Planes

Fly into Fiji's Nadi International Airport (www.airportsfiji.com), on the west coast of main island Viti Levu. Fijian national carrier Fiji Airways (www.fijiairways.com), which code shares with Qantas (www.qantas.com), offers direct flights to Nadi from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland, Christchurch, Hong Kong, Honolulu and Los Angeles, as well as connections via LA from major US cities and Vancouver. Other international carriers flying into Nadi include Air New Zealand, Virgin Australia, Jetstar, Pacific Blue, Korean Air, US Airways, United Airlines, Air Vanuatu and Air Caledonia. Rosie Holidays (www.rosiefiji.com), which has an office at Nadi Airport, is a reliable ground operator if you need help booking flights or domestic transfers.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Bag time in Likuliku's impressive Tatadra Spa, set in a serene spot on the east side of the grounds where the forest meets the ocean. Treatments draw on local Fijian produce, such as the Dilo Foot Rescue for soothing tired paws. Both solo and couples pampering is up for grabs, with a chill-out room with outdoor terrace for recovering afterwards. You can also request treatments in your room.

Naturally, there's aquatic action aplenty at Likuliku, starting with the inviting main pool as well as gentle swimming and free snorkelling in the pretty lagoon surrounding the resort (Likuliku means 'calm waters' and the lagoon was once a safe harbour for tribal war canoes). Time your forays for when the tide is high, as water levels can vary dramatically during the day, with the seabed sometimes exposed. There's easy snorkelling off the beach or main jetty thanks to Malolo Island's fringing reef, or check out the tropical fish right below the Over-water Bures (guests in these rooms can just descend a ladder to plumb the depths, but be careful at low tide). The immediate area is a protected marine reserve, declared a sacred no-fishing zone by the local chief, so you should see lots of rainbow-bright fish as well as cobalt starfish. You can also pay for snorkelling sessions at sites further afield; just consult the guys at the activities bure, who can also give you a basic snorkelling lesson.

Scuba diving is handled by an outside operator, PADI-certified Subsurface Fiji, so visit the activities bure and they'll hook you up, with dive trips departing twice daily. With over 44 dive sites in the area, you'll find adventures to suit all levels, from calm inner reef dives to deeper, oceanside explorations beyond Malolo's barrier reef. Popular dives include buzzy shark sightings at the world-famous Supermarket, wreck-scoping at B26 Bomber and Salamanda Shipwreck, swimming through submerged pinnacles at Gotham City, cavern hopping at Vomo Caves, the sheer wall at Bird Rock, and drift dives at Wilkes Passage. As well as jaw-dropping hard and soft coral, you may see barracuda, turtles, reef sharks, manta rays and moray eels. Beginners can take a half-day introductory course, kicking off in the resort's pool, before progresssing to the ocean. Longer Open Water and Advanced Dive courses can also be yours. Serious surfers are in luck, too, with iconic breaks just a short boat ride away, including Cloudbreak, Restaurants, Namotu Left and Wilkes Passage.

Action fiends can try their luck at waterskiing, wakeboarding or the bizarre-sounding kneeboarding, at extra cost; non-motorised watersports are free, including kayaks and windsurfing boards. Jetskiing is available at a nearby sister hotel on the island a short boat trip away. Handline fishing or trolling on the inner or outer reef for giant tuna or trevally will appeal to budding Hemingways. Island-hopping trips, sandbar picnics, dolphin safari/surf sightseeing tours to Cloud Break and sunset cruises (with a tasty antipasto platter) may also float your boat – literally – or you can choose to circumnavigate Malolo Levu and Malolo Lailai islands. The lagoon is a turtle-breeding area and Fijian waters attract migrating humpback whales in season.

Back on dry land, check out the island's nature trails and guided bush walks, including Jonas's Look-out and the ridge track to Naroba Point, or enjoy a shoreside stroll along Naivaka Beach. Likuluku offers walks with a local medicine man who can explain the beneficial properties of plants and flowers. Culture vultures can visit Malolo's two villages, including Yaro – home to the island's paramount chief – where you can attend Sunday church services, and Solevu, where you can drop in at a school. You can also discover ancient archeological sites dotted across the island, with strong religious significance to the indigenous population, including Yadra, a magic wishing cave occupied by a spirit god.