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Bula! Last week we left off just after my dad and I landed in Fiji. This week we continue the journey as we travel to Fiji’s second largest island, Vanua Levu.

SAVUSAVU AIRPORT
The Savusavu airport is basically a small outdoor hut with two offices. One is for Sun Air; the other, for Air Fiji, is across the covered waiting area. A few Fijians sell handmade crafts, making it a convenient place to buy last-minute gifts. The Fijians are not pushy. In fact, they’re so nice it’s difficult not to buy from them. And the prices are very reasonable.

DRIVE TO HOTEL
We were picked up by the Cousteau Resort (the official name of the hotel is Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort). As soon as we sat down in the air-conditioned van we were handed a cold bottle of Fiji water (Fiji water here is cheap, unlike in the U.S.), and a damp cold towel. The drive to the Cousteau Resort takes about 20 minutes. The first half is on paved roads, including the few blocks through downtown Savusavu. Then the fun begins. On second thought, the long, bumpy dirt road isn’t much fun. However, going down this remote path that hugs the water definitely stirs up butterflies of excitement. After all, you know --from reading travel magazines or seeing the resort’s website -- that you will soon arrive at a tropical oasis.

COUSTEAU AWARDS
The renowned Cousteau Resort is one of the most distinguished vacation destinations in the South Pacific. That’s not just hype – all kinds of awards back it up, including Fiji's Leading Resort (World Travel Awards 2005), #4 Pacific Rim Resort (Condé Nast Traveler 2005), #1 Resort in Fiji (Travel + Leisure, 2001), and most importantly #1 for Resorts and Lodges Worldwide (Condé Nast Traveler Green List 2005).

ECO-FRIENDLY
The man behind Cousteau Resort is Mike Freed. One of the hottest hoteliers in the industry, he owns Passport Resorts (with his business partner Peter Heinmann). Besides Cousteau, it includes two other fine properties: Hotel Hana in Maui and the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur. All three are not only unbelievably posh retreats, but eco-friendly as well. That says a lot. Jean-Michel Cousteau came up with the idea of taking over the Na Koro resort, and turning it into the sweet, eco-friendly resort Cousteau is today. Jean-Michel does not visit regularly. However, he does oversee the environmental program which employs a full-time marine biologist through Jean-Michel’s organization, Ocean Futures.Having a marine biologist on site helps visitors truly appreciate the underwater world. Cousteau is the only resort in Fiji to do this.

JEAN-MICHEL COUSTEAU FIJI ISLANDS RESORT
I am fortunate to have stayed at the Cousteau Resort a couple of times before, but I couldn’t wait to share it with my dad. I knew he was going to fall in love with it -- not only for the breathtaking location and delicious food, but also the incredible staff. That’s what really makes this place. Fijians everywhere – especially here -- are so warm and friendly that you can feel their spirit as soon as you arrive. Every guest gets a traditional Fijian welcome/sendoff, no matter if they arrive or depart by seaplane or van. How nice is it to pull up and see excited strangers singing to you? As soon as we stepped out of the van we were handed a delicious non-alcoholic tropical drink, and told not to worry about our bags (they were immediately brought to our room). After filling out some quick paperwork (preferences for activities, any food allergies, and of course which credit card number to pay for everything), it was time to relax. We made it!

BURE’S
Like every guest, we were given a quick familiarization tour of the resort. It is located on 17 acres of a former coconut plantation, overlooking the peaceful waters of Savusavu Bay. There are 25 bures (thatched bungalows) throughout the property, which resembles an authentic traditional Fijian village from 50 years ago. Most bures have one king-size bed, and one day bed. The mattresses, all custom-made and the linens are the same as the Four Seasons hotels. Calling the beds "comfortable" is an understatement. The bures have a South Pacific feel -- except the bathrooms, which are done in Italian tile. The bath products are made by Fiji’s own Pure Fiji, a local company that produces an awesome array of eco-friendly soaps, shampoos, lotions and body oil.

OUR BURES
We stayed in bures 22 and 4. Both are ocean-front suites. Bure 22 is perfect for honeymooners; it’s more secluded than the others, and has a hot tub on the deck. It was good for us because a sliding curtain partitioned the bedroom from the sunken living room. There were two day beds in the living room, and it was where I set up camp. Bure 4 was great too, because it was a short walk from the main building, where the dining area and pool are located. Bure 4 also has two bedrooms and one day bed. BTW: Last year I stayed in one of eight garden-view rooms. They’re the resort’s lowest room category -- and it was still plush.

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