After reading the Lonely Planet, Papageno Resort was the best eco resort in South Pacific under the rubric. And after all the events we had in the last few weeks, visiting the resort was the right patch to our wounds and the best possible place to rest, explore endemic bird species and snorkeling along the nearby and slightly more remote coral reefs, which are really special.
Since Kadavu island does not have road connections due to its mountainous interior, we have come to the Papageno Resort with a boat. Along with all the beautiful sandy beaches that we saw on the way to the resort, we got a sense of the primarily of the island, and we just could not wait to see the resort next to the neighboring bay.
From the very beginning we felt happy that we have chosen Papageno. From the planned two nights we extended to five nights. We think that this was the best decision so far on our way.
Our “Jungle room” really deserved this name, because we had a real feeling that we are somewhere deep in the middle of the rainforest, surrounded by bird singing and colorful vegetation that truly revive the surroundings.
Best of all, it was three times a day socializing with guests and staff along carefully and tastefully prepared foods from the surroundings of the property. Domestic reared hens, vegetable from the nearby greenhouse, all kinds of tropical fruits that wildly grows along the nearby and distant surroundings of the resort.
Resort offers many activities. From diving, in the nearby waters of the resort, they can provide diving excursions and snorkelling in the world’s third largest coral reef, Astrolabe Reef. There you can dive with beautiful mantas or just snorkel and admire the soft coral, where the coral reef and the island itself, Kadavu, are recognized all over the world.
With kayaks and paddle boards, available for free, you can explore a nearby mangrove cove or visit the neighboring islet and see the turtles in the bright green colored shallows past you. Take a short walk to a beautiful sandy beach where you can find beautiful shells. But if you like a little longer walk through dense vegetation, jungle, there is a smaller waterfall on the property which is worth a visit.
We also like the story of Anneliese, the German-born woman who moved to California. She opened an international school there and stoped in Fiji, Kadavu, during her travels across Australia. She fell in love with people and their free way of life. In one of her visits to Fiji she traced in a local newspaper that the resorts is on market. She visited and decided to buy a property and called it Papageno Resort. She also invests heavily in schooling children on the island and brings American children to the resort each year, where with children from a neighboring village study the culture and life of this island.
We recommend the resort to all nature lovers who appreciate the untouched places and wild beauty of the island. What is most important is that this small corner on the island has a special soul and character that will always remain in your memory.
