Small Island, Big Playground | Namotu Island, Fiji

January 23, 2020
Eryn Krouse
Travel
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In Barbarian Days, William Finnegan describes his experience surfing Fiji back in 1978, and deems it the best place in the world for surfing. And he would know- he’s surfed pretty much everywhere. Needless to say, I had some pretty high standards for my surf trip to Fiji, and when the opportunity came to spend a week on Namotu Island, I couldn’t pass it up.

Getting to Namotu:

Arriving to Fiji is surprisingly easy from Los Angeles. My boyfriend Michael and I hopped on an overnight flight via Fiji Airways, and roughly in about 12 hours, we were there. From the airport, a Namotu driver picked us up and drove us over to the dock at the Marriott Convoy Hotel. Once we loaded all our things into the boat- board bags and all, it was a short 30 minute boat ride to the island.

Namotu put a smile on my face the moment I stepped onto the white sand shores of the small island. The Namotu staff welcomed us with a song and a loud “BULA!” (which means hello in Fijian). We were shown to our room and quickly settled in- hung out clothes, got our boards ready to go- and then we slipped on our bathing suits for a snorkel just outside of our beach hut. I firmly believe the best way to wash off that gross airplane feeling is by getting in the ocean.

Welcome to our accommodations- a cozy beach bale right in front of the beach (BB1 if you want to stay in the same place). It had everything we needed and more-water, power, air conditioning, a comfortable bed, bathroom, and ample space to hang our wet swimsuits and towels- all important factors when you’re staying on an island. I also loved the indoor/outdoor concept of the shower- you would look up while in the shower to the majestic palm trees above. Another amazing added bonus that I wasn’t expecting was the total lack of mosquitoes and sand fleas, which meant no itchy bug bites! For me, that’s huge because I usually end up covered in itchy bites when I travel to tropical destinations.

Every evening, I liked to go on a little sunset stroll to collect shells in the low tide and wait for the dinner drums around 7:30 pm that signaled to all the island inhabitants that dinner was ready. The food on Namotu Island was always delicious, every. single.meal. My personal favorite spread was the DIY poke bowls with rice and freshly caught tuna along with all of the toppings you could possibly want. After spending all morning in the ocean, it was particularly fulfilling.

Things to do:

Cloud 9

The water clarity surrounding Namotu is next level. I really got to experience the clarity of the water at the end of Mololo Reef, where the floating bar, Cloud9 floats. It’s a fun way to spend the afternoon, and it’s just a short boat ride away from Namotu. After snorkeling and swimming around the nearby waters, I ate my fill in pizza and relaxed under the sun with my passionfruit mocktail drink.

Snorkel/Free-Dive

Stand Up Paddle Board around the Island

Chill by the pool with a smoothie

Fijian night on Wednesday can’t be missed. The staff decorates the main area with palm fronds and flowers and sets up a magnificent buffet spread with Fijian food. They sing, they dance, and we have a kava ceremony to formally welcome us onto the island. Definitely an evening of good vibes and Fijian culture appreciation.

The surf:

Namotu is a surfer’s paradise. With waves located all around the island, you really can’t go wrong. There’s Cloudbreak for the experienced dare devils, Namotu Lefts just out front if you’re goofy-footed. Love Shacks and Wilke’s- both powerful right handers on shallow reef. But my personal favorite (and I’m not alone in this opinion) is Swimming Pools. A fun right-hander that works perfectly on a lower tide. Surfing here truly feels like you’re surfing in a giant pool… actually, more like an aquarium because of the vibrant marine life swimming just below you. The water is that clear and there were moments when the sun hit the water just right that took my breath away.