Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa awaits you!
Fiji Airways gets you there!
Magic Carpet Journals invites you to join Lenora Hayman on her trip to Fiji.
Story and Photos Courtesy of our friend and fellow traveller, Lenora A. Hayman
The 5-star Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa, an IHG hotel, is located off the Queens Rd. on Viti Levu, the main island of Fiji, on Maro Road at Natadola beach, considered the island’s finest beach. Adjacent to the resort is the Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course, Fiji’s first international competition standard course with most holes offering views of the white beach and coral reefs. Guests receive discounts on golf fees.
At the resort are 266 suites each with a Cleopatra-style bathtub for two and daybeds located on the balcony or terrace. There are 3 pools, including an infinity pool, 3 restaurants, 2 bars, a kids’ club, gym, spa, dive shop and business centre.
After a casual meal of sesame-seared tuna and salmon teriyaki in a poke bowl at the Toba Bar & Grill, I ventured over to the Melanesian Fire Show to be entertained by the twirling, fiery pois in the night sky.
Next morning the Leisure Concierge Rodney Underwood explained why the coconut tree is called the Tree of Life. The green nut provides coconut water, while the mature nut provides coconut milk for Kokoda, the marinated raw fish, desiccated coconut for cookies and coconut oil for cosmetics. Furniture is created from the coconut trunk, the roots provide herbal medicine and ropes are made from the husk. Rodney wove me a beautiful hat from the young coconut leaves in the middle which are more pliable.
Do treat yourself to a full body, traditional Fijian Bobo (pronounced Bombo) massage in their Spa Intercontinental. The thumbing and kneading using fingertips, forearms and elbows to apply pressure is invigorating and therapeutic!
The Sanasana restaurant offered different dinner night options, from Bella Italianate, Mediterranean Levant Coast, Butcher’s Roast, Asian Odyssey, Fijian Flair and my choice Seafood Delight on Sunday, which included NZ green lipped mussels.
PICT 5 PICT 6
One afternoon, Krishnil Prasad (Cluster Marketing Executive) and Luisa Waqa took me by golf cart up the hill to their luxury Club International, where many rooms have plunge pools. Guests have complimentary high tea from 2-4pm with mocktails. Saimoni made me an excellent ice coffee! Happy hour, from 5-7pm for adults only, serves complimentary cocktails.
Since Hudson Mitchell, (Director of Sales & Marketing) had introduced me to the adults only Navo restaurant’s excellent breakfast buffet, including 3 kinds of the Island Style peanut butter made from locally grown peanuts, Krishnil and Luisa invited me to experience Navo’s fine dining in the evening. Formal national dress or smart casual dress with covered
shoulders and dress sandals is required. Gentlemen must wear a collared shirt or smart casual T-shirt with dress shorts and closed shoes. Children under 12 are only permitted from 5:30pm-
7:30pm and adults 7:00pm-10:00pm. There is also an air-conditioned private dining room for
special occasions for 20 guests.
Our table settings were created by Rise Beyond the Reef who provide income for “a better
world for women and children” in remote communities. Placed on a beautifully woven cloth runner were knives and wee plates made out of mother of pearl. A modern twist of wee stones representing the lovo or underground oven dotted the table. The menu offers a selection of food from the 14 provinces of Fiji and international graded meat.
Our Kokoda Urau of Yasawa lobster, marinated in lime, coconut cream, lemon grass and coriander was delicious. My mud crab and clam linguini, dashi butter with tossed sesame and pear sprout was meatier and more flavorsome than a sea crab. Mud crab shells are harder than sea crabs and black rather than pink in colour. Krishnil’s hand caught tropical lobster and Luisa’s
medium rare Angus ribeye were perfectly cooked.
Fiji grows cacao beans, so I ordered a salted Vanua dark chocolate and coconut tart with mascarpone cream. It was rich and decadent.
The happy group of staff sang the farewell song Isa Lei, concluding my final evening at the Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa.
Vinaka and thank you everyone!
Article and pictures by Lenora Hayman
Last Updated on October 29, 2023 by Matthew George – Webmaster & Editor