Pacific Archives

10 YEARS AGO In Pacific Magazine…

Take one slightly used tradition-style resort with 20 authentic Fijian bures by the beach.

Then, blend in generous portions of innovation, technology, style, comfort, class and an excellent dining room/kitchen.

Next, mix with a professional, caring and friendly staff, varied activities like scuba diving on virgin reefs, snorkeling, tidal-pool walks, rain-forest walks, star-gazing, environmentally themed educational seminars, local villages and more.

Wrap it all up with a futuristic operating philosophy based on love, respect and sensitivity for the ocean, land, people and culture and you have the recipe for the newly opened Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort at Savusavu on Vanua Levu.

The resort is on 17 acres at Liseaceva Point about three miles southwest of the town where the waters of the Koro Sea meet the protected calm of Savusavu Bay….

It's appropriate that the "new" Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort is actually an "old" resort that's been recycled. With ecotourism, the idea is to preserve and protect the environment with minimal impact on it. Before the renovations, it was the Na Koro Resort.

With an emphasis on helping guests develop and further their awareness of the physical as well as cultural environment, the resort has launched a new standard for the generic ecotourism establishment….

"I'm not in the hotel business," Jean-Michel Cousteau said. "The purpose of this is to attempt to provide an outlet for ecotourism. Our position is that, granted, there is going to be an impact with any tourism project no matter how hard you try. But, we will try to minimize our impact on the environment and local culture."