Tropica Island Fiji Travel Reviews
Several times a year our team travels to Fiji where we visit multiple resorts and generally immerse ourselves in everything “Fiji”. We returned this week from a spectacular four day tour and couldn’t wait to share what we discovered.
After an enjoyable 3.5 hour flight from Sydney, we arrived at Nadi Airport and took a cab to Denarau Marina. For Fiji first timers that is an enjoyable trip as you get to see rural Fiji and an insight into how the Fijian people live outside of the resorts.
After having a look around the bustling Denarau Marina, with its eclectic mix of duty-free shops, boutiques, bars and restaurants, we caught the last South Sea Cruises launch at 3pm and arrived at Tropica Island Resort around 4:10pm. We planned this route so we didn’t need an overnight stay on the mainland before heading out to the island.
Tropica is an adults-only resort.
Tropica Island Resort is a beautiful, adults-only, four-star resort located on Malolo Island in the Mamanucas. Upon arrival, even after all these years of Fiji travel, we still marvelled at the azure water and lush, green landscape that greeted us. The island is also home to Likuliku Lagoon Resort and Malolo Island Resort although the dense jungle outside of the resort prevents you from accessing them on foot.
The resort recently underwent an extensive renovation so most of the guest facilities are either brand new or have been upgraded. Interestingly, the Tropica refurbishment was undertaken by the same acclaimed designer who oversaw the recent Tokoriki Island Resort renovation. While Tropica has similar design aesthetics as the higher-end Tokoriki, it is more laid back and casual. Shoes are always optional at Tropica, hence the term “barefoot luxury at its best!”.
We stayed in the roomy, air-conditioned Beachfront Bures, each with a private plunge pool. The accommodation is very comfortable and has a charming, relaxed feel to it. We spent most of our downtime in the plunge pool or relaxing on the verandah in one of the swing chairs looking out to the view. The beach was only a few metres walk across a private grassy lawn (see photo below).
At the rear of the resort are seven brand-new Sanctuary Pool Suites. These are more secluded than the Beachfront Bures and offer complete guest privacy. The interiors are modern and spacious with a generous open plan bedroom and living area, balcony with ocean views and plunge pool.
Tropica is a small resort so all guest facilities are only a leisurely stroll from your bure or suite. The large infinity pool (25 metres) has been cleverly designed to blend seamlessly with the beach and lagoon behind. After a day exploring the area (see below), we relaxed at the beachfront bar and enjoyed a cocktail as we watched the world-renowned Fijian sunset. This was followed by a delicious meal at the restaurant which is located behind the pool. Above the restaurant is a guest area with a library, games and, during wet weather, where they show movies.
At all times the resort staff were extremely attentive and catered to our every whim.
We were blown away by the variety and number of fish!
While we were at Tropica some of the team took a snorkeling trip out to a sandbank approximately 15-20 minutes from the resort. We were all blown away by the variety and number of fish we saw. Why didn’t anyone take a camera?
Then, when we thought it couldn’t get any better, we were taken to the “secret garden reef”. Wow! This reef literally looked like an underwater garden. Not frequented by many tourists, this was an aquatic wonderland. We saw fish of every conceivable colour, turtles and even a small reef shark. It’s hard to even put into words how magnificent it was. Definitely worth the trip and made our stay at Tropica even more fantastic.
Our summary of Tropica Island Resort
We all thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this relaxed resort. While it has a sense of carefree sophistication, it is more relaxed than some of the higher-end luxury resorts. You certainly get a lot of bang for your buck at Tropica without a high price tag. This is barefoot luxury at its best.
As a group of work colleagues travelling together, we didn’t feel smothered by loved-up honeymooners. This resort would suit couples, friends travelling together and older guests seeking an adults-only escape. The Sanctuary Pool Suites are perfect for guests seeking privacy and seclusion.