An hour after setting off on the most relaxing adventure from Nadi’s domestic airport, we stepped foot on a tropical paradise island akin to the Swiss Family Robinson island. It even had a tree-house wrapping itself around the numerous ancient trees – just a slightly more luxurious one than the one the Robinson’s built. We were spending our one night in Fiji at Royal Davui Island, a luxury adults-only retreat built in 2005 by Chris Southwick, a fifth-generation Fijian who now splits his time between Sydney and Fiji. From the moment we arrived on the tiny island to the moment we landed back at Nadi airport, we were blown away by the entire experience Royal Davui provided. This is somewhere incredibly special, and somewhere I am desperate to return to for a lengthier stay one day.
The level of care and attention Chris and his staff provide meant our short 24 hours were filled with the very best experiences on the island. Our stay began with a welcome song from the staff in the restaurant and lobby, before we were served cocktails whilst we checked in. And then we were taken to our suite, where we were once again blown away, this time by both the sheer size of the two-person villa, and the breathtaking view looking out over the reef and ocean below us.
Royal Davui’s Secluded Vales
Royal Davui Island is home to just 15 villas – all of them the traditional Fijian Vale style and secluded among the native jungle foliage and fauna – ensuring an intimate stay. Our Sunset Pool Suite was a spacious and well-presented split-level three-room villa, with a stunning bathroom complete with jacuzzi bath and skylight to stare up wistfully at the stars, a contemporary bedroom area with wrap-around glass doors leading onto a sunset terrace, and a living room.
The living room was the pièce de résistance, featuring the same wrap-around glass doors as the bedroom, but with a view over a plunge-pool set within the large terrace. The living room also had it’s own bar, and a mouthwatering loaf of homemade banana bread was left on the coffee table, nestled beneath a traditional woven-leaf cover.
Royal Davui are doing everything they can to be eco-friendly, ensuring that all cleaning products are organic and won’t cause any harm to the precious reef that surrounds the miniature island. They have also removed plastic straws from the bar and restaurant, and are minimizing their plastic use as much as possible.
Visit The Private Sand Cay
If you can drag yourself away from your stunning villa and the mesmerizing view, an adventure awaits you in the form of Royal Davui’s own private sand cay. This is an unmissable activity, which will see you jump on their boat for a quick 15-minute ride through the azure waters before you arrive on a tiny slice of paradise. The sand cay is home to a few friendly birds who land on it for a rest during low-tide, for low-tide is the only time of day the cay is accessible. Outside of low-tide the ocean hides it beneath its waves and just a two-hour window of availability each day keeps the island a secluded secret known only to Davui guests.
The staff will create a luxury picnic for you to enjoy, complete with deck chairs, an umbrella, and rug if you don’t wish to get too sandy. If you’re a water baby like me though, I suggest eating your lunch and then spending the rest of your time on the cay laying in the shallows letting the water gently lap around you. I promise you, you will feel like the only person on earth.
Luxury Island Life Activities
Back on the island you mustn’t leave without having a massage in the spa. Despite being a self-proclaimed connoisseur of massages around the world, the massage I had at Royal Davui is now currently number one on the leader-board of ‘best massages ever’ (nudging Palm Island‘s down to second place, and Belmond La Residence D’Angkor down to third position). It was like no massage I had ever had before, I was so relaxed I was in a state of inbetween, not quite asleep but not quite conscious. It was a dreamlike state that I wish I could have stayed in far longer than the one hour massage time.
As well as the exceptional spa, the island also has a communal swimming pool complete with flag system if you need a member of staff to bring you a cocktail, and a number of secluded beaches. If you’re a book lover there is an on-island library, and of course for any underwater lovers, the island is sat atop a barrier reef so you can snorkel straight off the island! Other onsite activities include catamarans, paddleboards, sea kayaks, swimming, sailing, water skiing, hiking, deep-sea fishing, volleyball and croquet. Shark feeding dives off of Beqa, where a shark conservation area attracts seven species of sharks.
Kava Shots and Fresh Seafood
The restaurant change their menu daily depending on what fresh food is available, with a large focus on seafood from the surrounding area. The food was consistently of a very high-quality, and the bar has a rather interesting collection of alcohol. We tried an incredible coconut vodka, and a not-so-incredible Kava and Vodka shot. Kava is famous in the South Pacific as having a notorious reputation, it’s an acquired taste that I personally did not care for. But you can’t go to Fiji without trying it, even if it is in shot-form rather than dirty-water form!
I was also really impressed with the a la carte breakfast menu. It made a lovely change to not be faced with a hotel breakfast buffet, and instead everything is cooked fresh. There’s a decent choice of items ranging from sweet to savoury, and the papaya lassi was the perfect tropical breakfast drink!
Take a Helicopter Transfer
For the ultimate luxury experience at Royal Davui, book a helicopter transfer to take you to and/or from the island. We took the plane and boat option on the way to Royal Davui, and the helicopter back to Nadi airport, and although we really enjoyed both types of transport, you just can’t beat the helicopter experience. The helicopter transfers are FJD1,350pp one way, whilst the plane/boat combo is FJD525pp one way. However, there is currently an offer where if you stay 7 nights you get return helicopter transfers for free.
Rates at Royal Davui Island Resort include meals and taxes and start at FJD $2,460 per night (per couple) for an Island Pool Vale (approximately $1,160 USD) and FJD $3,150 for a Sunset Pool Suite (approximately $1,500 USD), not including transfers.
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Catherine Lux is a food and travel contributor at AGLAIA, and a luxury lifestyle blogger documenting her life on her blog, Lux Life London. With Lux Life London having a large focus on travel and food, she loves nothing more than long-haul flights, excellent restaurants, and relaxing with friends in the coolest places in town.
