20 Best Hotels in Mamanuca and Yasawa Groups, Fiji

Every day's spring break and every morning's a challenge for most guests at this iconic Fiji party resort. The island is ruled by young travelers looking to tan by day and drink by night, but laid-back families and older travelers occasionally come for its excellent beach, overall value, and range of activities including fishing, jet-skiing, windsurfing, and parasailing. The buffet-style meals are surprisingly good, and traditional Fijian performances and a weekly lovo contribute a refreshingly cultural element. In truth, you can come for the value and take things low-key, but most people will be kicking up sand at the beach bar every night. There are three dorms (including a girls-only), Premium Bure with private decks and, while nothing on the small island is far from the water, a "beach wing" has six bure right on the sand. Many travelers visit for just one day to take advantage of the large range of activities.

"Uncomplicated, unspoilt, unbelievable" is this budget resort's slogan and although the no-frills food and accommodations are quite believable, they get everything else right. A sandy path leads between the resort's small bure—although their size is practically irrelevant given the hammocks and lounge chairs just outside their doors. Dorms, the larger of which are air-conditioned, have bunk beds, no views of the beach, and extremely basic, old bathrooms but, for this island setting, the price is right. The blinding white beach leads right up to a small pool; an activities bure where you can borrow snorkels, Hobie Cats, canoes, and book motorized water sports; and a bar room with a projection screen and pool table. The buffet-style meal plan includes BBQs, roasts, lovos, and curry nights.

Bure that perch entirely over the water, reached by a boardwalk, and superlative cuisine make it clear that this adults-only resort has raised the bar for Fijian island getaways. It gets the details right, with "welcome" written in flowers and freshly laid pajamas greeting guests, his and her bath products, and in-room stereos with iPod connections. A guest lounge has a TV, DVD, and CD libraries and showers for unwinding upon arrival or throughout one's stay, and a dead-sexy "infinity pool" is shaped with little peninsulas for pairs of lounge chairs. All bure feature cozy living areas, dual bowl sinks, daybeds, stereos, and sleek polished-wood interiors; all but over-water bure have outdoor showers. Deluxe Beachfronts are steps from the water, roomier, and have private plunge pools. Over-water bure have large bed-and-living areas and a generous deck with a ladder leading down into the water, and receive a daily Chef's Canape Plate. The restaurant's masterfully prepared Asian-inspired Pacific Rim cuisine includes three-course lunches and four-course dinners, the latter with amuse bouche (small bite) and three choices each of appetizer, entrée, and dessert.

There's plenty of room for romance in the 12, adults-only open-plan suites, around the 35-meter pool (it's big), and along the generous beachfront. The main area of this expanded former holiday house includes reception and an outdoor restaurant overlooking the beach and pool. Complimentary activities include snorkeling, sailing, windsurfing, hand-line fishing, kayaking, cooking lessons, bicycling, and Fijian cultural lessons. Suites are concrete with tile floors and are done almost exclusively in white. Each features a large couch in its living room and a king-size, four-poster bamboo bed. Hibiscus suites have views from both their living and bedrooms and outdoor showers; Nos. 11 and 12 are slightly closer to the sand while larger ones are set farther back on the grounds. Deluxe have larger, more stylish bathrooms but only their living rooms have ocean views, and five luxurious beachfront bure are steps away from the white sand beach. Lomani is an adults-only property, and has a year-round policy of only catering to children 16 years and older. There's an à la carte restaurant specializing in seafood, and three other restaurants are within walking distance.

Spacious bure leading out to a fantastic beach, three restaurants, and friendly staff make this among the Mamanucas' best. With 46 bure fanned out across a path from the beach (Ocean Views are studios; Deluxes have separate bedrooms), you can have your own space along the sand or stroll to the central beach bar or the two pretty pools for people-watching. Activities such as crab races, village trips, and dolphin safaris are announced daily on a newsletter delivered to the rooms. Keep active with banana boat rides, waterskiing, knee-boarding, and island-hopping, or unwind in the small, serene spa in the rain forest. One restaurant combines à la carte nights with theme buffets, including a made-to-order pasta bar, while the fancier Tree Tops features Mediterranean-influenced cuisine on a rotating seven-day menu. Dietary needs are especially well-catered.

One of the Mamanucas' more upscale family resorts, Mana has a fabulous beach, well-appointed bure, and stylish pools. The resort's location on the tip of the island allows it to create two separate atmospheres: South Beach has motorized water sports, a restaurant, and ferry dock while quieter North Beach has a Jacuzzi spilling into an adults' "infinity pool" overlooking more tranquil beachfront. Six distinct room categories range from Island Bure with king-size beds, outdoor stonewall showers, and garden views, to large studio-style Beachfront Bure with separate Jacuzzi rooms leading out to a deck overlooking the beach. One restaurant features none-too-creative à la carte fare while the other offers three three-course Continental–Pacific Rim–fusion menus.

Its boutique size, stunning "infinity pool," and included full breakfast and optional three-course "table d'hote" menu make this one of the Mamanucas' classiest mid-range adults-only resort. The full range of motorized and nonmotorized water sports are available, as is diving with an in-house branch of Viti Watersports. Bure fringe a fantastic white-sand beach, each with king-size beds, bathrooms with granite counters and dual sinks, and patios. The far less–expensive Gardenview Hotel Rooms sleep two and have a queen-size bed, single sink, and are without patios or personal safes.

This expansive, laid-back resort is best understood as a resort town—literally. Many guests rent bicycles and a general store sells groceries, including meats to cook at barbecues around the property. A variety of water sports such as windsurfing, diving, snorkeling, and kayaking are on offer, and the Australian owners' love of sailing is evident in the day-cruise, yacht-chartering, game-fishing, and Hobie Cat–sailing options. The five room categories all feature king-size beds and range from duplex Garden Bure to newly renovated Beachfront Bure to the 10 Armstrong Island Villas. The villas share a separate pool and BBQ and have their own decks on the water surrounding their circular private island, a bridge apart from the resort. The restaurant menu is upscale Continental with a seafood bent.

A rare mid-range option in the Yasawas, Nanuya offers 17 spacious, comfortable accommodations, good food, and wonderfully personable staff. There is good snorkeling off the beach, and highly personalized diving, fishing, kayaking, and cave-swimming a 45-minute ride north. Yes, you're sharing the "Blue Lagoon" with the lavish Turtle Island resort for a fraction of the price. The 180-square-foot Deluxe Villas each have a queen- and two single beds and pretty stone-wall semi-outdoor showers, while the interconnecting Superior Villas have an aboveground spa. The cheaper Traditional Tree Houses are set into the hills and sleep two in a double or two single beds. Continental breakfast is included; there's an all-day dining menu and the numerous à la carte dinner options might include grilled-beef fillet with salad, fries, and hollandaise sauce or pan-seared hapuku on sun-dried tomatoes, bok choy, and green tea noodles.

An owner-managed 6-acre private island resort, Navini offers fantastic snorkeling in its protected marine sanctuary, a multitude of dining options as a nod to those on extended stays, and beachfront digs for its guests. There are also complimentary fishing, snorkeling, and village trips. Diving can be arranged through Subsurface Fiji, and boat charters for cruising or big-game fishing are also available. All bure are tropically appointed with queen-size beds and verandas. Premiers sleep up to three two-room bure sleep up to five, and Deluxe/Honeymoon bure are for couples; the latter two have hot tubs. You choose either a two- or three-meal plan. Three-course lunches include a choice of sandwich or hot dish and four-course dinners include a choice between three meats and a fish entrée from a truly eclectic menu.

A cosmopolitan Italian couple built this resort as an escape for the "stressed" and, with just nine romantically appointed bure fringing a quintessential Yasawa shore, couples are certain to recover the love lost during the daily grind. When guests aren't relaxing on their daybeds, lounge chairs, or hammocks (Beachfront bure have all three), they can take guided snorkeling tours, island-hop, dive with a local operator, visit a village, fish, take guided walks, kayak, or hike to hilltops. All bure have 26-foot ceilings, king-size beds, dual stone sinks, and outdoor daybeds. Beachfronts are well-spaced with high bamboo borders; each has a wall of French doors opening onto a thatch-covered deck just shy of the sand and the lagoon. The larger Grand Bure are built on rocky outcrops on a separate bay, have large tubs in their living rooms, and steps leading down to the beach. À la carte menus feature reasonably priced Mediterranean fare and a meal plan is also available.

The best budget resort west of the mainland is seated on dreamy Likuliku Bay in the southern Yasawas, and doesn't act its price. The cheapest bure have queen-size beds and balconies and even dormers get bath and beach towels. Hiking, hand-line fishing, village visits, and island-hopping are offered each week and evening activities include mekes, crab races, beachside party games, and a weekly film-showing. Five great-value accommodation options range from a well-maintained nonbunked 15-bed dorm (rare for Fiji) to two beachfront rooms with open-air bathrooms, on the sand, to an air-conditioned room in a three-bedroom lodge. A mandatory meal plan entails three-course dinners emphasizing seafood in traditional dishes served with local vegetables; lunch usually includes sandwiches and pizzas. There are also a kids' menu, youngster activities, and babysitters on-call.

A water sports–packed sheltered lagoon nudging 7 km (4 miles) of white-sand beach, loads of activities, and a kids' pool with waterslide keep young families returning to this 23-acre tropical playground. Waterskiing, sailing, banana boat rides, kayaking, snorkeling, and island-hopping keep the waterfront abuzz with bathing-suit clad guests, who can munch on something light from the snack bar or get a caffeine-charge at the sandy-floored Cocohut. With three pools (including one quieter "infinity pool" for the grown-ups), minigolf, 9-hole, tennis, and three places to eat, Mom and Dad will want to pack walkie-talkies along with the suntan lotion. The five room categories are sufficient if not particularly stylish, although the top-end Beachfront Bure are on the gorgeous beach. Deluxe Garden Terraces, while newer and equipped with small living areas, are much farther from the beach than the less-expensive Studio Garden Bure, some of which face the sand while others view it side-on. Two kids under 16 stay free with two parents.

The best in a tight string of hostels sharing the gorgeous beaches of Mana Island is Ratu Kini, the first one to the right as you come off the pier. Young budget-oriented travelers snorkel, dive, fish, play volleyball, and laze in the sand between hearty buffet-style meals in the open-air dining room overlooking the water. Every Thursday there's a lovo (traditional feast cooked in an underground oven) and traditional performance. You can sleep in basic bunk-bed dorms, twin rooms with shared facilities, double rooms, or a family bure, or you can camp. Staying here is a cheap way for social creatures to enjoy one of the Mamanucas' best beaches. Bring enough cash unless you don't mind paying a fee for credit cards.

Honeymooners and couples swoon over the privacy, beautiful grounds, and excellent service at this lavish, adults-only resort. No cell-phone reception and no clocks in the rooms (let alone TVs or Internet) make it all the easier for guests to focus on the gorgeous environs and each other. Diving, snorkeling, island picnic trips, sunset cruises, and sand volleyball keep you entranced in daylight, and a tennis court can also be lighted for night play. Come dinnertime, it's hard to imagine a more exquisite setting than one of the well-spaced, white-linen-dressed tables bordering the gorgeous "infinity pool," with views past Tiki lamps reflected in the water to palm trees silhouetted against the sea. The excellent Continental fare, including a choice of six entrées at dinner, is accompanied by the sound of crashing waves. Deluxe bure are polished dark-wood affairs with spacious bathrooms featuring both walk-in indoor showers and beautiful outdoor ones. Double doors open onto small decks and the sand. Sunset Pool Villas are larger with outdoor daybeds next to private "infinity pools" and total privacy up to a shared short lawn sloping away to the beach.

It's easy to understand why this Fiji icon has been a family favorite for more than three decades. The 66 bures practically ring the 14.5-acre island, each with a beeline right to the marvelous beach. Nightly entertainment such as fire dancing, a "Fancy Hat competition," and karaoke foster the family friendliness while 12-hole minigolf and a freshwater pool are classic child-pleasers. From deep-sea fishing to Hobie Cat-sailing, there's also a full water sports arsenal on hand. Bure, reminiscent of international hotel rooms, are comfortable, each with a queen and single bed and a porch; duplexes are also available. Dining options include a full à la carte menu, with fare such as linguine de mare and aged sirloin beef with béarnaise sauce, in-between three theme nights. A second restaurant specializes in flambé. You can also dine in a "Sunset" bure or by the pool, and banquets are held on the beach.

Privacy, pampering, and incredible attention to personal details make this the ultimate Fiji beach getaway, where everything from scuba diving to champagne-and-lobster picnics on reserved beaches is covered in the all-inclusive price. Just take a look at the country's original ultraluxury resort by the numbers: 100 staff for a maximum of 14 couples, 14 beaches, 1,000-square-foot "bure" cottages, and 1 personal assistant "Bure Mama" per couple, who tends to all scheduling needs and takes photos, with guests' permission, to craft a photo album for them to take home. The expansive bure feature 21-foot high ceilings, dual showerheads, floor-to-ceiling windows, four-poster king-size beds and private verandas with daybed and fish ponds leading out to the famed Blue Lagoon. Grand bure have jetted hot tubs, and the elevated Vonu Point cottage has even greater privacy and the ultimate view. À la carte breakfasts are served on the sand, chef's choice three-course lunches are taken around the island (if not ordered from a special picnic lunch menu), and communal dinners are also chef's choice, although guests can make requests or dine alone. There's a six-night minimum stay.

This private island resort is everything its price tag would imply—a lavish all-inclusive, a setting for haute cuisine, a photo shoot waiting to happen—and one thing it wouldn't: it's child-friendly. For kids—ages 4–14, there's plenty to keep them entertained: kayak to a local cay, windsurf, sail, and snorkel; children under 4 are free. Regardless of whether the little athlete comes along, the grown ones will be satiated by a 9-hole pitch-and-putt golf course, tennis, volleyball, badminton, and croquet. Lounge chairs line the pool, the meal-time setting for those foregoing the opportunity to eat on a beachside platform or their personal deck. The all-inclusive menu presents such globe-spanning dishes as potato gnocchi, Thai green curry, and New Zealand beef strip loin, all lavishly accompanied. Hillside Villas are 640-square-feet (60 square meters) with separate living areas and bedrooms and Jacuzzis. Beachfront Villas have the same plus outdoor dining areas and are steps from the sand. For the intergenerational family, the Royal has three king en suite rooms set in a traditional Fijian living space, and for those traveling with friends, the Residence has three separate pavilions within their own intimate, private compound suitable for eight guests.

Picnic excursions to one of 11 deserted beaches and excellent in-house diving and high-tech game fishing are among the first-rate options at this boutique resort. The remote region's resistance to modernism means guests can visit especially traditional villages and see a particularly meaningful meke (traditional dances). A world-class Baravi spa commands magnificent ocean views from beneath a thatched roof at the water's edge. All the open-plan bure are airy, modern twists on the Fijian style set on the beach. Each has indoor and outdoor showers and dual sinks. Deluxes are split-level with larger lounge areas and more covered deck space including two daybeds and a hammock. There are also a two-bedroom bure and a Honeymoon bure with an outdoor dining area and private pool. Owner Garth Downey's wine cellar compliments superb contemporary international cuisine served at two-course lunches and three-course dinners.