Ravita Cove HomeAway from Home HomeStay

We stayed in 7 different resorts and homestays in our weeks in the Yasaswas and Ravita Cove is the hardest to describe. It was both one of our favorite places and at the same time we might choose elsewhere if we did it again. It is a large home divided into several separate living quarters with a shared kitchen and living room. Some of the staff live on site in a separate bunk room, and some are locals that live in the village a walk away. The beach is lovely with a few hammocks and loungers and space to walk along the secluded strip of sand. There is really interesting snorkeling far out at the mouth of the cove with deep canyons and swim-throughs in the coral shelf. We really came to enjoy most of the staff working there. Magi (manager), Loku (chef), Niji (guide), and Captain Bill were all warm, kind, genuine and hard working. Magi is cool-headed, communicative, honest and deserves a far better paying job at one of the big resorts. With very limited resources in the pantry, Loku put together tasty authentic meals like cassava cake for breakfast, minced chicken on home baked rolls for lunch, and fried fish, sheep's neck stew, or beef curry for dinner. Captain Bill and Niji were always happy to get the boat ready to take us snorkeling to look for sharks, to the tiny store on a nearby island, to Blue Lagoon Beach for an all day picnic, or to the most pleasant school in the village where headmaster and children welcomed just the three of us with songs and smiles. Despite shortcomings of the property elsewhere, these folks left us with fond memories.

We chose this place to stay as a juxtaposition to the other nights we spent at internationally owned resorts that dot the Yasawas. We expected to rough it a little, so we could experience local culture and support the local economy. It turns out that the owner of Ravita Cove, living in the United States, has never even visited the property. So its NOT a homestay, and not a family, but really just a budget friendly resort, that probably pays very little to the Fijians that make it run. Don't let this scare you away, but bring with you some extra cash to support the staff and the local school. As we neared the end of our trip they seemed happy to take from us other essentials we could spare like clothing, medication, food and sundry products. It can be difficult to get some resources living this far from the mainland. Important to know that the showers do not currently have warm water, though the staff was kind enough to boil some on the stovetop so you could rinse with some warm water from a bucket. A solar hot water heater is something the owner should immediately install. Our bed was also very rigid, (I think I could feel my wife's heartbeat as she slept) Otherwise, it was quite comfortable (at least when we were there in cooler winter) with clean bedding, spacious rooms, clean bathroom, and electricity almost always by solar (sometimes by noisy generator). You should also know that the ocean can be difficult to access. At low tide, a long muddy expanse stretches from the sand, and to get to the boat or to snorkeling, one must traverse a jagged rocky path along its edge. Anybody with mobility problems or poor balance should think twice. I also suggest the owner consider making this path a little easier by filling in some of the depressions with concrete.

The people working here are very courteous and friendly. There are many things to do and it’s in a beautiful location.

While I was here the hot water heater was out so I didn’t have a hot water shower until my last day of my stay.

I loved everything about this wonderful homestay. If your looking for a peaceful, secluded homestay, where you can have the whole cove to yourself, please do yourself a favour and visit Ravita. Especially if you're a solo traveller just looking for tranquillity, peace and quite, to unwind and reset your body and mind set before going back to your busy lifestyles, this is the place to do it. Don't doubt your, book the homestay now 🩷

Just remember to bring your mozzie repellent...

Le personnel qui y travaille est particulièrement sympathique et arrangeant. La nourriture était très bonne et le cadre est vraiment magnifique avec une belle et grande plage déserte. Le lieu est très calme et paisible. La sortie snorkeling au Blue Lagoon et qui est gratuite est un vrai plus

Le prix des activités élevé lorsque l'on voyage seul, en particulier pour la grotte. Sinon rien à redire, au top !