Paradise Cove, Naukacuvu Island, Yasawa Islands, Fiji – an enchanting South Sea paradise

Fiji, Fiji, Honeymoon, South Sea, Spa, Südsee, Videos, Wedding 0 Comments

Fijian culture, relaxed beach life and the spectacular underwater world in the South Pacific

To be on the other side of the world, listening to the Fijian sounds, swimming in the crystal clear waters of the azure blue ocean, relaxing under the palm trees or cooling down in your own pool, our long-cherished South Sea dream came true at the 5-star island resort Paradise Cove on the paradisiacal Yasawa Islands. 

The resort is exceptionally relaxed – all you really need is beachwear and flip-flops – and never before have we enjoyed spending time with the warmhearted staff and snorkeling in one of the most beautiful living coral reefs, as much as here.

By boat (SSC Yasawa Flyer), it takes about three hours from the main island to Paradise Cove. That might sound long, but time passes quickly, thanks to the fantastic views. As soon as you reach the Yasawa Islands by boat, you will be greeted by a typical Fijian warrior.

Discovered in the 19th century by people lost at sea, sailors, escaped convicts and adventurers – today Fiji is a South Sea paradise with just 860,000 people and, in our humble opinion, the friendliest people in the world.

Fiji is located in the region of Melanesia that consists of 333 islands, of which about 150 are inhabited. The beautiful archipelago in the South Seas with the main islands Viti Levu and Vanua Levu is located between New Zealand and Hawaii. Rainforests, savannahs with acacia trees, mangroves on the coasts, coconut palms, mountains up to 1300 meters high, heavenly beaches and beautiful lagoons makes Fiji picture perfect indeed.

Paradise Cove is hidden among beautiful coconut trees on the island of Naukacuvu in the Navit archipelago. The beach resort has three pools, a restaurant, two bars, a kids club, a spa, and an adults only sanctuary.

BULA

Upon arrival, you will be greeted in a typical Fijian fashion with a local welcome song and a warm BULA (Hello)! Like everywhere in Fiji, the staff are so friendly, cheerful and kindhearted! And here at Paradise Cove, some have even stolen our hearts.

Vitamin Sea

The resort has a beautiful long sandy beach where you can relax and swim and snorkel at low and high tide. The Beachfront Villas have their own sunbeds and umbrellas. Guests can also use the sunbeds at the pool and on the beach in front of the restaurant.

To experience these colorful coral reefs and the countless fish, you do not even have to take a boat out to the reef – you can start snorkeling from the beach. Absolute madness! 

Pool by the Sea

The large swimming pool with its sand bar offers refreshment on hot days.

Bungalows & Villas

Paradise Cove offers a wide range of accommodation, with plenty of room for families and privacy for couples. All 45 bungalows and villas are furnished in typical Fijian style with handmade local furniture and beautiful open air bathrooms.

Paradise Suite 

The magnificent Paradise Suite is located directly on the beach, has a private pool, a swinging daybed, sunbeds on the terrace and on the beach, a large living and lounge area and a beautiful jungle bathroom with double outdoor shower.

With the huge glass door, which can be pushed open completely and the windows with fly screens, you can practically live and sleep outside. One of a kind!

You have a lot of privacy and the beach in front of the Paradise Suite is almost all yours.

The open bathroom with private garden, stylish stone floor and Balinese washbasins has a wonderful jungle atmosphere and is one of the most beautiful outdoor pools we have ever seen.

(Paradise) Garden Bungalows
These bungalows with handmade local furniture and open air shower in the bathroom are perfect for two adults and one child.

“The Cove” – Adults only
In the new adults only sanctuary, there are 2 pools, a boat bar and 10 cove villas with outdoor bath and lounge areas in the middle of a beautiful tropical garden.

Cove Villa – Beach House
The Beach House is located across the street on its own island and offers a very private island experience with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, a large living area, both inside and outside, a fully equipped lounge, a kitchen and a breakfast butler. But you can also have your own boatman take you to the pool or to the restaurant of the main resort at any time.

Activities

Every day there are various activities on offer, such as snorkeling tours, island excursions, hiking, cultural village tours and much more.

Water sports, snorkeling & diving

With 35 different diving and snorkeling sites, Paradise Cove offers an incredible number of opportunities to explore the underwater world, dive with reef sharks and turtles or swim with manta rays (May – October).

The PADI diving school with its cool instructors, like Aku, is perfect for beginners, for experienced divers or even to get your diving license.

The colorful soft and hard corals and also the countless fish and sea animals are simply spectacular. And it is also just great to see how healthy the coral reefs are. So far, the most beautiful coral reefs we have ever seen!

Pacific delicacies

The food at Paradise Cove is really excellent. Chef Saveen uses local ingredients for his delicious Pacific cuisine. Most of the ingredients are bought from island farmers and a large part of the fruit, vegetables and herbs are grown locally. Full board is mandatory at Paradise Cove.

Breakfast /Black Rock Restaurant
The extensive breakfast is served in buffet form in the open restaurant with a beautiful sea breeze and delicious à la carte dishes.

Lunch / The Sandbar
The 3-course lunch can be enjoyed on the ocean shore in The Sandbar with a delicious Fijian beer (Vonu) or cocktail. We were impressed by the delightful Wagyu beef burger. The coconut soup with shrimps and garlic bread, and the typical Kokoda are also a treat for the palate.

Dinner /Black Rock Restaurant
In the evening, the delicious three-course menus are served in a beautiful romantic atmosphere accompanied by live music and kava drinking ceremony.

Tables are set-up in a different spot every evening with either a view of the ocean or the pool.

The Indian-influenced Chef’s Beef or Fish Curry is highly recommended!

Friday evenings, the typical Meke dance is performed in front of the Fijian buffet. With local dances and songs, you get to know the Fijian culture a little better. The warrior dances are especially spectacular!

We thoroughly enjoyed sitting with the resort staff after dinner and listening to them sing and play the guitar. Of course, this always involved a few rounds of the local kava drink made from the roots of a pepper plant. This is exactly how the locals spend their evenings – what a serene lifestyle!

Nauka Spa

At the Nauka Spa, named after the island of Naukacuvu, the treatments (massages, facials, manicures and pedicures) with pure Fiji products are entirely adapted to the needs of the body.

Honeymoon & Wedding

Renewal of Marriage Vows
from FJD 1,450

  • Ceremony by a local minister
  • Flower arch on the beach
  • Candlelight dinner with seafood on the beach and a bottle of sparkling wine for two

Wedding ceremony on the Beach
from FJD $ 4.100

  • Ceremony by a local minister
  • Flower arch on the beach
  • Signing table with flower arrangement
  • Bridal Bouquet
  • Groom Boutonniere
  • Couples one-hour massage 
  • Lobster and seafood candlelight dinner on the beach and a bottle of champagne for two
  • Wedding cake for two
  • A bottle of sparkling wine to toast during the ceremony
  • Wedding License and arranging of paperwork and scheduling a meeting with BDM officer to obtain a wedding license
  • Submission of the marriage certificate to receive the apostle stamp
  • One overnight stayfor twopeople inThe Palms Denaraubefore travelingtotheresort

FIJI – where Happiness finds you

The heart and soul of Paradise Cove is the friendly South African General Manager with his wife and the warm-hearted staff – unique personalities who make your holiday unforgettable. Tiki, Sissi, Meli, Lorima, Posh, Liku, Knox – just to name a few – we will never forget you!

Transfer Tip

With the Bula Pass from South Sea Cruises, you can visit all the different Fiji Islands. Daily trips depart in the morning from Port Denarau on the main island to the various Fiji Islands and in the afternoon return to the port. If you would like to get there a little faster and more luxuriously, you can also arrive by seaplane or helicopter.

Conclusion

It has been a lifelong dream of ours to go to Fiji. And it was more incredible than we ever could have had imagined. We loved staying here! At Paradise Cove, you can make your South Sea dream come true. Here, one is not merely a guest, but also has the feeling of being able to take part in the daily lives of the locals. It is so memorable to experience such warm-hearted and friendly people. We enjoyed it immensely and can only highly recommend this relaxed resort with its beautiful sandy beach, magnificent villas, mouthwatering cuisine, and its spectacular underwater world! Fiji was and remains an absolute paradisiacal place of yearning!

Rooms: 45 bungalows and villas (1-2 bedrooms)
Flight Duration: 11 hours flight from Germany to Singapore and 10,5 hours to Nadi, Fiji
Transfer: About 3 hours from Port Denarau with South Sea Cruises (from FJD 350 p.p.), about 30 minutes by seaplane (from FJD 874 p.p., turtleairways.com)
Vaccinations: Tetanus, Diphtheria, Polio, Pertussis, Measles, and Hepatitis A are recommended
Air Temperature: 20 – 34 degrees Celsius
Water Temperature: 25 – 28 degrees Celsius
Time difference: CET +11 hours
Best time to travel: May to October with pleasant temperatures; November to April has the highest humidity and the heaviest precipitation and possibly also cyclones and hurricanes
Price: from FJD 509 per night in the Garden Bungalow or FJD 1699 per night in the Paradise Suite plus approximately FJD 219 per person per night (about FJD 129 per child 5-12 yrs) for full board (low season)
Activities: PADI dive shop with wreck, cave and fun dives as well as activities such as wildlife fishing, canoeing, kayaking, snorkeling, island trips, hiking, cultural village tours and boat trips
Special features: beautiful beach, stunning pool villas, relaxed atmosphere, best food, great staff, perfect for snorkeling – also directly from the beach
Perfect for: honeymooners, couples, beach lovers, peace seekers, water sports enthusiasts, snorkelers, divers

Paradise Cove Resort
Naukacuvu Island Yasawa Island, Fiji
Phone: NZ(0800)449944|US(800)9106975 |AUST(02)83171638|UK(20)86109660
reservations@paradisecoveresortfiji.com
paradisecoveresortfiji.com

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Please note: Our stay was sponsored by Paradise Cove. Nevertheless, the opinions expressed in the article are our 100% our own!

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The Sanchaya, Bintan, Indonesia – Tropical Luxury & Exclusive Beach Holiday

Asia, Bintan, Indonesia, Spa, Videos 0 Comments

Tradition, elegance, and relaxation combined with excellent service

Located on the beautiful Lagoi Bay, this exclusive boutique hotel with its extraordinary design is only 50 minutes from Singapore and about a 10-minute drive from Bandar Bentan Telani, the main ferry terminal on the Indonesian island Bintan.

The 5-star hotel, The Sanchaya, which means “collection” in Sanskrit, is located on a beautiful beach and offers pure relaxation and luxury with its enormous pool, unique suites, a Balinese spa, and impressive service.

“The Sanchaya is doing for Bintan Island today what the Hamptons did for New York yesterday” – Luxury Hoteliers

“Even when we are fully booked, its never crowded. Space is luxury. So that is a luxury!” – Magnus Olovson, General Manager of The Sanchaya

As soon as you arrive at Bintan by ferry, The Sanchaya experience begins when you are greeted by the lovely Sanchaya staff and can make yourself comfortable in Sanchaya’s private hotel lounge. While you enjoy a refreshing drink and snacks, the team will take care of your luggage, and even check-in is done right here.

Arriving at the hotel, you will be warmly welcomed by staff in their traditional uniforms and by the General Manager Magnus Olovson himself. The guests are called “residents,” and the employees are called “craftsmen” or “artisans”. From the very first moment, they welcomed us, they used our first names, which adds a personal, intimate touch.

The Sanchaya attempts only to recruit and train locals as staff to support the surrounding communities.

For the Russian entrepreneur, Natalya Pavchinskaya, a lifelong dream came true in 2014, when she opened this luxury hotel on a 10-hectare estate on Bintan’s most beautiful beach. In cooperation with the renowned design company p49, a hotel with 29 villas and suites, a private residence with spectacular ocean views, a clubhouse, two restaurants, a bar,  a lounge, a 50-meter-long infinity pool, a spa, a fitness center, a yoga pavilion on the beach and a croquet lawn was constructed. 

“I was inspired by the European Salons of the 18th and 19th centuries… and wanted to recreate their feeling of hospitality; of bringing people together, in the home of a close friend, to share the same interests in art, in culture, in travel.” – Nayalya Pavchinskaya, founder of The Sanchaya

The hotel’s award-winning design is reminiscent of a beautiful old colonial mansion. It is inspired by the European salons of the 18th and 19th centuries and the rich history and culture of no less than ten different Southeast Asian countries.

The spectacular 50-meter long infinity pool – known as the “Tasanee Pool,” which is Thai for “beautiful view,” offers an unparalleled view of the palm-fringed beach and the South China Sea. Upon arrival at the pool, you will be given a picnic basket with still and sparkling water, cold towels, sunscreen, and after suntan lotion, brought directly to your sunbed – what fantastic service!

There are also sunbeds and day beds with umbrellas along the stunning endless beach.

Every day, the beach is cleaned of the dirt that is, unfortunately, caused by ships passing by en route to Singapore.

“A luxurious perspective on the design, culture and, most of all, tranquillity of the region.” – L´Officiel

In the lounge with its library, you can make yourself comfortable on the elegant Chesterfields with a good book among works of art, antiques, books, and other artifacts. The “Decanter” offers wine and cheese tastings with the hotel sommelier.

Villas & Suites

With spacious villas, suites with sea views, and Thai villas at the lagoon, the spacious hotel offers many different possibilities to enjoy your stay in its beautiful and stylish surroundings.

Nine junior suites are located on the second floor of the main building, in The Great House. Eight other Sanchaya suites are situated in 4 villa-style buildings on the estate’s grounds, either on the ground or the top floor of the building.

One-Bedroom Villa

The villa, with its modern design and stunning works of art, has its own living area, two private verandahs with upholstered sunbeds, an exquisite bedroom, an espresso machine, a large maxi-bar that includes beer, soft drinks and chocolate, and a beautiful bathroom with a free-standing bathtub and exclusive Aesop skincare products.

In the Chinese-style wardrobe, you have a large selection of movies and music with Apple TV and an iPad.

The bathroom is elegantly designed with Moroccan floor tiles, ground-level showers by Lefroy Brooks, white tiles, and tasteful pictures on the walls. It is a wonderfully relaxing oasis.

Presidential Vanda Villa

The private residence is located directly on the beach next to the main house and consists of two buildings with four bedrooms and a private pool.

Lawan Thai Villa

The bamboo-clad Thai villas are arranged around a beautiful artificial lagoon and are ideal for couples seeking more privacy.

The Dining Room

Under the leadership of Italian chef Giacomo Turzo, Indonesian and contemporary European delicacies are served in the Dining Room.

You can enjoy á la carte breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner all day long.

The extensive À la carte breakfast menu offers a variety of delicacies including traditional Jamu juice, local dishes such as Mamak Mee Goreng from Malaysia, and western dishes like Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon and truffle Hollandaise.

Bar

The Bar offers selected and their own branded spirits, an extensive cigar collection, and shisha pipes in the ambiance of a late 19th century gentlemen’s club. Between leather armchairs and various antiques, like binoculars, trumpets, watches, and telescopes, you can enjoy unusual cocktails, such as the Bintan Chili Pineapple Margarita, with live music.

It is particularly spectacular when a cocktail is prepared at your tableside by the resident mixologist. The James Bond-style Vesper Martini – stirred not shaken – is a must! Incredibly tasty and one of the best we have ever had!

In the evenings, you can enjoy the wonderfully delicious dishes inside or al fresco with a view of the pool and the South China Sea while being spoiled with excellent service.

Tasanee Thai Grill

The Thai restaurant by the pool serves delicious authentic Bangkok street cuisine with fabulous views of the azure blue sea.

The Sanchaya Spa

The spa is tucked away in a lush garden and offers a selection of treatments in single and double treatment rooms, both in- and outdoors.

THE SANCHAYA SIGNATURE
Relax with a foot cleansing ritual followed by our Signature Massage – a fusion of Asian-Indonesian techniques designed to melt away tension and promote deep relaxation using Java volcanic warm stones, long strokes and stretching movements, complemented with our Signature oils and completed with an Oriental Head Massage.

The treatments in this natural and serene environment are magically relaxing and very professional. Highly recommended! 

The high-tech gym has a personal trainer and is open 24 hours a day.

Honeymoon & Wedding

For weddings, Sanchaya offers an exclusive backdrop with the Salon, Dhalia Room, and their unique suites. The tropical garden and the white sandy beach shores are perfect for ceremonies and romantic dinners.

“There is a particularly lucky spot upon The Sanchaya’s private beachfront reminiscent of the powder white sands at The Maldives, popular for wedding proposals.” – Forbes

Activities

If you prefer not to spend the whole day at the pool or pamper yourself at the spa, there are a variety of activities on offer. From croquet to sailing, stand-up paddleboarding, beach kite flying, papillionaire bikes, Pétanque (boules), archery classes (at an additional fee), and mangrove forest boat tours (an additional charge applies).

We were lucky to witness a spectacular Chinese New Year ceremony.

Mr. Morris

Through the Mr. Morris Foundation program, Sanchaya supports the education of the local people with scholarships, an orphanage, a home for the elderly, environmental projects, and artists on Bintan, among other things. More info >>

In the elegant shop, The Collection, you can buy Mr. Morris articles, gifts, and clothes.

Conclusion

The Sanchaya is really unlike anything else. With only 29 villas and suites on this magnificent beachfront estate, it offers one of a kind personal service combined with exclusivity. The design is unique and incredibly tasteful. You can feel that a vision has been brought to life here with great attention to detail and a sense of extraordinary design. The icing on the cake is the warm-hearted staff and the charming general manager. They look after the guests’ well-being and make your stay perfect with their endearing service!

Rooms: 29 suites and villas with up to four bedrooms
Flight time: Approximately 11 hours from Germany to Singapore.
Transfer: 85 km from Singapore, about a 50-minute ferry ride to Bintan: Bintan Resort Ferries (www.brf.com.sg), Sindo Ferry (www.sindoferry.com.sg) and Mozaic Ferry Lines (www.directferries.com), About a 15-minute drive to the hotel or a one hour and 15-minute drive from Tanjung Pinang Airport on Bintan (Garuda Indonesia, Sriwijaya Air, and Lion Air)
Visa: On arrival for valid for 30 days, free of charge.
Vaccinations: None required.
Air Temperature: 23 – 31 degrees Celsius
Water Temperature: 28 – 30 degrees Celsius
Time difference: CET +6 hours
Best time to travel: All year-round. With its proximity to the equator, it is tropically warm all year round, with no distinct rainy season. Daily showers are typical. It is usually sunnier from December to April.
Price: From 434 EUR per night, including breakfast, express immigration, and transfer.
Activities: swimming, yoga, croquet, stand-up paddleboards, archery, mangrove tours, wine, and cheese tasting
Special features: 24-hour room service, serene, relaxed atmosphere, stylish suites, delicious food, friendly staff, and out of this world service!
Perfect for: Couples, romantics, honeymooners, families, friends, and nature lovers.


The Sanchaya
Jalan Gurindam Duabelas, Plot 5, Lagoi Bay
Pulau Bintan – Kepulauan Riau, 29155
Indonesia
reservations@thesanchaya.com
www.thesanchaya.com

I PREFER MEMBERS’ CHOICE AWARD WINNERS – 2019
Condé Nast Traveler 2017 Readers’ Choice Award – 2017
Condé Nast Traveler Hot List of Best New Hotels in the World – 2015
Travel + Leisure IT List for Best 43 New Hotels Around the Globe – 2015
DestinAsian’sLuxe List – 2015
World Travel’s Luxury 50 – 2015

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Please note: The Sanchaya sponsored our stay. Thank you very much! Nevertheless, the opinions expressed in this article are 100% our own!

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