idden away on the island of Taveuni is a small, friendly resort called Coconut Grove Beachfront Cottages.  This intimate group of only 3 bures is situated directly on the beach and immersed in a lush environment of mango trees, coconut palms and verdant island vegetation.  To honor the solitude and beauty of Taveuni (known as Fiji’s Garden Island) and the simplicity of the island way of life, there is no disco or television.  What you will find is an extraordinary staff devoted to this island, its people, its traditions, and their guests.  Additionally there are incredible nature walks, convenient swimming and snorkeling, sunrises that will take your breath away, and the clearest night skies you have ever seen - ever. 

he resort's restaurant is a long time favorite of both locals and tourists, and  ocean views are prominent at meal time, too.  Fresh fish and seafood, organically grown vegetables and homemade pastas are prevalent, as are curries and Fijian food. They also import some of the finest beef New Zealand has to offer.  Resort guests can have their dinner served in the restaurant, on their private verandah, or down on the beach by candlelight.  Many nights the local guys come to play their ukuleles and sing island tunes. Coconut Grove really makes an effort to show you as much of the Fijian culture as possible while you are their guest. There is also a village night when the entire village performs a meke (a traditional musical story/dance) on the beach at the resort, followed by lovo (food cooked in an earth oven over volcanic rocks). 

he Banana Bure is the resort’s newest and is only 10 steps from the beach. There are windows all around with a commanding 3-sided view of the ocean. You can see banana trees, hibiscus flowers and watch the sunrise from the queen size bed.  It features a private outdoor honeymoon shower – an experience not to be missed!  Gently lapping waves will serenade you to sleep at night.

oth a queen and single size beds are featured in the Mango Bure (the largest).  There is also an overhead fan, and a small fridge for your cold drinks.  High ceilings are set off by walls covered in indigenous reeds giving the room a real island feeling. The large verandah is the perfect spot to spend the late afternoon and watch the colors of the sky change over the ocean as the sun sets, or to catch the parrots as they spend the late evening frolicking from one coconut tree to another. The bure’s private outdoor shower was built from Taveuni’s lava rocks and is enhanced by a banana tree flowing over the wall.

rade winds rustle through the papaya trees that give the third bure it’s name (Papaya), and also keep the bure cool and airy. It has a queen size bed, ceiling fan and a small fridge for cold drinks. The louvered windows provide beautiful views of the ocean and sunrise right from your bed!  Heliconias and hibiscus are everywhere, and a few steps down is the outdoor lava rock shower (there is also a hot water shower inside the bure).

aveuni is famous for it’s wonderful natural environment.  Among the many outdoor activities available are a nature hike to Bouma Waterfalls (if you are feeling adventurous you can trek all the way to the upper falls), the Lavena Coastal Walk, bird watching (watch for the kula parrot, silktail, ferntail, and orange dove), great snorkeling right off the resort’s beach, village trips, kayaking, Horseback Riding, or even a trek to a 4000’ peak to see the rare and beautiful Tagimoucia flower.  Of course, that’s not all.  You can also do some dolphin watching right from your verandah, have a professional massage in your bure, and much more.  Diving can be arranged through several dive shops nearby.  Visit Coconut Grove and see why people say that Taveuni is one of the most magical places on  earth.

Your Host: Ronna (right) with Gracie

ur newest member is Kirby, a German Shepherd.  Also, we are busy fundraising for the new school in Naselesele Village. So far the  committee has raised nearly $3,000 towards our goal of $10,000 to open a primary school on this side of the island!  If anyone is interested in helping out, we would greatly appreciate it!

Coconut Grove has arguably the best food in Fiji! The fresh fruit smoothies and the curries stand out the most in my mind. Ronna, the owner, and her staff, are very dedicated to making sure that each guest enjoys his/her stay at Coconut Grove immensely. They are very knowledgeable about the island.  The rooms are comfortable and this is a wonderful compromise between high-end luxury accommodations and budget hostels.    Helen, Boulder, CO

From the moment we walked in the door (in a dazed blur of sleeplessness), we knew that we had found a real jewel. Besides the beauty of the setting, the graciousness of the hostess and staff overwhelmed us. Immediately we were made to feel like family, and that feeling lasted the whole trip.  What can I say about the food?? Each meal surpassed the last one, which is an amazing trick! Everything we ate was incredibly delicious, and we can't stop raving about it. You can be sure when we recommend Coconut Grove, we'll tell everyone about the meals! Bouma Falls was well worth the arduous climb, and we both agree that it is the best waterfall we've ever seen. We had the whole place to ourselves and loved swimming in the pool of the second falls, w/ no one else around!   Louise and John - September

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip.  It was exactly what we wanted and were looking for. You, the ladies, and Lonnie made us feel very welcomed, to the point of us feeling like extended family. If we can be of any help or provide recommendations to any potential guests, please feel free to use us or let others contact us via e-mail.  Tina and I both felt that we left behind friends. 
Again, thank you for sharing your slice of paradise and having your staff so very personable and providing opportunity to be exposed to the village and the culture.  Howard and Tina - October