Totoka Kalou: Beach House

“We have just returned from Totoka Kalou, the house is very well set up and is exactly as shown in the photots [2 bedroom, 2 bathroom] with a truly, panoramic spectacular view. The clubhouse facilities are great with pool, shaded seating area, kitchen and toilet right on the beach. Snorkelling was amazing in the marine reserve not far from the clubhouse. Ramesh and Pinky are fantastic host who are on hand if u need them, and their curry is superb :). The market at Sigatoka is fantastic for fruit and veg, or buy from the stalls on the roadside. Shark dive booked thru the Dive shop in Pacific Harbour was a hit with our men, very safe and extremely well organised. Would not hesitate to recommend this home and location.”

“Totoka Kalou is every bit as good as the promotional material and then some. Excellent people to deal with and the local rep Ramesh is an absolute dream – friendly, unfailingly helpfull and has all the local knowledge. (If you are lucky enough to taste his mother’s dahl soup you are in for a real treat). The amenities are extemely good and can comfortably accommodate a couple of families. A car is essential. The nearest shopping is Sigatoka about 30 minute drive away. A car is also handy for dragging the family back from the beach at the end of the day as the climb back to the house is challenging for little children. Brilliant views overlooking the bay.Beach all to yourself. Jump off jetty into clear blue water. Snorkel over the coral for a couple of hours. Check out the rock pools at low tide. No neighbours. Peace and solitude (except for our kids). Our two families loved it and will certainly return. “

“The owners of this property and the caretaker Ramesh, could not have been more helpful and I can not speak highly enough of them or this property – we are already planning our next stay

Our family group ranged in age from one to eighty one and the accommodation was fantastic. Clean, bright, comfortable and spacious. My husband and I shared one dorm with our three children aged 1, 3 and 5 and my parents shared the other dorm. When I call the rooms dorms, this is a reflection of their size – they are lovely as you will see from the owners’ photos. We rented an 8 seater diesel van from avis ( who were also very helpful and professional) and although we did manage to get up the road to the property, a 4 wheel drive would have been even better as it is quite steep. The trade off is the most magnificent view imaginable when you reach the top and I have to say we did manage to get and down the hill multiple times a day without any mishaps.

The house has everything you need for a great stay – we were so impressed with the rice cooker that we purchased one as soon as we got back! Kerry, one of the owners emailed us a Nadi butchers price list and ordering details when we booked (South Pacific Butchery Company 670 3900). We ordered the meat before we left NZ on the Tuesday and it arrived on the day after we arrived and the quality was excellent and the prices very reasonable. I strongly advise you to do the same if you are planning on self-catering as it makes life so much easier – the children particularly loved the fresh chicken kebabs.

If you fancy a meal out, our pics would be Vilisite’s restaurant, a couple of Kms beyond the Naviti resort. The small fish and chips for $10 was in fact huge and delicious. We also took the kids to the delightful Beachhouse resort where they do the best and cheapest ice-creams and even gave us free afternoon tea. Andrew, one of the managers/owners will take you out on snorkeling trips for around $20 including equipment which is far cheaper than any other resorts.

We loved visiting all the resorts. In terms of fantastic pools for children, our pick would be the Shangri -La Fijian Resort, followed by The Outrigger. We would also suggest a visit to the beautiful Kula Eco Park, Pacific Harbour (where there is another great pool by the Tiki Bar and Melting Pot Restaurant and a day trip to Suva. The beach and jetty, five minutes from the house are gorgeous and we swam and snorkeled every day – the water really was bath temperature. The pool ate the Maui Bay Club House across the road is ideal for a dip but a little deep for our novice swimmers.

The best supermarket outside Nadi is the one at Pacific Harbour, they have everything you need. We stocked up on babyfood and snacks for the children in NZ and we were glad that we had, as things can be a bit more expensive if your kids like particular brands.

Having said that, their favourite snakes came from the Hot Bread Kitchen, down a alley way by the market in Sigatoka, which we visited almost daily. Great for bread, cream buns, coconut scrolls and fruit bread. Plenty of good fresh produce can be purchased in the market but also from the villages that you will drive through, which is a great way to get to know the locals. Supermarkets in Sigatoka are fine but fresh meat is best pre-ordered from the butcher in Nadi.

If you fancy a real treat, as we did on our first night, then Ramesh and his family will prepare a feast for you. Ramesh was so helpful and really looked after us all and made us feel so welcome and we thank him from the bottom of our hearts.

Bring plenty of sun screen and a tropical mosquito spray. We applied it liberally before sitting outside in the evenings and hence did not get bitten much, which is highly unusual in my case. However, make sure you bring some antihistamine tablets with you just in case.

We loved Fiji and we loved the house – my parents said the house made the holiday for them and in many ways I agree because if you have the wrong accommodation it is hard to truly relax and enjoy yourself. Resorts are lovely but rooms can be cramped and it can be noisy and sometimes you miss out on seeing the country you are visiting. Staying here we had the best of both worlds…amazing accommodation and the use of the resorts when we wanted to and Ramesh – what more could you ask for? “