Surrounded by Fiji’s famous crystal-clear waters, Malamala Beach Club is the world’s first beach club located on its very own island, situated just 25 minutes from Port Denarau. Perfect for those looking for things to do in Fiji, you can enjoy the beach club with a day pass and experience white sand beaches, Beachside Cabanas, a resort-style infinity-edge pool, and views across the Mamanuca Islands from Fiji’s best-located island.

If you are in Fiji for a 10 hour stopover or just for a few days, do make it a point to visit Malamala Beach Club! After doing some research, with other options such as Cloud 9 Floating Platform, Robinson Crusoe sunset cruise, Tivua Island, we still chose Malamala to go with our friends. It was their second last day in Fiji while we had just arrived in the country. The main reason that Malamala caught our eye is that it is a proper island with beach and all, instead of just a platform in the middle of the ocean.

You can purchase your tickets at any tour agency, or go straight to Port Denarau which is the departure point for most of the island hopping shops to the northwest. So we purchased our tickets the day before, after much consideration. It includes pickup from our hotel from most hotels from Denarau, Nadi and the Coral Coast.

The cost per person for a full day trip is FJ$145, departure at 10am and the return at 4.15pm (for those staying at Sonaisali, Momi Bay and Coral Coast), or 5.15pm (for those staying at Denarau and Nadi area). It is the same price for both adults and children.

Perfect for travelers looking for a day of rest and relaxation, this Malamala Beach Club pass allows you to unwind in style on a private island. No need to worry about strict itineraries—enjoy the flexibility of being able to choose how you spend the day. Non-motorized water sports equipment such as snorkeling gear, kayaks, and stand-up paddle boards are included in the package, as well as Wi-Fi, and towel rental.

On the day of departure, we were advised to reach at 9.30pm for checkin. We received our boarding passes and headed to the pier for boarding. The South Island cruise brings us to Malamala Island which is the first stop, and it also plies other islands in the area. You would need to listen carefully to the announcements so that you would know when to disembark.

Upon reaching the island, we were greeted with crystal clear water, shimmering under the Fijian sunshine. Staff were at the pier to greet us with “Bula” and lead us to the private island. The pier is suitable for pier diving, which we tried a few times. On the island, we checked in by putting one credit card on tab and we were given a tab card for our purchases. We also exchanged for one complimentary towel per person.

Quickly, we changed into our swimwear while others were filling up the cabanas. You can book your own private Poolside Day Bed or a Beachside Cabana complete with butler service, at additional costs. We chose the free day beds instead as we did not really need to stay in the cabana, but needed a place to put our belongings instead.

We wanted to do kayaking first, but since it was low tide, it was not suitable to do this activity. The staff advised us to try snorkelling instead, so we got our own gear and headed to the snorkelling area. The Beach Club rents out masks, goggles and flippers for free if you do not have your own gear. We saw quite a number of fishes without swimming too far from the dock.

Nearing noon, we were getting hungry and headed over to the restaurant. We ordered a bucket of 5 beers for FJ$40 which was on promotion. Fiji Gold is the classic beer on the island. The food was mouth-watering, which includes a delicious Asian and Pacific inspired a-la-carte menu, an array of hand-crafted cocktails, and a club-like atmosphere with upbeat tunes mixed all day long. To cool off under the hot weather, we had ice cream for desserts.

Each dish is balanced, nourishing, and full of fresh Pacific flavours. The delicious
a-la-carte menu from light bites to tame your craving or pacific-inspired meals showcases the best produce and ingredients from the region.

After lunch, we rested for a while. The infinity pool which overlooks the sea was amazingly beautiful and makes for a perfect backdrop. The infinity pool is an ideal choice for those who do not like the seawater.

Lastly, we managed to try kayaking and standup paddle-board after 2.30pm, when the tide was high. This made it safer for us to do a round island expedition which would usually take 10 minutes. However, due to our poor skills, we capsized the triple kayak and then it was washed ashore, so we struggled with the task. We also managed to do another 1-2 more pier dives before the announcement came on to start settling our bills at 3.30pm. We were one of the last few passengers to get changed into dry clothes, I quickly settled the outstanding bill and we ran to the pier to catch our ferry back to the mainland at 4.15pm. There was a connecting tour bus which brought us back to our Doubletree Hilton resort.

It was a fun-filled day at Malamala beach club and most of us were sunburnt at the end of the day. For returning visitors (which my wife and nephew did 5 days later), they are entitled to a special returning price of FJ$75 for the return trip to the island. This time, the staff recognised them and for the snorkelling, brought them to the best spots. They spotted sea cucumber and starfish, plus did the usual water sports activities such as kayaking and standup paddle board. It is never a dull moment at Malamala and I recommend everyone who visits Fiji to go there!