Known as the adventure capital of Fiji, the lively Pacific Harbour, located an hours drive from Suva, offers a plethora of exciting possibilities, in the region and its surrounds. With a view towards fascinating Beqa Island, home of Fijis fire walkers, the lagoon by the island is world renowned for shark diving and is also popular for more sedentary diving with colorful reef landscapes. West of Beqa is the smaller Yanuca Island with the famous Frigates Passage surf break. Uprising Beach Resort, located on the expansive tropical palm lined beach at Pacific Harbour, offers the perfect outlook to the islands, across deliciously inviting azure water, and is the perfect place to stay and contemplate the mecca of adventures on offer. From the pool or spacious open plan indoor, outdoor bure style bar and dining areas, it's a vibrant and relaxed beachfront location, with many opportunities to experience the effervescence of Pacific Harbour. Its feel good factor, extends to strong contributions to the betterment of the local communities, where the resort staff originate from, by many initiatives, including sport.
Accommodation and environment
Set amongst spacious grounds with paths weaving through tropical gardens, accommodation ranges from deluxe to budget, and with the building designs combining a mixture of traditional and modern architecture, blend nicely into the surrounding lush and abundant environment. Options include both private beachfront and garden view villas and bures to dorm accommodation. The immaculate, luxurious and modern villas are fantastically designed, and have superb features including baths and in built swiveling plasma tvs and also stone walled outdoor mini courtyard shower areas. The bures are perfect wood paneled, private comfortable retreats, with a beautiful relaxed and homely Pacific theme. Their touches include tropical themed art, bamboo features and private outdoor shower areas to maximize the indoor outdoor lifestyle in the warm environment of Fiji. Both options of villas and bures include their own balcony areas.
The cleverly designed spacious dorm accommodation is named ‘the treehouse dorm'. Although not officially in a tree, its clever wooden elevated construction with expansive balcony, offers panoramic views across the vast resort, the beach and shimmering ocean. The thought behind all accommodation at Uprising is creative, and all feature striking high wooden ceilings with beams fastened by a traditional craft of fiber weaving known as magi magi. This incredible skill originates from the Lau Group of islands in Fiji, and is made by plaited coconut husk, formed into a rope and is the original method of fastening and joining from the Lau area. It becomes a fascinating and striking visual feature, when weaved around the beams like an intricate piece of art,offering insight into the traditions of Fiji.
Beach front bar and restaurant area
Maximum Pacific feeling is found at the bar and dining area, where the spacious open plan area features a nice transition outdoors to a vast decking area, allowing great views to the islands, and a great selection of food and drinks.
Extensive range of water activities
The resort offers many options to explore the water, including kayaking, sailing, kite and wake boarding, inflatable rides, skiing and quad bike surfing. Further sea and island access is also offered by the resort boat, and by Jet Ski tours. Beqa lagoon offers excellent snorkeling with crystal clear visibility and stunning live coral. Yanuca Island offers the paradise of a marine reserve with idyllic swimming and snorkeling in pristine turquoise waters. Day trips to Yanuca allow for Island tours and lunch at Batiluva Beach Resort. Also in close proximity to Yanuca is the world renowned Frigates Passage surf break, famous for its consistent and powerful left hand break. A surf school is located on the island.
An abundance of fishing opportunities include fantastic reef fishing, and half and full day charters are available for game fishing in the surrounding areas at Astrolab, Vatulele and Cakau Leka Leka. Scuba diving in the Beqa Lagoon offers idyllic underwater views of colorful marine life and soft coral, and there are wreck dives possible. Its world famous shark dive attracts divers from all over the planet, and is available through Beqa Adventure Divers and Aqua Trek, where the remarkable and exciting big fish encounter is witnessing professional local divers hand feed up to eight species of shark, including bull sharks, silvertips and the occasional tiger shark. Lonely Planet references the shark dive at Beqa as ‘a once in a lifetime experience’ and emphasizes it is done ‘without being caged (or sedated.)' The dive operators have worked tirelessly to have the area designated and protected as a Shark Reef marine reserve.
Land adventures
Other thrilling adventures include Fijis only white water rafting, in the nearby highlands, an exhilarating trip through the deep canyons of the upper Navua River and gorge, and breathtaking landscape and rich rain forest of the tropical interior. An elevated view of the rainforest in the area is also possible through the dynamism of Zip lining. Also known as the flying fox – the zip line allows visitors to traverse through the jungle canopy, thirty meters above the forest floor. Eco tourism is honored in these activities through awareness and participation with the local communities and villages. A trek to nearby Waisese waterfall through the jungle is a fantastic way to contribute directly to Wainiyabia village. Venturing into the heartland through lush forest allows for breathtaking views of the abundant land and is offered by Uprising as part of the Feejee experience tour. The guides originating from the village, offer a wealth of insights from their life and land en route. A swim in the emerald waters beneath the waterfall is remarkable, and the trip concludes with an incredible boat journey through a mangrove estuary towards Wainiyabia village, where proceeds from the trek directly contribute to funding construction of a community hall.
The Uprising Rugby Team
With a strong emphasis on initiatives to contribute to the community, it was one of the visions of the resort owner to do this through a sports focus, and this has been achieved by the creation of the Uprising Rugby team. Rugby is an incredibly popular and intrinsic part of life in Fiji, where they naturally excel in the sport, producing world class players. This successful venture has bought the community together not only with the players but with a following of supporters, through a much loved sport. In rapid time a club was formed, a rigorous training schedule created, and the team now competes nationally, and internationally having played in Australia, England and Italy.
Uprising Fiji International Sevens Tournament
A further commitment to sport in Fiji, is Uprisings sponsorship of the International Sevens Tournament held in Suva City, in late January, bringing a world class tournament to the National Stadium in the Capital of Fiji. The launch of this event was hosted by famed ex All Black ,and Sevens player Eric Rush. Fortunate enough to be at Uprising during the launch, the New Zealander affirmed the contribution of Uprising to the sports arena, and there was a strong feeling of pride, unity and excitement for the expanding opportunities for sport and community in Fiji, that has been created by Uprisings initiatives.
Cultural experience
The Arts Village and Cultural Center, at nearby Pacific Harbour township provides great cultural insight, with canoe tours on the lake and visits to the replica sacred bure, where knowledge of ancient legends and customs are given. It’s a great setting to watch traditional Fijian dancing, and be amazed by a ceremonial performance of the Beqa fire walkers who display their gift, and ability to stand on white hot rocks. The commentary of how fire walking became a power bestowed on, and legend of this gift from Beqa Island is fascinating.
The Sublime water sports and tours center
Conveniently based at the resort, is the Sublime water sports and tours center where staff with extensive local knowledge, will assist with all activity and adventure plans and bookings.
Massage by the beach
A range of tropical style massage, and beauty treatments are available under a bure nicely situated by the waters edge.
( Lonely Planet reference is taken from the guide book - 'Fiji - Best places to relax - Our favourite beaches shortlisted' )
Michele Sainsbury - From New Zealand, I'm influenced by fantastic landscapes and creative people.Travel writing encompasses many of my passions and ...
Join the Conversation