2 Best Hotels in Kadavu Group, Fiji

Better known as "Dive Kadavu" after its in-house dive shop, the emphasis here is on relaxation and the reefs. Matana's three covered dive boats hit 40 sites including the hangout of giant manta rays on the Astrolabe Reef, another with shark feeding, and one with a dive to 120 feet with a big swim-through. Shore dives are free. Set both on the beach and a bit uphill, the 10 simply appointed studio-style bure sleep from two to five. Bure 9 and 10, designed for couples, have king beds and are set right on the lovely beach, as are a few of the larger, family-oriented bure. When not submerged, you might trek up the ridge behind the resort for fantastic ocean views, take a boat to a local waterfall or another beach for a picnic or a sunset booze cruise. The included food is good and there's plenty of it, with predinner hors d'oeuvres served at the beach bar.

Divers and snorkelers, game-fishers, and kayakers not married to "the finer things" will find this ecofriendly resort a worthy base camp. The resort dives nearly 30 sites on the famed Astrolabe Reef, including one known for its enormous manta rays. A nice sand beach within view is a long swim or one-minute boat ride away. Remodeled in mid-2008, the studio-style bure are well-spaced on a steep hillside and have simple, white-tiled bathrooms and excellent, unobstructed views of the ocean. Honeymoon bure, commanding even better views from near the top, are a bit roomier with king-size beds. A new waterfront deck with daybeds provides a tranquil spot to while away an hour with a book in the shade. The included meals are very good though not exceptional and feature vegetables from an extensive organic garden and the occasional yellowfin tuna caught that day.