{"id":1180,"date":"2024-12-21T04:18:02","date_gmt":"2024-12-21T04:18:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/discovery.cevolution.co.uk\/australia\/?p=1180"},"modified":"2025-01-10T19:18:26","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T19:18:26","slug":"matamanoa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/discovery.cevolution.co.uk\/australia\/2024\/12\/21\/matamanoa\/","title":{"rendered":"Matamanoa"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 6<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\n

Part of the Manmanuca<\/a> group of Islands, Matamanoa – home of the Matamanoa Island Resort – is located some 30 km northwest of the Fijian mainland<\/a>. If my first impression of Fiji itself was that it was beautiful, then I\u2019d have to describe Matamanoa Island as idyllic! \ud83d\ude0e<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You get a sense of just how idyllic this island is going to be when you first arrive;<\/a> as I mentioned in my previous post<\/a>, disembarking from the water taxi is a case of stepping into the crystal clear blue sea and walking barefoot onto the sun-kissed sand…just like you see in a movie \ud83d\ude0d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As you’ll see in my next post, the water taxi run by Purple Turtle<\/a><\/em> isn’t the only ocean-going means of transportation, but it sure is the most fun! \ud83e\udd29<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Arriving by the little Water Taxi run by Purple Turtle<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Luggage disembarks the same way you do, though typically without it physically going through the water \ud83e\udd1e<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Island Resort<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Matamanoa Island Resort<\/a> is couples-only (or, in my case, also for singles), and offers the only accommodation on the island. Disembarking the boat, one is greeted by the resort staff in the traditional friendly Fijian fashion – involving the use of the word “Bula” many times over – as you’re guided to the bar\/welcome area where a refreshing fruit juice beverage and a cooling towelette await. Whilst you embrace the welcome sensation of both, your hosts take the necessary preliminaries (as in name, address, contact details, method of payment, etc.) before you and your luggage are guided to your room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The literal translation of Bula<\/em><\/a> is “life”, and, as I mentioned in my previous post<\/a>, it is, in essence, the traditional Fijian greeting for “hello” or “welcome”. The phrase \u201cBula Vinaka\u201d, which means \u201cgood life\u201d in English, is also a very apt one when it comes to describing Matamanoa \ud83d\ude0e<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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