Kokomo Island

PRIVACY PLEASE

Whether it’s a romantic getaway with your loved one or making time for some romance during a family trip with your other loved ones, Fiji’s Kokomo Island has something

for everyone. BY SAMANTHA BROOKS

◗ There’s amystique

about jetting o to a private island. The remoteness, the exclusivity, the fantasy. However, not all private islands are created equal. Choose one too remote, with nothing in sight, and the island can quickly start to make you feel like a castaway. Choose one just o the coast of a larger island, and it suddenly looks like the party is happening without you— or perhaps worse, that you aren’t someplace so private after all.

Once you’re there, the balance of activities, dining, excursions, and of course, the option to simply do nothing and just disappear, is often a challenge to perfect. Yet, Kokomo Island gets everything right.

Located within Fiji and surrounded by clusters of mostly uninhabited but visitable islands, the feeling of being on Kokomo is perfect paradise. Originally planned as an Aman resort, current owner, billionaire Australian real estate investor, Lang Walker purchased it when it was partially complete and infused $100 million into its build out, which now features a range of five residences and 21 bungalow-style villas. Even the entrylevel accommodations are showstoppers. Complete with gated entry, 1,259 square feet of interior space with separate living room and sleeping areas, the Sunrise Villas also o er outdoor spaces with a swimming pool, lounges, and natural landscaping providing privacy from the ocean beyond. An optional adjacent, one-bedroom bungalow o ers an additional 600 square feet of space.

Rooms with similar layouts also front the sandy shores of the sunset beach on the opposite side of

Clockwise from here: The 140-acre Kokomo Island. The Dravuni residence. Kokomo’s pristine beachfront. The private outdoor space at a villa. A one-bedroom villa.

Kokomo, facing lush, mountainous islands in the distance. One of the most remarkable things about Kokomo is how the natural topography of the 140-acre island provides both flat, sandy shores as well as elevation to a ord sweeping 360-degree views from the top, where the gym, helipad, yoga pavilion, and a handful of the other accommodations command stunning vistas. (The view from the infinity pool of the five-bedroom Dravuni residence is particularly captivating.)

But, a stay at Kokomo is so much more than just for an overnight deep sea fishing trip; sail o to a deserted beach on the nearby “Honeymoon Island” for a chef-prepared picnic; partake in twice-daily yoga classes or private training; explore the spa and its range of treatments and hammam; and of course just relax and unwind on the beach, where a swim-up platform with lounges is the perfect spot to work on a suntan.

Dining options include the beachfront Beach Shack, specializing in Fijian and Mediterranean fare, with much of the produce grown on island (there is also a chicken coop for fresh eggs each day), as well as Walker D’Plank. Set just above a rocky stretch of shore, within a cove, the restaurant serves a rotating menu of Asian-style street food.

On my last night at Kokomo Island, sitting just above the water at

the jaw-dropping rooms. Conservation is big for the resort, and one of its most popular activities is learning about their coral reef restoration project happening a short swim away. Also, a manta ray conservation project tags and monitors the rays, and after learning about them, guests can even head out on an excursion to swim with them.

The area surrounding the 62-mile-long reef is designated as a no-fishing zone, which allows the coral reef to thrive with sea life. The property’s boat is available for snorkeling and diving at all times of the year, and even the most experienced of divers won’t be disappointed by the colorful underwater scenery at the Great Astrolabe Reef, one of the largest in the world.

Should underwater excursions not be your thing, don’t worry. You can also charter a boat

Getting There

Fiji Airways operates a daily direct flight to Nadi from LAX, departing at 11:45 p.m. and arriving at 5:45 a.m. two days later. The 11-hour flight passes by even faster in the lieflat business class seats. Upon arrival, a greeter will lead you to a private car for a 10-minute drive to the FBO where the island’s seaplane is waiting. The 45-min seaplane journey is a highlight in itself, as you not only pass over the stunning lush Fijian islands, but the massive coral reef that you can then explore from below. Coming back, depart at 9:40 p.m. from Nadi for the 10-hour flight back and arrive that same day at 12:50 p.m. Round-trip flights from $899; fijiairways.com. Walker D’Plank, counting the number of reef sharks swimming up to the rocks (I’m up to six), the couple at the table next to me let’s their two little ones dismiss themselves to go watch movies back in their room. “This vacation has been great for us,” they turn to me later and say (as it turns out, they’re also from Southern California). “The island is so safe, and the sta is so helpful. We don’t usually feel okay about letting our kids go do their own thing, but we’ve been able to give them some independence, which has given us some quality time together. We never thought a place like this could exist.” Thankfully, it does.

From $2,100/night, inclusive of all meals, laundry, personal butler and nanny, kids club, many activities, and more. kokomoisland fiji.com