6 Best Hotels in Mamanuca Islands, Mamanuca and Yasawa Groups

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.