Shangri-La's Fijian Resort & Spa, Yanuca Island Unveils $50 Million Upgrade Including South Pacific's Largest Inflatable Water Park
Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa, Yanuca Island.
After undergoing a two-year renovation, Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa, Yanuca Island has unveiled a $50 million upgrade to the property’s guest rooms and suites, an exclusive adults-only wing, world-class restaurants, and more. The resort, which is spread across more than 100 hectares on a private island off the Coral Coast, offers the ultimate vacation paradise with features that include spacious luxury villas, the largest inflatable water park in the South Pacific, revitalized restaurants, and a tiki bar with the resort’s own signature rum label.
“This has been a truly transformative program that will re-establish Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa as one of Fiji’s best destination resorts, and set new standards for dining and living in and experiencing Fiji as a holiday destination,” says Mr. Francis Lee, General Manager at the resort. “The two years we have spent reimagining one of the original resorts in the South Pacific for today’s visitors to Fiji has been spectacular. It’s been a collaboration involving our staff, many of whom have worked across generations of guests, to deliver an experience that is authentically Fijian at its heart. I’m excited to show a new generation of travelers why Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa has, for more than half a century, held a place in the hearts of visitors from around the world.”
More than a quarter of the island has been dedicated to the adults-only Reef Wing, which includes new Reef Bures inspired by traditional Fijian beach bungalows.
More than a quarter of the island has been dedicated to the new Reef Wing private adults-only precinct, which includes the new Reef Bures—inspired by traditional Fijian beach bungalows, these beachfront retreats offer sweeping views of the reef and Pacific Ocean. Guests staying in the Reef Bures have a dedicated golf buggy for the duration of the stay, which they can use throughout the resort grounds.
The resort also has two-bedroom Lagoon Bures, which offer separate living and dining areas, and sweeping views of the resort lagoon and Pacific Ocean. Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa, Yanuca Island is also home to the South Pacific’s largest inflatable water park. There are beach and lagoon activities, the Shangri-La Marine Education Centre, and a nine-hole private golf course, which was designed by five-time British Open winner Peter Thomson.
The resort is also home to the largest inflatable water park in the South Pacific.
The biggest transformation was the establishment of new dining and entertainment experiences, with Executive Chef Rudolf Kunkel assembling an international and local culinary team that has created six dedicated and casual dining and bar concepts across the resort—each with its own unique experiences, flavors and themes, including:
Takali Asian Kitchen: An Asian fusion-concept restaurant incorporating Malaysian, Thai, Cantonese and mainland Chinese influences on dishes.
Golden Cowrie Coastal Italian: From handmade soft cheeses to pasta, this premium dining experience delivers a quality of Mediterranean dining not seen before.
Lagoon Terrace: The main dining restaurant featuring a variety of options that change daily and make the most of seasonal local produce while offering spectacular reef and lagoon views.
The resort also reintroduces the Black Marlin Tropical Bar, which was first established more than 50 years ago. It has been reimagined as an elegant tiki bar featuring more than 100 rums sourced from around the world, kept company by Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa, Yanuca Island’s own signature label, Yanuca Rum, which is distilled locally and exclusively for Black Marlin patrons.
Golden Cowrie Coastal Italian delivers a quality of Mediterranean dining not seen before in Fiji.
Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa on the private Yanuca Island is connected by a causeway to the mainland, providing a Fijian island experience with ease of access to the Coral Coast. It’s the only private island destination resort accessible by road from the main island of Viti Levu. At the resort, located only a 50-minute drive from Fiji’s main international airport in Nadi, guests can be settled into their rooms and swimming in the lagoon within 90 minutes of disembarking from the plane.
For more information and to make a reservation, visit the resort’s website and follow them on Instagram: @shangrila.fiji
[Images courtesy of Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa, Yanuca Island]
Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk