With private villas, top-tier dining and endless activities, COMO Laucala Island is the pinnacle of luxury travel. Photo / COMO Laucala
With private villas, top-tier dining and endless activities, COMO Laucala Island is the pinnacle of luxury travel. Photo / COMO Laucala
Yes, it’s steep, yes, it’s worth it. The exclusive COMO Laucala Island resort in Fiji could set you back a cool $30,000, but it’s arguably one of the world’s best examples of a natural paradise, writes Roxanne Andrews
On arrival at COMO Laucala Island, all my senses are heightened as scenes of resplendent beauty, rightfully steal my attention from every angle. For example, verdant rainforest trickles over mountainous terrain before giving way to an old copra plantation that hugs crescent-shaped waves of white-sand coves. I hear tropical birdlife (endemic orange turtle doves live here) whistle, call, and coo through the sun-dappled tree canopies. I taste the gentle sea breeze mixed with my welcoming drink, a fresh coconut (naturally), followed by a delicate flute of French champagne. But, most of all, I feel a mystical presence enveloping me, I can’t quite identify what it is, but now, on reflection, I realise it was a sense of peace that was touching me, greeting me, welcoming me in.
It’s by no means a cheap option for a holiday in Fiji, but it is super luxurious and absolutely worth the price tag. At the time of my stay, rates started from USD6500 per night (NZ$11,520) and guests were required to book a minimum three-night stay.
This welcoming/peaceful ambience is seemingly imbued everywhere you step – it’s like being in a movie set that has reimagined what top-tier island luxury should be and turned it into a reality. My cinematic observation is in fact, not that much of a stretch, for COMO Laucala Island Fiji is indeed a billionaire’s private paradise (owned by the founder of Red Bull’s family), where star-studded guests stay in the secluded residences, all in fantastic positions suspended over the water, on hilltops, cocooned by lush vegetation and beside the rolling waves.
I start my day with a personalised stretching session on my private deck overlooking a jaw-dropping vista of the Koro Sea with the remote Ringold Isles featured front and centre. Breakfast is a tasty spread of tropical fruits, fluffy pastries and an à la carte menu – I opt for a serving of shakshusa-style eggs, fresh from the huge on-site farm (more on that later) on the other side of the island.
The beachfront pool at COMO Laucala Island Resort. Photo / COMO Laucala Island Resort
Each resort guest has a tau (Fijian for friend in the local dialect), devoted to looking after all your needs and wants; almost any desire is possible to secure here. I suspect the tau have precognitive abilities since they know precisely when to appear or fade out elegantly. Want to go horse riding on the beach? Absolutely, yes, I do. Prefer a jetski tour of the island? That’s easily arranged too. Of course, you can do as little or as much as you like, it’s a “make a wish and it’ll likely happen” kind of deal. I choose to go offshore fishing and a sleek, sporty motorboat conveniently moors in the marina, prepped (with my favourite beer) and ready just for me. Not long after we set sail, I land a decent-sized wahoo. Exhilarating! There’s no way, I’ll eat all this solo, although the chef does cook me a fillet for lunch and so I ask the captain to gift it to the local village, along with my skipjack tuna and a sizeable walu (all caught on the same lucky lure).
Activities at COMO Laucala Island. Photo / COMO Laucala Island
After lunch, I get set to tee-off in paradise, literally. The golf experience here is arguably (golf fans will agree) one of the most special activities at COMO Laucala. And given the minimal number of guests (there are only 25 villas on the property), you’re almost guaranteed unlimited games during your stay. This 18-hole championship course designed by Scotsman David McLay Kidd is truly epic. Before I arrived on the island, I was told this course is one of George Clooney’s favourite places to play. I don’t bother asking the golf pro about it because I’m confident all the staff have signed NDAs.
The 18-hole championship course designed by Scotsman David McLay Kidd at COMO Laucala Island. Photo / COMO Laucala Island
A round of golf has taken it out of me and it’s time to retreat to my residence, a sensational villa characterised by traditional Fijian design. It has high, thatched ceilings, personable yet bold wooden furnishings, a king-size bed, impeccable linens, refined stonewalled bathrooms and a separate living area replete with striking interior design and a fully stocked bar. I gravitate to the outside zone, a haven for nature-based play or immersive relaxation underneath the swaying palms. I’m loving my private pool and the stately outdoor bath, so I switch between the two before spending the afternoon snoozing.
A stately outdoor bath at COMO Laucala Island. Photo / COMO Laucala Island
I awaken refreshed and ready for a sunset tipple at the Rock Lounge. Each villa has a buggy to get around the island in and I drive myself up to the ledge of the hillside, park and follow a path lit by lanterns and weave between ancient boulders, only to be met with COMO Laucala’s best view yet. I take a picture of the azure sea, a villa suitable for royalty (yes, really, that’s the kind of clientele coming here) juts over the water in the distance and a turtle swims in the coral-fringed reef that’s fanned out below. The photo does not do the view justice at all, so I ditch the camera to enjoy the moment instead.
Fiji's Seagrass Restaurant is available only to guests of private island resort Laucala. Photo / Supplied
Next up, it’s feast time at Seagrass Restaurant, a dramatic clifftop dining space looking towards neighbouring Qamea Island, where I devour exquisite samples from an extensive Thai-inspired menu. Note: there’s also the option to book a teppanyaki table and savour pan-Asian gastronomic flavours at will.
I toy with my artfully presented dessert, which is almost too pretty to eat, and ponder my upcoming treatment at the COMO Shambala Spa for a full body massage. The COMO hotel brand is renowned for its pleasant lean into a holistic/wellness-themed ethos. I can’t wait to have a good look around the cultural centre and I know I’ll make time for free-diving, though I already snorkelled a bit when I went fishing.
An outdoor relaxation lounge at COMO Shambala Spa. Photo / COMO Laucala Island
All in all, it’s evident that no expense has been spared in creating this brilliant, far-flung Fijian island hideaway. Pre the Red Bull family dynasty, Laucala Island belonged to Malcolm Forbes (entrepreneur and publisher of the esteemed Forbes magazine), who obviously saw not only the island’s beauty but also the benefit of its remoteness, the power and draw that makes its limited access (guests can only arrive by private jet) even more exclusive.
I’m discovering it to be an authentic, high-end escape devoid of unnecessary, glitzy opulence (COMO doesn’t do gaudy) that instead rests on top-quality facilities, premium service, impeccable food expertly curated by executive chef Daniell Boller, flawless design and a litany of fun activities.
In summary and as the title of this article suggests, COMO Laucala Island Fiji is the pinnacle of South Pacific luxury. As for the sense of peace I experienced here, well, that is priceless.
Oh, and don’t miss a dip in the swimming pool by the Beach Bar, this glass-encased marvel is A-list worthy. Just ask George if you don’t believe me.
The sprawling pool area at COMO Shambala Spa. Photo / COMO Laucala Island
Checklist
Fiji
GETTING THERE
Air New Zealand and Fiji Airways fly direct from Auckland to Nadi. Guests then take a 55-minute connecting flight on the resort’s own King Air B300 planes: think eight leather seats and zero stress.
