Oneta Resort

Oneta Resort is one of the best places to stay in Fiji. It is far from the usual touristy areas, and that's one of its main appeal. Once you step out from the boat taking you to Ono Island you are welcomed with a big Bula smile and the kindest, most honest people you can meet. The bures are comfortable, the food is 5*, activities are plentiful. If you are interested in scuba diving Oneta is the place to be, and if you want some quiet time you can have your own private island for a day. Thank you Richard, Anne and everyone else for making this a fabulous vacation, we'll be back next year!!

What an eventful stay! A category 3 cyclone passed by the island but all the guests were well taken care of by the resort manager Richard. He kept us safe and informed. After the cyclone passed, Richard made sure we made up for the lost days and packed in the diving, snorkeling and fishing for everyone. The resort is gorgeous, the staff super friendly and the food excellent. I went there to dive and as an underwater photographer, got many shots I was happy with. It was a great vacation!

Oneta Resort offers a unique and fabulous holiday experience. We were greeted with song and smiles. The resort is lovely, tastefully designed to reflect the beauty of Fijian culture and captivating charm of the tropics. Aside from the delicious meals, very comfortable buries, we truly loved the private outdoor showers. How tropical is that?! Whether it was house keeping, meal service, hiking guides, dive shop equipment advice and use, dive and snorkel guides, cultural insights, or simply the friendly “Bula” (hello), the exquisite service was so joyful and authentic, words simply cannot describe it. Astrolabe Reef provides numerous dive and snorkel opportunities including a Manta Ray cleaning station, turtles, playful dolphins, reef sharks, colorful corals and fishes plus an abundance of other reef life. What makes this resort so very special and one we will return to, however, is the staff who treat guests as family. Vinaka

Canadians here. We spent 3 weeks in Fiji after scoring a great deal on direct flights from Vancouver to Nadi. We stayed in 5 different resorts or hotels including Nadi area and a couple of nice Yasewa island spots; but our favourite was the Oneta Resort on Ono Island, which is where we ended our trip. Ono Island is south of Suva. We flew quite inexpensively from Nadi on a new-ish 18 seat DeHavilland twin engine prop plane (we pretty much had the plane to ourselves). It was a nice scenic flight to a tiny airport on Kadavu Island where we were picked up by the Oneta Resort staff and enjoyed a fabulous 1 hour boat ride to Ono, watching flying fish skim the waves and soaking in the island views. We stayed at Oneta Resort for 5 nights. Daytimes were spent on very reasonably priced snorkelling excursions (there were lots of scuba opportunities with a dive master, but we don't dive) to amazing spots. We swam amidst the corals with turtles, eagle rays, reef sharks, and huge schools of tropical colourful fish. Incredibly, just across the bay from them, is a spot where manta rays visit to get their skin cleaned by small fish (like going to a spa). The staff made a daily survey over there and we were able to swim with a 5 metre wide Manta Ray one day!! The staff were all wonderfully welcoming and friendly, the food was exceptional, and the accommodations were gorgeous, spacious cabins with private outdoor showers. Our shower area had bananas and papaya growing in it! Additionally, the owners are actively involved in helping the small local villages recover from hurricane damage, and have paid for the replacement of a school roof, and are trying to get a solar system installed for one of the villages too. We were priviledged to be there when there was a formal "Thank You" Kava ceremony from the local chiefs and school administration honouring the owners of Oneta Resort for their help. The ceremony was a cultural touchstone of sincerity, ritual, celebration and music. It was beautiful. Oneta Resort was an absolute highlight. I feel like we became friends with the staff and everyone was on a first-name basis; they all tried to make our visit very personalized. We would return in a heartbeat. Andy and Kristina.

We just returned home from our one week stay at the Oneta Resort and we’re still feeling the afterglow of this most magnificent trip. From the planning stage, Martin helped to answer our questions and make us feel the team would be there to make this the best experience ever. From being picked up by boat at the Kadavu airfield, we started our adventure having a beachside picnic lunch with a lovely couple who were also new guests at the resort. We were greeted by the team who serenaded us with their five-part harmonies and were given a brief tour of the property and were overwhelmed by its natural splendor. Everything and everyone there made the trip one will remember for a lifetime. So without going into minute details; here’s the rundown. The food was amazing! Each meal was a cornucopia of fresh and delicious ingredients and much was grown on site. Our bure was adorned with flowers and we were surprised with all the changing displays of fresh hibiscus and other native flowers throughout. The dive team was top-notch and made us feel safe while getting to see the reef with its vibrant coral that makes this spot so unique. The snorkeling was also something that exceeded our wildest dreams when we had interactions with manta rays, dolphins and more. Massages were also the perfect way to relax after all the physical activity of the day in the beachside bure. And we can’t forget the delicious and refreshing cocktails that were whipped up before dinner. We even got to tour the nearby village of Bulia where we met the residents who gave us a warm welcome. Following that adventure, the lovo was prepared for the feast that preceded the kava ceremony that was all so memorable and entertaining. We’d like to thank everyone for making this stay so beautiful. So kudos Richard on making the resort work seamlessly and for the entire team who made us feel like a part of the family.

Not sure I can put into words what a special place this is. The staff are very kind and so nice, the food is amazing and so varied with communal dining but individual needs catered for. All the staff take the trouble to know your name. The dive/snorkel is managed by Bill with all your gear put together and kept clean and put on the boat for you. Neil with his mobile coffee shop with stops at remote beaches. Richard the Magee organised everything so effectively (apart the Mantarays 😂). The snorkelling sites (about 30) were amazing - had them to ourselves. I really don’t want to tell anyone about this place as it’s so perfect!

I don’t know where to even begin. The stay at Oneta was truly an amazing experience that some people only dream of. The diving was spectacular, the scenery was amazing, and the food was wonderful. So many memories and experiences we all took from our trip. Most of all the staff were all incredible and became family by the end of our trip. I have never been to place so welcoming and relaxing like Oneta. This is truly a special place and can’t wait to plan our next trip back to this paradise island resort.

September 2023 Our trip was amazing. Where do I begin? From the adventure of getting to the resort, to our serenade arrival, to our accommodations; all was great. But the best part…the staff. For Carol and I we had two choices. Go right for food or left for adventure. Regardless we were meet with warm smiles, and a confidant easy going manner that kept us in a permanent state of comfort and relaxation. The personal attention we received was nothing short of phenomenal. Carol had not been diving for some years and Bill and all the dive/snorkeling/fishing staff instinctively knew she would need a little extra attention. Which they provided on each of our dives (11tanks each). During our 12 day stay the weather was unseasonably cool, but that didn’t phase the staff in the slightest, thus it didn’t impact us.This is a skill you can not teach. Richard the manager, was a consummate pro and knows his business and his people. If you were to ask us our best memory of our trip: The answer is easy…LAUGHTER. It resonates in the air like a song, and proves that undeniably happiness is a choice.

The perfect Fiji resort for those who want to experience the lovely people of Fiji , the beautiful nature and coral reefs and to be a more active participant. Although you could just laze around if you wanted , this resort is more suited to those who enjoy a more active holiday. Each day is planned for you the evening before by Richard, the capable manager, who takes into account the weather and your preferences and then designs a day for you which could include a morning of snorkeling, diving or fishing , with a lunch back at the resort or on a deserted beach and then a hike in the afternoon to a lookout or a waterfall. The wonderful staff like Mesa make it all happen with smiles, peels of laughter and incredible goodwill. The rooms are comfortable and beautifully maintained ( no aircon but we were there in a cool spell so that was definitely not an issue for us) . The food was exceptional. I have been to some very high end resorts in Fiji and elsewhere and the food here is way better ! Thank you to Lizzie and the kitchen staff. The meals are served on a long communal table which we found to be fun and allowed a bit of debriefing about everyone's days but I understand that some people just dont like. The snorkel gear was exceptional . Again , even at very high end resorts I have had leaking masks but these were such good quality that it made the The fact that is is carbon neutral and has a huge positive impact on local communities is also a massive bonus for us in choosing this wonderful resort. We will be back !!