Qamea Resort and Spa is an island 'jewel'

The Qamea Resort and Spa fronts a white sand beach with good snorkelling just offshore. Photo / Supplied

An award-winning and long-established island resort is for sale in Fiji as a freehold property with its going-concern business.

The Qamea Resort and Spa was established in 1985 and comprises 17 luxury villas and a wide range of associated amenities. The resort located on the western coast of Qamea Island just off the northern tip of Taveuni, Fiji's third largest island.

"The offer comes with the chance to purchase 23ha of adjacent freehold land," says Matt Lee of Bayleys' International Division who, with colleague James Chan and Philip Toogood, managing director of Bayleys Fiji is marketing the resort for sale by international tender closing March 23, unless it sells prior to that date.

"Qamea Resort is an internationally-renowned resort that has won a range of prestigious awards including for its spa services – it's the only Guinot Spa in the South Pacific – and for its world class diving operation," says Lee.

"In addition to a resort and operating business with a proven track record, this is a rare chance to acquire a freehold property in Fiji, where only around nine per cent of land holdings are freehold tenure," he says.

The two freehold titles on offer encompass:

• about 17.4ha of freehold land accommodating the Qamea Resort and Spa; and
• about 23.67ha comprising an adjacent beachfront parcel connected to the resort which is the additional purchase prospect. This includes a large private home but mostly bare land that has development, sub division and expansion potential.

"In total, the sale involves about 40ha of freehold land, with around 2km of pristine white sand beach," says Lee. "It provides an excellent opportunity for the incoming owner to build on 16 successful years by the current operator and owner and take the resort to a new level."

Chan says the resort has undergone several major renovations and expansions since 2003 under its present ownership and most recently in 2013.

"It has been maintained to a high standard and; since the completion of the first round of renovations in 2004, the exclusive adults-only resort has reported solid occupancy, with its brand widely recognised internationally."

The resort has 17 bures and villas all close to the beach. Photo / Supplied

The entire resort fronts onto a private white sand beach over a kilometre long and caters for a maximum of 34 adults in its 17 luxuriously appointed and air-conditioned villas and 'bures' (Fijian wood-and-straw huts).

These are all close to the beach, nestled in lush tropical landscaped gardens and bushland and set against a volcanic mountain backdrop.

The accommodation comprises 11 beachfront bures of about 65sq m; two 85sq m honeymoon bures, with private spa pools and a 108sq m honeymoon villa.

There are also two larger villas of about 163sq m each which have private swimming and spa pools plus a 127sq m two-bedroom owner's villa — also available to rent.

The bures and beach villas were designed and built in traditional Fijian style, all facing the ocean and feature rising ceilings, hand-polished local mahogany wooden floors and large, covered terraces.

Central facilities include a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, a bar which comfortably seats 34 guests and a 96sq m modern kitchen with walk in freezer/chiller plus an outdoor wood fired pizza oven.

Recreational facilities include guest swimming and spa pools, a gymnasium and a giant chess board.

Qamea is regarded as 'a jewel' because of its lush vegetation and white sand beaches. Photo / Supplied

A new beachfront dive bure and surf shop was completed in 2014 designed to showcase some of the world's premier dive sites within 10 minutes of the resort. Qamea's PADI [Professional Association of Diving Instructors] accredited five-star dive operation employs four people and offers dive services from beginners through to full PADI open water certification.

There is also good snorkelling just off the resort and daily activities range from catered picnic lunches at jungle waterfalls to coastal and mountain hikes, says Chan.

The resort's award-winning luxury Jungle Spa launched in 2008 consists of five free standing treatment bures and a relaxation bure built into the side of a cliff under the jungle canopy. The spa is owned and managed by the resort and has five highly-trained local spa therapists. It features Guinot products designed to relax and rejuvenate the mind, body and soul.

"Unlike most island resorts that depend upon expensive desalination or undependable rain water, the resort is fortunate to have access to unlimited fresh spring water which is stored in a 100,000 litre storage facility," says Chan. "The water is pure and requires minimal filtration."

Electrical power is supplied by four modern diesel generators, the most recent of which was installed in December 2016. They are controlled by computer switchgear, ensuring a backup supply at any time.

Qamea Island is a private island of about 34sq km in the northeast part of Fiji.

"It's regarded as the jewel of Fiji's northern islands because of its dramatic lush, green, tropical jungle clad hills and white sand beaches," says Chan

The island is accessed from nearby Taveuni's Matei Airport, with three daily flights from Nadi and one from Suva. A 20-minute drive to Navakacoa Landing is followed by an eight-minute boat trip to the resort which has all-tide boat access.

Toogood says Fiji's annual visitor arrival number reached a new high of 842,884 in 2017. This was 6.4 per cent more than the previous record of 792,320 set in 2016 and an increase of 56.12 per cent since 2007.

The July visitor arrival number of 90,108 was the highest in 2017, followed by the months of August and October. Toogood says Australia provides the largest number of visitors to Fiji followed by New Zealand and the USA.