Hi - my wife and I are planning a trip to Fiji in December. Since it rains in Fiji at that time of the year, we are looking at staying in the Mamanuca islands. We have narrowed down our search to 3 resorts: Vomo, Castaway, and Tokoriki. Any opinions on these three would be very helpful. Am I missing any others that I should consider? Our goal is to stay in a nice place and just laze on the beach (no diving, no windsurfing, etc).

Thanks!

I've not been to Vomo but of the other 2 , I'd reccomend Tokoriki. It's a much smaller and nicer resort - better food, fewer guests and more room. Being smaller it's also less frenetic - so lazing on the beach is much quieter! Another option would be Navini, although it is closer to the mainland and therefore it does get more rain.

Tokoriki resort faces west and in December 3 years ago the winds and the rain were quite bad and our seaplane could not land anywhere near the resort they had to send a boat to deliver us to the plane-it was blowing a gale!! The beach was full of seaweed and rocks, the food was unremarkable, staff appeared disinterested and uncommunicative. All this for A$3500 for 5 days-great!!!Would not go there ever again after experiencing the slack management, shabby bures and super-tiny swimming pool which we were forced to use because the sealice were so bad! Please be warned -- some of the resorts in Fiji are owned by greedy foreigners (not locals) who delight in ripping off unsuspecting holidaymakers. check out fijiguide.com for posts by others. Castaway was great for lunch we had a cruise out there-looked delightful, however we did not stay there.Blue Lagoon cruises who go up to the far better beaches in the Yasawas, would be my first choice if we ever return to Fiji. Another alternative is the Cook Islands-Aitutaki-fabulous reputation amongst travellers we met in Fiji. Octopus resort-south yasawas is lovely-very good value at approx 150 fijian per double incl 2 meals. Beaches and weather are far nicer the further north we travelled.

I'm sorry Lyndie had such a bad time of it at Tokoriki - but we were there in June 2003 and the food, staff and accomodation was great. There was a problem with seaweed through all of the Mamanucas (which was affecting all resorts) - but it was being dealt with at Tokoriki on a daily basis. Sea lice come and go - through all of the Fii islands- and unfortunately there is no way of knowing where and when they'll appear. However, in most cases, they are no more than a slight nuisance. I've found them right up in the Yasawas, in the northern islands and in the Mamanucas and at all times of the year - but then on the next trip haven't felt one! They are usually very localised, so moving a bit along the beach solves the problem. I'd still recommend Tokoriki over Castaway, which we have also visited and found a much smaller beach, much more noise from loud motor boats and the bures so crammed in they were literally touching each other.

glad you had a nice stay at Tokoriki, maybe the aussie who owns it has made some much-needed improvements. been to Yasawas (nacula, waya,kuata) 4 separate visits and NEVER been bitten by sealice. forgot the wasps on Tokoriki!!!they live in the wall material in front of the bures- no 24 & no 21 were full of them. I shiver when I think of how much money we spent on our visit there. my husband is a builder and he could not believe how any owner of a resort could let the place run-down so much. imho Yasawas and waya are magic!

My husband and I stayed at Vomo about two years ago. The resort was very nice and the staff great. Can't say much for the beach and water in front of the bures though. The snorkeling was not great but then it doesn't sound like that is one of your interests. I think it would be fine if laying around is your interest.

My new husband and I just returned from Tokoriki on Feb. 7th. The beach was OK, but the seaweed is bad (as I believe it is in all the Mamanucas) and sometimes the beach is stinky because of it. Never had sea lice or wasp problems. The food was good, the service OK... the cockroaches were awful (in our bathroom at night and then in our next bure in our bathroom at night)... I would do further research and possibly go somewhere else if I were you.

Take a look at Malolo Island resort.
We spent 5 nites there in March 2001, and it was a great place to stay. The Bures are built duplex style(2 units to a building) They are all air conditioned, which can be important in the hot and rainy season. In June it may not be much of an issue, but in March we sure were glad to have AC. It is a little larger resort 50 or so Bures, but not as big as Castaway. The staff was amazingly friendly, and the food was pretty good.
check out www.maloloisland.com