These hotels in Fiji are turning guests into conservationists

Yahoo

01-04-2025

Fiji's gin-bottle-blue waters, luminous sand, and riotously colorful rainforests have long made it a dream destination. But even paradise needs protection — the archipelago faces significant threats from climate change, ranging from rising sea levels encroaching on low-lying habitats to coral bleaching damaging the reefs that sustain marine life and shield shorelines from erosion.
That's why hotels across Fiji are inviting guests to be part of the solution, making conservation a hands-on part of the travel experience. Across the country, resorts have launched sustainability programs aimed at guests keen on making a real impact — like planting mangroves to fortify coastlines, working alongside marine biologists to regenerate coral reefs, and rolling up their sleeves for beach clean-ups and restoration projects. And the momentum is only growing. On April 7, Tourism Fiji will launch Loloma Hour — a new initiative rooted in the local concept of loloma, meaning to act with generosity, driven by love — designed to inspire travelers to give back to the environment during their stay.
Here's where to go to experience Fiji at its most breathtaking—and most meaningful.
Sitting in the heart of the Great Astrolabe Reef — the fourth most extensive reef system in the world — this ultra-luxurious retreat features villas equipped with breezy living areas, kitchenettes stocked with local fruit juices and chocolate-enrobed honeycomb, and a soaking tub in the primary bedroom, as well as a yard decked out with an infinity pool, sun-drenched patios, and swaying hammocks strung between coconut palms.
Beyond the plush comforts, Kokomo is deeply committed to conservation, and its most unique initiative invites guests to play a role in protecting the resident manta rays — endangered gentle giants with an average wingspan of over 18 feet. During snorkeling excursions, guests can photograph the creatures, capturing the fingerprint-like spot patterns on the bellies. When uploaded to a database, those photos allow scientists to track the movement of the rays, which helps with monitoring and protecting the fish's habitats.
(Related: Why 'White Lotus' fans should skip Thailand and travel to this island instead)
With pearlescent beaches, a jungle spa, and a lineup of water-based adventures, deciding how to spend the day at Six Senses Fiji is no easy task. But after sunset, we'd argue the activity has to be joining the sustainability team to track Fijian Crested Iguanas.
Once thought extinct on the island, more than 40 of these rare, mint-green reptiles now call the property home. At night, their scales reflect torchlight, making them easier to spot. Monitoring their population is essential — not just to count their numbers but also to assess their health, behavior, and breeding patterns. With that data, scientists can make informed decisions about habitat restoration and other strategies to ensure the species' survival.
With soaring thatched ceilings and intricate hand-carved woodwork, each of the residences, suites, and villas at Nanuku Resort spotlight Fijian craftsmanship, while floor-to-ceiling windows frame with ocean views fringed by wax palms and bird of paradise flowers.
At the heart of the resort, the open-air lobby and restaurant area serve as both a gathering place and a hub for conservation. Just off to the side, you'll find Nanuku's mangrove nursery — an incubator for one of nature's most powerful carbon-sequestering trees. The tidal tree's root systems create habitats for baby fish and are essential for stabilizing coastlines, buffering against erosion from the pounding of waves and currents. Once the seedlings have grown enough, guests are invited to take part in replanting the young trees along the Serua coast. So far, Nanuku's team has successfully transplanted more than 15,000 mangrove trees.
(Related: Saving our shores: coastal conservation projects making positive change)
Set along the powdery sands of Natadola Bay, InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa is a sprawling complex with a slew of suites and villas, multiple specialty restaurants and bars, a full-service spa, and a lively kids' club. But beyond the indulgent amenities, one of the resort's most dazzling features lies just offshore — a thriving house reef bursting with kaleidoscopic marine life (Fiji is home to more than 1,200 varieties of tropical fish, 75 types of sharks and rays, and five of the world's seven marine turtle species).
Part of the reason the underwater ecosystem is doing so well is because staff and guests are actively gardening it. Travelers can play a direct role in reef restoration by collecting small, living coral fragments — often broken pieces that would otherwise tumble across the ocean floor — and carefully securing them to specially designed coral frames or reef structures. These stable foundations allow the coral to regenerate, helping expand the reef and ensuring that the vibrant marine ecosystem continues flourishing.
(Related: 7 luxurious hotels you can feel good about checking into)
Encircled by eight world-class breaks — including the legendary Cloudbreak, one of the most iconic barrel waves on the planet — Tavarua Island Resort is a dream destination for surfers. But this heart-shaped private island isn't just for those chasing the perfect wave. It offers beachfront bures (traditional Fijian wood-and-straw accommodations), a restaurant focusing on ocean-to-table dining, and spectacular snorkeling and scuba diving — made even more special by Tavarua's groundbreaking giant clam conservation program.
Across the Pacific, these reef dwellers have been over-harvested, putting delicate marine ecosystems at risk (they are a keystone species, after all). But here, marine biologists are working to turn the tide with an on-land hatchery where juvenile clams are tended to until they're strong enough to be transplanted — first to a protected lagoon, then onto the surrounding reefs and beyond. Guests can help by hand-cleaning the clams of invasive snails and the larvae that might otherwise devastate the population between moves while learning about their lifecycle, their predators, and the vital role they play in maintaining reef health.
Sprawling 500 acres, yet hosting just 14 couples at a time, Turtle Island's intimate atmosphere makes it popular for honeymooners (here, they get their own secluded beachfront bure and can reserve an entire private beach for the day).
But it's not just a retreat for romance — it's also a refuge for endangered green and hawksbill turtles. Each year, the animals return to lay their nest on the shores or their namesake island. By partnering with marine biologists, guests can help monitor the vulnerable nesting sites and safeguard hatchlings as part of the conservation efforts. Visitors can even assist in tagging rescued, full-grown turtles before releasing them back into the ocean.
(Related: How playing Aquaman helped turn Jason Momoa into an ocean advocate)
Bailey Berg is a writer and editor who splits time between Colorado and Alaska. She specializes in travel, the outdoors, and conservation. Her work can be found in National Geographic, Afar, Conde Nast Traveler, the Washington Post, Architectural Digest, and beyond. You can follow her stories on Instagram.