5 Best Hotels in Lomaiviti Group, Fiji

This is among the most rustic resorts in Fiji, which also makes it one of the most memorable if you want personal time with excellent sand, surf, and sun in a minimally impacted setting.

If you can't handle outhouse toilets and water-tanks-with-faucets in place of sinks, this isn't for you.

Activities include excellent snorkeling and diving, boat trips to nearby Moturiki island for trekking, and village tours on Sunday in time for the 10 am church service, which invariably features remarkable a cappella singing. The 10 small bure include double beds, one with a single bed, and one with two doubles, and 10-bed dorm gets its sheets adorned with fresh hibiscus flowers. The included three meals a day are usually good as well as hearty (although vegetarians cannot be picky) and dinner is accompanied by pleasant acoustic guitars and song.

You may think you're intruding on a village when you see the traditional bure and sand paths upon your boat's approach, but that's before the shiny bar and volleyball court catch your eye. Accommodations here include traditional Fijian bure furnished only with double beds; duplexes with a double and single bed; family lodges, which sleep five; and three dorms, which sleep up to 20 guests each. Guests don't mind the small, rustic accommodations as they spend their time in the pristine water or on the fine white sand. Communal meals include continental breakfasts, sandwiches for lunch, and theme dinners (Chinese, Indian, lovo, and eclectic) on a seven-day rotation. The experience here is a rustic one, but where else can you watch two species of turtle lay eggs outside your bure? The resort also has a "barefoot" conference facility for corporate events.

Set into a hill at the edge of Levuka are the old capital's nicest accommodations with well-appointed rooms. They're set in a row up the hill, with the lowest commanding harbor views and three of the four equipped with air-conditioning. The included breakfast with your hosts is a major affair, during which Australia natives John and Marilyn Milesi enthusiastically share their encyclopedic knowledge of the island (just be aware that they smoke). There's no pool but the guest rooms are loaded with towels, and there are stunning views over Levuka from one of their two comfortable living areas, as well as a considerable book library, Wi-Fi, and a TV and DVD player for good measure.

Those looking for independence and a somewhat rustic experience head to the self-contained units here, a bumpy 20-minute ride from Levuka's main drag. Coral bone paths lead to the two-bedroom bungalows spread out on a wide lawn. Each can be divided into separate units with a double and single bed or a double bed, separate kitchens (a portable gas stove is available on request), and a shared bathroom. The tidal beach across the street offers good snorkeling a little way out and tours can be arranged through Ovalau Watersports, such as a 1½- to 2-hour tour around the island. The resort is particularly popular with middle-age couples, although singles looking to escape come here, too. Children under 12 stay free. There's a good restaurant on-site.

An ultraluxury hideaway popular with celebrities, Wakaya guests are met with a chilled bottle of Taittinger champagne upon arrival and an organic fruit basket is replenished throughout their stay. Bathrooms in the 1,650-square-foot Garden and Ocean bure have dual basin sinks, bathtubs, bidets, and lead to outdoor lava rock showers. The king-size four-poster beds are dressed in Fili D'oro sheets. Garden bure are set back from the beach while all others are steps from it. Three larger bure range from one to three bedrooms and from 2,400-square-feet to a separately staffed 16-acre hilltop estate. From every bure, reception is an intercom button away. All rates include early-morning check-in and late-afternoon check-out, and two one-tank dives daily. Four chefs and two pastry chefs produce Japanese-influenced Pacific Rim cuisine (Nobu Matsuhisa is a frequent guest), served whenever and almost wherever guests please.