Going Green Travel
Leaving small footprints in our big world.

About the Resort:
Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of world-famous oceanographer, Jacques Cousteau, has created this award-winning, five-star resort on the island of Vanua Levu in Fiji.  It has quickly become one of the most talked-about resorts in the South Pacific - due to it’s absolute beauty, as well as it’s emphasis on being environmentally-friendly.

This 17-acre resort, situated on a coconut plantation, rests on the shores of the gorgeous Savusavu Bay and was designed to be a romantic getaway for couples, honeymooners, or for weddings.  It also boasts superb opportunities for all types of water activities - making it a good choice for families looking to combine low key relaxation with fun, eco-friendly activities.

Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort is the only resort in Fiji to have it’s own full-time marine biologist, to teach guests more about the marine environment they are so enthusiastic to protect.

There is no other Fiji Island resort that offers this wide range of activities — including doing nothing but relaxing on the gorgeous grounds or hanging out in their world-class spa - or engaging in a huge variety of eco-friendly pursuits.

Commitment to the Environment:

Famed oceanographer, Jean-Michel Cousteau, has spent the majority of his life teaching the public about the importance of appreciating and caring for our planet.  Like his father, the late Jacques Couteau, he is dedicated to doing all  he can to see thqat our world is preserved for future generations of nature enthusiasts.

Jean-Michel has a love for all aspects of life in Fiji — the people, their native culture, the natural beauty of the land, and the hospitality of its residents.  This love has fostered his passion to create a resort that complements his own personal commitment to environmentalism.

What Makes This Resort Eco-Friendly (Green)?

There are many ways Costeua’s Fiji Island Resorts qualifies as an eco-friendly resort.  Some of the things they are doing are:

1. Full-time, on-site Marine Biologist to educate guests about the ecology and things they can do to help the environment.
2. Protecting the Namena Marine Reserve
3. New waste water system using coconuts and recycled bottles to produce clean water in pastoral lagoons
4. Aware-winning Cultural Host - Each day of the week is devoted to making guests aware about a different aspect of Fiji’s culture and environment
5. The resort startd the first recycling program on Savusavu
6. Organic garden that grows many vegetables, herbs and fruits for their guests
7. Edible landscaping
8. Local involvement with the environmental efforts through the community and schools
9. Fishing outside the reef, in the deep ocean where fish are plentiful

The ethic at the Jean-Michel Cousteau Figi Islands Resort is to leave as small a footprint on the environment as possible, to look for ways to give back to the environment and the local communities, and to show respect to everyone we share the planet with.

Accommodations

Cousteau’s Fiji Islands Resort offers many different accommodation options from their spectacular villa or many different types of bures (a Fijian word meaning a wood and straw hut).  They offer honeymoon bures, oceanfront, reef-view, or garden bures. 

All accommodations are quite large and all offer an outside deck so you can take in all the sights of this island paradise and enjoy meals al fresco.  Some are two-level and feature a balcony as well as a deck.

 

Dining

All meals are included in the price of the resort vacation and include breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The resorts award-winning meals are served in the resort’s outdoor dining room — featuring a 60-foot high temple roof.  The restaurant uses fresh herbs, spices, and vegetables grown at the resorts own organic garden.

Meals are typically authentic Fijian and South Pacific cuisine, as well as international favorites.  A special children’s menu is available for even the pickiest of eaters.

Activities

Each day of the week is dedicated to a specific activity.  On the day of this writing, the activites are scheduled as follows:

Monday:  A snorkeling trip to the reef with the resort’s resident marine biologist.

Tuesday:  A day of Fijian culture including language lessons and a trip to a local village to observe Fijian culture first hand.

Wednesday: A day of ecological awareness including a tour of the local mangroves and planting of mangrove seedlings to help maintain the island’s coastal ecosystem.

Thursday:  A day in the rain forest includes a hike through a tropical rainforest and the discovery of a hidden waterfall.  Also includeds a refreshing dip in a gorgeous freshwater jungle pool.

Friday:  This day is devoted to the coconut (since the resort was built in a coconut plantation).  Learn about coconut husking and how to weave traditional Fijian baskets and fans from coconut leaves.

Saturday:  This is the day of the Fijian feast, taking you to the local Savusavu markets.  Enjoy the traditional sights and sounds of the colorful Fijian marketplace.

Sunday:  A day devoted to rest and relaxation — guests are free to stroll the pristine beach, take a dip in the pool, navagate the lagoon by catamaran or kayak or simply to nothing.

Conclusion

This resort was built for the purpose of offering a green travel option to environmental enthusiasts.  However, no luxury was spared in developing this opulant resort. 

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 29th, 2008 at 5:00 pm and is filed under Fiji, South Pacific. You can follow responses to this entry through the Comments RSS Feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your site.