Day 3 At Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort in Fiji

One of the things I like most about this resort is that everyday their is a different theme to the activities and outings. Today’s theme was “Fijian Culture.” Some of the activities offered were Fijian Storytelling and an outing to nearby Nukubalavu Village.

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We stayed on the property and enjoyed breakfast and a cooking demonstration where we learned to make coconut stuffed plantains braised in coconut milk. This dish was on the menu for tonight’s dinner so it was fun getting to learn how to make it ourselves.

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Most of the day was spend in the Serenity Area around the pool and reading in the hammock at our bure. It rained on and off during the day but that did not seem to keep anyone from having fun.

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Lunch was exceptional– with salmon served on udon noodles as the standout dish. The thinly sliced pork was also tangy and delicious.

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You’re well fed at the Jean-Michel Cousteau resort, but the portion sizes aren’t huge, which is nice when you’re spending most of your day rocking a bathing suit.

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I drank a few young green coconuts and also decided to try the fresh lemonade made with local Fijian lemons which really hit the spot during the heat of the afternoon.

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The clouds were extremely beautiful during the magic hour before sunset, making me sad to be leaving tomorrow.

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The evening activities were particularly fun since dinner was traditional Fijian Lovo buffet. Lovo means cooked underground while wrapped in leaves and fish, pork, and chicken were prepared this way.

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It was fun to watch the lovo pit for the few hours before dinner to see the leaves before and then the meat being pulled out once it was cooked.

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While I might attempt the coconut milk braised plantains, I’m going to leave the lovo cooking to the Fijians!

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The dishes were served in baskets and platters woven out of local leaves. It was a great dinner.

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The evening’s entertainment included a traditional kava ceremony and music from the Kava Boys. There was also a special meke dance performance from school aged children from Nukubalavu Village.

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Since most of the resort’s staff is from this village, many of the performers were children or relatives from the attentive staff we’ve gotten to know during our stay. This added to the home-like atmosphere that the resort fosters.

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While I’m sorry for my stay to be ending, I felt that tonight’s entertainment was a highlight that won’t be forgotten.

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This has been such an amazing South Pacific glamping adventure. I want to say vinaka (that means “thank you” in Fijian) to Mark, Bart and all the staff at the Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort and Glamping.com for making this trip possible.

Day 2 at Jean-Michael Cousteau Resort in Fiji

Day 2 at Jean-Michel Cousteau resort started with waking up to the sounds of morning rain against the thatched roof of our bure.

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The room was still cozy so I made some local Fijian coffee with the coffee maker in the room and read for a bit before heading over to the main bure for breakfast.

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The staff is so personable here, they make sure you never go more than a few minutes without being asked if you need anything. I ordered a Flat White (my favorite Australian morning beverage) and the spicy omelette which was one of the featured specials.

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The rain continued intermittently throughout the morning, but that did not stop much activity. Guests were enjoying swimming in the pool and many of the other activities the resort has going on each day.

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My husband and I chatted with Bart, the hotel’s operations director who told us that the rain was supposed to let up in the late morning and clear up by lunch. He suggested we take a trip to the resort’s private island during the afternoon.

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After a light (and delicious) lunch of lamb and soup, Gabby from the activities center loaded us up on one of the resort’s boats for the 5 minute ride to the island.

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The boat ride was beautiful and fun and few hours spent on the private island were an unforgettable highlight of the trip.

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The island has a kayak for two, bathroom facilities, a beach hut with a table, and two chairs located at the exact point where high tide hits. Gabby left us with a color full of Fiji Gold Beer and water, an emergency medical kit, and a two-way radio so we could contact him if we wanted to be picked up earlier than the designated time we set a few hours later.

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My only regret was forgetting to bring my snorkel gear– the island is surrounded by crystal clear water and would have been an excellent place to snorkel.

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It was fun to frolic on a truly private beach, and when the sun got too strong to cool off in the beach hut with a cold Fiji Gold.

When we left the island I understood why guests like to book it for a special picnic lunch or a romantic dinner.

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My afternoon on the private island is one I’ll never forget.

Once Gabby returned and got us back to the resort, it was time to drink a young green coconut. We had light snacks in the bar before heading back to our bure for the night.

Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort – Fiji Day 1

It’s such a pleasure to be in Fiji on assignment for Glamping.com. I haven’t been here since my husband and I went on our honeymoon.

The Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort made it’s first impression at the Nadi Airport. Mini, who works for the eco-luxury hotel, greeted me at the airport. She had noticed that there was only my reservation on the non-stop flight to Savusavu, the island where the resort is located. My husband was scheduled to take a flight with a connection. Mini pulled some strings and got my husband on my flight so we could arrive together. Impressive!

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The one hour flight to Savusavu was easy and we were greeted again by a representative of the resort who gathered up our bags and drove us the 20 minutes to the resort. Upon arrival, we were greeted with tropical fruit juice and live music by the staff which was finished with the traditional Fijian greeting of “Bula!”

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At reception we were told “Welcome home.” This is the standard greeting here and I love this sentiment. The staff really goes out of their way for you to make you feel like Jean-Michel Cousteau is your home in Fiji. They also do a really great job of catering to families with children and providing separate areas for families and couples. They even provide a nanny per child. This ensures everyone has a good time lounging around the pool or taking part in the various activities.

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Our garden view bure (thatched hut) was not ready yet, we were given a brief tour of the property and given an orientation before sitting down for breakfast. The scrambled eggs with ham and cheese were outstanding, as was the fresh fruit.

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We spent most of the day in the daybed in the “serenity area” (aka “no children”) near the pool where we sipped on Mai Tais and fresh green coconuts. It was extremely relaxing, but we did have a light lunch of vegetable tempura, tomato soup and fresh local fish (walu).

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Then we were shown to our garden view bure, #18, which is fairly simple, but comfortable and charming and cooled by fans. While there are no televisions in the room, the bathroom is nice and there is a minibar packed full of Fiji water and other beverages. All but the alcohol is complementary.

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We changed into our swimsuits and spent the rest of the day lounging around the pool before some late afternoon rain arrived, making it the perfect time for quick nap before dinner.

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The resort is big on giving back to the local community, so the evening’s entertainment began with a crab race. I was surprised how fun it was to watch. Then a group of local dancers performed a few songs before dinner.

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After dinner, we enjoyed music and a kava ceremony with the Kava Boys before enjoying a good night’s sleep. Turndown service comes with mosquito coils and mosquito nets upon request. We had a good night’s sleep in this friendly Fijian paradise.