ack in 1990 Henry Crawford and Martin Livingston brought to fruition a vision they had for a perfect tropical escape. Vatulele has continued to exceed the expectations of guests and reel in award after award ever since.  The resort is located on an extensive beach shared by no other resorts or hotels, on an island with just a few small villages just a 25 minute airplane or helicopter ride from Fiji’s International airport. 

n their stated philosophies, Vatulele’s creators spurn television, telephones, newspapers and shoes.  With a staff to guest ratio of almost 3 to 1, a maximum of only 19 couples at a time enjoy some serious pampering.

ach of the 17 villas (deluxe beach bures) share the same floor plan and amenities, and are nestled in the dense foliage of the rain forest about 50 metres apart from each other ensuring each villa’s privacy.   Inside there is a large bathroom and dressing room, a spacious bedroom with king-size bed, and a sunken living room that opens on to an expansive terrace.  Each villa has a short path the emerges from the foliage onto its own stretch of white sand beach, and the easy access of azure water beckons.

he newest addition to Vatulele is the Grand Honeymoon Bure, Vale Viqi (pronounced 'varlay vingy').  Privacy in Vale Viqi is paramount.  Noted for it’s architectural detailing, you’ll be enveloped by 1960 square feet (182 square metres) of air conditioned bliss that includes a comfortable dining area, a bathroom area with dual indoor and outdoor showers, a bathtub and bidet.  In addition there is a private courtyard and deck and a plunge pool, all surrounded by striking tropical foliage. The bure’s full time staff resides nearby, and a full time electric cart is available for transportation.

or the ultimate retreat, The Point is ideally suited to high-

profile guests or anyone seeking privacy.  This “super-bure” is the big sister to Vale Viqi, with 2 private pools and an arresting view over the lagoon, beach, and the rest of the resort.  Needless to say, a full time private staff is at your disposal.  Views throughout The Point are exquisite, as are its appointments.  Enough said.

uisine at Vatulele ranges from Californian to Thai, and includes Japanese and Indian but is not limited to any region or style.  There is a special emphasis on seafood, but the overall dining experience is diverse and most special dietary requests can be catered to.  Daily shipments of fresh ingredients arrive from Australia and New Zealand, and Vatulele’s first class wine cellar includes unlimited French Champagne, all covered in the nightly rate.

ining is typically communal, with guests sharing a single long table.  Sometimes meals are held outside on a terrace overlooking the lagoon, or tables are set under the night sky at the water’s edge, illuminated by lanterns and candles.  Private romantic dinners or special occasions can be celebrated on the moon-lit beach or in the wine cellar, as well as other areas.

"We are extremely proud to be able to include Vatulele into our portfolio" said Six Senses’ Chairman, Sonu Shivdasani. "The concept and spirit of Vatulele run parallel to the brand values of our Evason and Soneva properties in the Maldives, Thailand and Vietnam. For example, in our Maldives properties we have the philosophy of No News No Shoes, which also applies to Vatulele", he added. "We therefore do not intend to make any immediate changes. In the longer term, we will develop and upgrade some aspects of the resort, including the addition of a Six Senses Spa, which is a key element of all our properties, and put emphasis on Host development"

iving around Vatulele Island is pristine, and their reefs are not visited by any other dive operators. The diving is primo!  Currents are generally mild, but due to the island remote location and being surrounded by deep water there is a plethora of nutrients to support a fantastic underwater environment.  The local visibility is generally a bit better than in other areas of Fiji, and pelagics from mantas to hammerhead sharks are often sighted.  There is no shortage of hard or soft coral, either.  There are over 20 dive sites (more than you could visit over a week long stay) within a 15 minute boat ride from the resort!  Shore diving from the resort is only marginal, due to the shallow protected area out in front of the beach, but the snorkeling is excellent.  Water temperatures range from a winter low of around 77F (25C) to 82F (28C) in the Fijian summer.  The average boat ride is 15 minutes with the closest sites a mere 5 minutes away, and the farthest about 30 minutes. 

atulele is the only five star island resort in Fiji with a PADI "Golden Palm" status dive facility and resident instructors.  Courses are offered up through a variety specialty courses and Divemaster (all open water referrals are accepted), and daily 1 or 2-tank dives, plus afternoon or night dives can accommodate even the most serious divers.  There is no retail dive shop at the resort, but they can accommodate their guest’s minor repair needs.  Tanks (K-valve aluminum 80’s and 63’s), weights and belts are provided to all divers, and BCDs, regulators wetsuits and underwater scooters are also available.  Vatulele operates 2 dive boats, an 8.5m catamaran and a 5.3m mono hull.  The cat is a purpose built dive boat that can handle 10 divers, and the mono can accommodate 4 divers.  Both have covered areas.  The minimum certification qualification of their dive guides is Divemaster, and they maintain a 4-1 ratio of divers to guides.