If you want to stay on a beautiful tropical island paradise away from the crowds and experience the true authentic Fiji, then Leleuvia Island Resort is for you!
Located to the east of Fiji’s main island Viti Levu, Leleuvia Island is an insanely beautiful island with many unique experiences that is really convenient to get to, yet it feels like another world.
A stay at Leleuvia Island is like no other adventure you will have in Fiji. Read on to find out more!
Image by Dronecean
Why Should You Stay At Leleuvia Island Resort?
Authentic
So many resorts in Fiji, whilst beautiful – are incredibly commercial, busy and not authentically ‘Fiji’.
If you want the real traditional Fiji experience you need to visit Leleuvia Island Resort. Leleuvia is a breath of fresh air in comparison to the majority of Fijian resorts.
It is not on the typical tourist path of Fiji and it is everything authentic plus more – and that’s why so many people love this island! Here you will find authentic Fijian bures right on the sandy beach, the whole island surrounded by an incredible coral reef, lots of history and incredibly unique nearby islands to visit.
During my stay at Leleuvia I even met one tourist who has been back to Leleuvia several times – he says it is his favourite place in the whole world! If that doesn’t show you just how special Leleuvia is, I don’t know what will!
Image by Dronecean
Not Overcrowded
Leleuvia Island lies within the Lomaiviti Islands group, which are off Fiji’s well-trodden tourist path. Many visitors to Fiji just flock to the Yasawa and Mamanuca Island groups to the west of Fiji’s main island. Incredibly beautiful yet full of people.
The Lomaiviti Islands are just as stunning as the other island groups in Fiji. They offer the perfect option to visit if you want to get away from the crowds and still enjoy luxury on beautiful isolated paradise islands. In addition, the culture and history in the Lomaiviti Islands is so rich that you can really get immersed in the Fijian culture whilst you’re here.
Leleuvia Island Resort is small and can only have 28 guests at full capacity which gives it such a relaxing and tranquil vibe! It isn’t overcrowded and you get a real sense of tranquility here, all at a very reasonable price. That’s right – you don’t need to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars per night to be able to enjoy watching the sunset on a peaceful secluded island in Fiji.
Locally Owned
Unlike many of the resorts in Fiji that are owned by foreigners, Leleuvia Island and Leleuvia Island Resort are owned by locals, which I am proud and passionate to support. All the wonderful staff at Leleuvia are Fijian, so by visiting Leleuvia you are directly contributing to the lives of many Fijian people.
Plus if you love dogs you will love Electra – the resident dog at Leleuvia! She is such a sweetheart.
Convenient Location
Despite being on an island in the middle of the ocean, Leleuvia Island is very easy to get to. In 90 minutes you can go from the bustling downtown packed city of Suva, to feeling the sand between your toes at Leleuvia Island. It really feels like a different world.
Leleuvia’s location also holds significance in Fijian history and culture: this area of Fiji is where the story of the whole country as we know now began, so it is incredible to be in such a significant place.
Leleuvia Island is located between the historic chiefly island of Bau and the first capital of Fiji, Levuka. You will pass Bau Island on the ferry to Leleuvia, and you can easily visit Levuka on a day trip from Leleuvia.
Lots Of Things To Do
Whether you’re up for a day trip to Fiji’s Old Capital, coral planting, visiting a local village and drinking kava with the locals, diving the reef, visiting a tiny uninhabited desert island or simply you just want to relax in a hammock and look for shells all day, there is plenty at Leleuvia to keep you occupied.
Image by Dronecean
What Is The Accommodation Like At Leleuvia Island Resort?
As mentioned earlier, the accommodation at Leleuvia Island consists of authentic Fijian bures made from traditional materials.
It’s important to remember that everything about the bures is traditional Fijian so embrace the simplicity and unpretentiousness that comes with it! The bures are made from wood and bamboo, with thatched roofs and there is nothing fancy and over-the-top about them which I loved. I felt like I was having such a unique and authentic experience whilst still being very comfortable in accommodation that felt very homely.
There are two types of bures – the Private Bures or the Deluxe Bures. The Deluxe Bures have their own bathroom, whereas the Private Bures use the communal bathrooms. All bures face the sea and there are two rows of bures but very well spaced out and all with good views of the beach – which is only a few metres away, so you still get to feel like you have this beautiful tropical paradise all to yourself.
Keeping with traditional Fijian style, there isn’t glass in the windows of the bures at Leleuvia. This might seem unusual at first, but it is so nice and relaxing to hear the sound of the waves whilst you are lying in bed!
Each bure has several windows, with shutters instead of curtains. You can open or close the shutter to give light and ventilation, or close them to have some privacy at night time or when you are leaving your bure.
Bures in some resorts just place thatch on top of another roof to make it look authentic, but the roofs at Leleuvia are made purely of thatch, nothing else. This is the real deal which I just loved.
And whilst it doesn’t often rain in Fiji, when we were here at Leleuvia the whole of Fiji was experiencing really bad tropical rains. Therefore as the roofs of the bures are completely thatched, it meant a tiny tiny bit of rain did come into the bure from the roof (I’m talking literally one or two drops)! For me this just added to the authentic vibes of Leleuvia – just embrace it that’s what I say!
The bures are very spacious and functional– with many of them having space for up to 6 people to sleep! Apart from the beds in the room (one double, 2 singles and a bunk bed) and a couple of bedside tables there isn’t any other furniture in the room. So no wardrobe (and no en-suite bathroom if you’re staying in the private bures).
Whilst there aren’t wardrobe closets in the room, if there are only two of you in the room it means there is plenty space on the spare beds to put your clothes and belongings.
We had one of the Private Bures with the shared bathroom. The shared bathrooms were always extremely clean and fresh, there was plenty of space and there was never a queue. As the island is small, whichever bure you’re in you’ll never be too far away from the toilets (I had to do a few toilet dashes in the middle of the night). If however having your own bathroom is really important to you, I would suggest to get one of the en-suites.
There are a couple of charge points in the room and each bure comes with a little terrace outside with a couple of chairs with a view to the sea which is lovely.
What Can You Do At Leleuvia Island Resort?
Even though Leleuvia Island is a tiny island in the middle of a big blue sea, there are a lot of unique cultural things to do here. If you don’t want to relax and lie in one of the hammocks on the island all day, Leleuvia Island Resort offers trips to Levuka, Moturiki Island and Honeymoon Island. They also organise diving, snorkelling and outrigger canoe trips.
Snorkelling gear, paddle boards and kayaks are free to use from the dive shop on the island.
There isn’t a schedule as to which activities occur on which days, so just enquire with the staff what activities you want to do when you arrive and they’ll organise it for you!
Day Trip To Honeymoon Island:
If you’re looking for a perfect deserted tropical island for a real ‘castaway’ experience then head to Honeymoon Island. Located just 3.5km from Leleuvia Island, you can see this beautiful island from the shore at Leleuvia – that’s how we came to know this island existed!
The boat ride to Honeymoon Island from Leleuvia is about 10 minutes, but if you’re feeling brave enough and the weather conditions are good (check wind and tide conditions!) you can even try and kayak over! Just let a member of staff know you’re heading over there for safety reasons!
Honeymoon Island is the tiniest island I have ever been on! In fact it is so small you can’t even find it on Google maps! It takes around 100 seconds or even less to stroll around the whole island – that’s how tiny it is!
This sandy island just has a couple of palm trees, some plants and sand, that’s it – it is Fiji’s rugged beauty at it’s finest! This trip was a real highlight of our stay – it’s the most remote island I’ve ever visited!
There isn’t a lot to do here – which is the beauty of it! Soak up the views of the beautiful remote island and truly enjoy being on such a tiny and untouched island.
Whilst we were here we went snorkelling to the nearby drop-off point of the reef which was amazing to see, so make sure to bring your snorkel gear!
Image by Dronecean
Day Trip To Niubasaga Village on Moturiki Island:
A visit to a Fijian village is a must if you wish to explore and understand the culture in Fiji. Whilst you’re at Leleuvia Island I really recommend you do their Fijian village visit on Moturiki Island.
We had the most special experience here with the locals. They welcomed us into their village and let us participate in their Kava Ceremony. The children loved showing us around and we learnt so much about Fijian etiquette and traditions – plus we got to try plenty of kava: a relaxing (non-alcoholic) drink native to Fiji as well as many other South Pacific Islands.
There were lots of songs and everyone had such a wonderful time. It was a really special experience to be welcomed into their home and I am so glad Leleuvia Island Resort offers these kind of trips. Plus, Moturiki Island is so close: it’s just a 15 minute boat ride from Leleuvia.
Day Trip To Levuka:
Levuka is the former capital of Fiji and it’s definitely worth a visit to this town, located on the nearby island of Ovalau.
The boat ride from Leleuvia to Levuka takes around 40 minutes – passing some stunning scenery on the way. You can always combine your visit to Levuka with the the Fijian Village visit on Niubasaga into one day.
Levuka is a World Heritage Listed Site and visiting Levuka is like stepping back in time. This is the real Fiji that is still untouched by mass tourism and over-commercialisation, and how Fiji used to be in the old days.
Wander down the main street, admire the historic buildings, have a look in the shops, check out the memorial stone to the Fijian Cession and enjoy the slow-paced, slightly reminiscent of Old West USA vibes.
Levuka is a town of many firsts for Fiji: here you’ll find Fiji’s first school, hospital, bank, post office, Municipal Government, Town Hall as well as where Fiji’s first newspaper was founded.
Diving & Snorkelling:
You’ll find some of the best coral reef in Fiji right here by Leleuvia and so the diving and snorkelling trips organised by the Dive Shop at Leleuvia are very popular.
If however you don’t fancy a whole snorkelling trip and just want a quick snorkel from the beach, there’s plenty of coral and marine life right next to the island so you can just grab a snorkel mask and head into the water. The coral is so alive here and looks stunning.
Leleuvia Island actually lies right next to a marine reserve so you’ll get to see some of the most beautiful coral reef in Fiji, not to mind brightly coloured fish and maybe even turtles, stingrays or reef sharks!
You’ll also see the coral planting nursery by the jetty and can actually plant some coral yourself with the Dive Shop team to help contribute to the environment. The staff working at the Dive Shop are incredibly kind, patient and fun and always passionate about planting coral and looking after the environment.
You definitely don’t have to venture far into the sea to see a whole new world under there, so make sure to make the most of this beautiful place.
Image by Dronecean
Kayaking & Outrigger Canoeing/Canoe Sailing
There are also paddleboards, kayaks and a 12 person outrigger canoe here at Leleuvia. If there’s a few of you – ask the staff at the Dive Shop to take you out on the outrigger canoe for a unique experience!
Image by Dronecean
What Is The Food Like At Leleuvia Island Resort?
The dining area is also in a traditional Fijian style with a thatched roof but open at the sides so you can still get views of the sea and the nice sea breeze whilst you enjoy your meals.
As with pretty much all island resorts in Fiji, a compulsory meal plan needs to be paid for each person. There are no shops or anything on the island so you need to pay a fixed price for all meals per day at Leleuvia.
As to be expected, the meal plan doesn’t include drinks – they are added onto your room tab and paid at the end. Fresh complimentary drinking water is available 24/7 in the dining area however.
There is a set menu at Leleuvia Island, so if you have any food allergies or special dietary requirements then let the resort know before your stay so they can prepare as there is only one food option per meal. There isn’t say a vegetarian choice, a meat choice and a fish choice – there is only one choice for everyone. For most people that isn’t a problem and it didn’t bother us at all, but it’s always good to inform you incase you have a preference.
Remember this is an island so they have to get all their food from the mainland via boat. That being said, the staff here are extremely helpful and will go out of their way to help you as much as they can!
Meals are at a set time each day, and when you hear the staff blow on the horn shell – that’s your sign to head over for food!
All meals we had at Leleuvia were delicious and very filling and varied, from the continental breakfast to lunch and dinner. Each day the menu is different, with lots of fresh ingredients, and there are even traditional Fijian donuts (babakau) and coconut scones for breakfast, as well as the usual cereal, fruit and toast options.
In addition to the fixed meal plan you can also buy additional extras such as a cooked breakfast, snacks at the bar or desserts (any time of day!).
Saturdays are a good day to be at Leleuvia so you can experience their delicious Lovo feast that happens each Saturday night, as well as the kava ceremony and live music! Lovo is a traditional way of cooking that involves cooking food over hot rocks buried in the earth. This gives the food an extra delicious flavour! Make sure to go over to the fire pit and watch how the staff prepares this delicious feast, which takes around 3 hours to prepare!
And on full moons there is a bonfire and a special Lovo night at Leleuvia, so try to time your stay then if possible!
A couple from the USA got married at Leleuvia on the beach when we were there, so we were invited to the wedding feast afterwards and to watch the Pacific Islander dance show and fire dance that Leleuvia organised. This was amazing and definitely a unique experience! I can see why people choose Leleuvia Island as a place to get married – this island is so beautiful.
The dining area is open all day long and offers complimentary hot drinks of tea, coffee and hot chocolate that you can help yourself to, which was much appreciated! The bar is also open all day and evening if you want some beers or cocktails!
How To Get To Leleuvia Island Resort:
Leleuvia Island is very easy to get to from Suva.
The boat from the mainland to Leleuvia Island goes from Bau Landing, which is very near to Suva-Nausori airport. This is super convenient if you’ll be flying into that airport as it’s just a 10 minute taxi ride from the airport.
If you are coming from Suva City, the most convenient way to get to Bau Landing is by taxi (a taxi from Suva to Bau Landing is roughly $40FJD and should take around 25 minutes).
If you don’t want to take a taxi you can take a bus from Suva to Nausori, and then the local bus from Nausori to Bau Landing. The bus journey from Suva to Nausori takes 1 hour and costs $2.21 with a TAP card. Buses come roughly every 10 minutes.
At Nausori Bus Station the bus to Bau Landing departs every hour on the hour. The bus departs from stand A10 (the sign just says ‘Bau’). The bus journey last roughly 30 minutes and also costs $2.21.
Image by Dronecean
You’ll then get the boat transfer from Bau Landing to Leleuvia Island. Don’t expect Bau Landing to be a port – there is literally a bench and a lady selling coffee and the boat ramp, that’s it!
The boat from Bau Landing to Leleuvia Island departs at 10am but once you have booked your accommodation at Leleuvia Island Resort they will confirm the boat transfer time. The cost of the return ferry from Bau Landing to Leleuvia Island is $87.50FJD.
The boat ride across to Leleuvia from Bau Landing is really relaxing and takes around 45 minutes. On the way you’ll go past Bau Island before reaching Leleuvia Island. Bau Island is a Chiefly island so you will need to remove your cap as you go past as a sign of respect.
How Long Should You Spend At Leleuvia Island Resort?
You’ll definitely want at least a couple of days on Leleuvia Island. Especially if you plan to do all or at least some of the day trips and activities mentioned above, as well as take some time out on the island to relax and unwind, you’ll want to spend a few days here. We spent 5 nights here and thought it was the perfect amount of time.
Leleuvia Island Resort is quite a popular weekend spot with expats and locals who live in Suva. If you’ve ever spent time in Suva, you’ll know that sometimes you just need to escape from the mayhem of the capital and so Leleuvia Island Resort is the complete opposite!
Leleuvia offers a fabulous contrast to Suva yet it is very nearby so it is a convenient place for them to stay just one or two nights on the weekend. Therefore weekends tend to book out a bit quicker, so just bear that in mind. If Leleuvia has reached it’s capacity for the weekend you may want to opt for a mid-week stay.
Is Leleuvia Island Resort Environmentally Friendly?
Leleuvia Island is very much an eco-friendly island and this was really a big plus for us to see how they care about the environment.
From coral farming, to only allowing reef safe sunscreen on the island (you can purchase some at the Dive Shop if you don’t have any) – this small sustainable boutique operator is leading the way in sustainable tourism in Fiji which is so great to see.
Image by Dronecean
What Kind Of People Will Love Leleuvia Island Resort?
Adventurous people who enjoy really exploring and uncovering different cultures, as well as people who appreciate nature are the kinds of people who will really love Leleuvia Island. Leleuvia is romantic, it’s fresh, it’s laid-back, it’s unpretentious and that’s what makes it unique.
It’s also suitable for those who love water activities, as well as families – there is a children’s playground here, a volleyball net and plenty spots on the island for them to play. And of course, if you love dogs you will just love Electra – we didn’t want to leave her by the end!
If you are the kind of person who prefers sipping cocktails out of coconuts from an infinity pool all day with the tunes blasting, or needs a specific temperature on the air-con to be able to sleep or needs their own butler, perhaps Leleuvia isn’t for you.
Is Leleuvia Island Resort Worth It?
A stay at Leleuvia Island Resort is an incredible experience and the ultimate island paradise getaway. If you’re looking for authentic Fiji with turquoise blue waters, white sandy beach and a wealth of unique things to do whilst being off the main tourist trail, you’ll find it here at Leleuvia Island Resort. A beautiful relaxing resort and honestly one of our favourite places we stayed at during our 3 months in Fiji!
And of course not forgetting the fantastic staff. Typical Fijians they are very kind and welcoming and want you to help you have the best time on their beautiful island. This is Fijian hospitality at it’s best and you’re bound to have a great time on this beautiful island paradise!
If you’re planning your Fiji trip and looking for some more helpful reviews on accommodation, check out:
Yasawa & Mamanuca Islands: Captain Cook Cruise Around Yasawa & Mamanuca Islands Review!
Natadola Coast: Likuri Island Resort Review
Coral Coast: Fiji Beach House – Best Budget Resort In Fiji Review!
Pacific Harbour: Uprising Resort Fiji Review