed with a 10 minute foot massage along with a cold coconut drink in your hand. After a quick check in process, you are escorted to your luxurious accommodations where your luggage is already waiting for you.

A foot massage awaits you upon your arrival at Paradise Taveuni

Paradise is a small intimate resort with 10 Tropical and Oceanfront Bures. The bures are located in individual buildings and all have a separate bedroom and lounge area, indoor and outdoor shower and your own private jacuzzi. The bedroom's French doors open up to an outdoor patio that is great for enjoying the Fijian sunshine after a day of diving. Paradise also has Oceanfront Vales that come equipped with AC. There are 6 oceanfront vales in 2 buildings.

A private Bure and the Vale building with 3 separate vales equipped with AC.

The separate bure bedroom has 2 French doors that open up to a patio and the lounge area in the bure.

Meals are one of the most anticipated times at Paradise as the cuisine presented to you is nothing less of gourmet. Paradise owner Allen Gortan started off in Fiji as a chef and it shows in the menu and the food. While Allen now runs the dive operation at Paradise, the head chef at Paradise is culinary trained and every meal is an art show. All meals are ordered off the menu, and you put in your lunch and dinner orders at breakfast and lunch. Currently85% of fruits and vegetables are grown on site. Paradise also has a farm where they raise wild pigs and other animals. The goal is for Paradise to be 100% self-reliant for all their fruits, vegetables, meat and fish. You can choose to dine in the main outdoor restaurant or at the outdoor gazebo that is also used to host weddings.

The restaurant has ample seating for all guests but more intimate outdoor dining experiences are available.

Lunch was a refreshing traditional Fijian fish ceviche with cassava fries and beet salad.

Dinner was a sumptuous meal of beef rendang with lentil soup and mango chutney.

Underwater photographers will love the AC equipped camera room with 11 stations and lots of charging outlets. There are 2 large rinse sinks located right outside the camera room. The dive shop is located a few steps from the camera room and overlooks the boat dock just a few steps below.

French Doors leading to the 11 station AC camera room with 2 large rinse sinks on the right.

There are many diving options at Paradise Taveuni. The Paradise Taveuni House Reef is just a giant stride off the boat dock and good for macro photography. I saw blue ribbon eel, leaf scorpionfish, moray eels, squid and cuttlefish and a number of different nudibranchs.

Paradise boat dock with their new fast catamaran tied to it. The house reef is right off the dock.

Good macro diving on the Paradise house reef with ribbon eels and leaf scorpionfish.

10 minutes by speedboat and you will be at the horseshoe shaped Vuna Reef. The moment I got into the water, I was wowed by the structure of the reef itself with the open ocean on one side and a sheer wall rising from 80 feet up the surface. Expect to see reef sharks, turtles, tuna and Spanish mackerel and the occasional hammerhead.

A 3 foot Spanish Mackerel patrols the reef.

Fusiliers swim over a table coral and a large sea fan sticks out from the sheer wall at Vuna Reef.

Between the islands of Taveuni and Vanua Levu lies the Somosomo Strait and one of the best places to dive in Fiji called Rainbow Reef. The reef is made up of a collection of underwater pinnacles and the strong currents that pass through the strait bring lots of nutrients that soft corals need to thrive. The soft corals found in Rainbow Reef challenge any destination in the world with its cacophony of colors.

More Pictures Of Paradise Taveuni

From left: Bure living area; bedroom; indoor bathroom with French doors leading to outdoor shower and private jacuzzi

From left: indoor bathroom; gift shop; infinity pool looking out to the ocean

From left: Private area for snorkeling and sun bathing; private spa set in its own building; spa looks out to the ocean

Bluewater Travel can book you to Paradise Taveuni or any other resort of liveaboard in Fijifor the same cost or less than booking any other way. We know the diving, accommodation and when to go better than anyone else!

Email us atinfo@bluewaterdivetravel.comandtell us that you read this article to get a special price for your next dive trip.