Kokomo is where Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams got married. Here\u2019s how to stay there.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s fitting that multimillionaire Anna Mowbray chose Kokomo Private Island for her wedding to former All Black Ali Williams.<\/p>\n
A strong, enterprising woman who worked hard to achieve her goals, she would have felt right at home at Kokomo. The exclusive luxury resort has a solid track record of women striving for professional success.<\/p>\n
\n Like Lily Puamau, the 27-year-old junior sommelier who is on track
\n to become Fiji\u2019s first ever level-three qualified sommelier, with exams due in November. She started at Kokomo in the housekeeping team but has pursued her passion for hospitality, training under the supervision of South African head sommelier Stephen Swaneopoel.\n <\/p>\n
Holly, a 30-year-old Taranaki expat, has recently become the island\u2019s resort manager, an unusual achievement based on both age and gender. She\u2019s arrived at Kokomo from her last post at Hayman Island in Australia\u2019s Whitsundays, and it\u2019s her first time to Fiji, but she\u2019s already feeling right at home.<\/p>\n
Marine biologist Lily embodies the warm Bula spirit of Fijian hospitality.
Marine biologist Viviana.<\/p>\n
And then there\u2019s Viviana and another Lily, the all-female, all-Fijian marine biology team, entrusted with the care, sustainability and regeneration of the vital coral reefs surrounding the 57ha private island.<\/p>\n
Kokomo was established in 2017 by Australian billionaire property developer Lang Walker, who died in January 2024 aged 76. Although Walker Corporation, the business he founded with his father Alec in 1964, has been behind some of Australia\u2019s biggest redevelopment projects, he had never ventured into luxury tourism and hospitality.<\/p>\n
But sailing through the Fijian islands on his yacht \u2013 also named Kokomo \u2013 he heard Yakuve was up for sale. A former resort project had been abandoned, presenting the perfect opportunity for Walker Corp to diversify.<\/p>\n
Taking ownership of the island on a 99-year lease, Walker\u2019s aim was to establish a luxurious base where he and his family could come to relax and enjoy quality time together. And that\u2019s just what he created with Kokomo.<\/p>\n
The six-star resort is the perfect place for families to experience a break from the stresses and strains of everyday life. With space for just 120 guests, even when the resort is full it still feels like a private, personal paradise.<\/p>\n
A one-bedroom private villa with pool exemplifies Kokomo’s exclusive island accommodation.<\/p>\n
Accommodation comprises 21 one-, two- and three-bedroom beachfront villas, as well as five private hilltop residences with up to six bedrooms. It\u2019s the ideal spot for intergenerational groups to holiday together to celebrate milestone birthdays… or multi-millionaire weddings.<\/p>\n
Of course, it\u2019s relatively rare for a group to book out the whole island like Anna and Ali did in August 2024. But \u2013 as well as the accomplished women on staff \u2013 it\u2019s obvious why the couple chose Kokomo for their nuptials.<\/p>\n
The grounds are immaculate, with lush palms, brightly coloured flowers, tropical trees, and verdant lawns. Service is exceptional \u2013 from the traditional welcome songs on arrival to the personalised attention to details, and instils the confidence that nothing will be too much trouble.<\/p>\n
This hospitality begins just a seven-minute drive from Nadi airport at Kokomo\u2019s air-conditioned transit lounge, where you\u2019ll await your helicopter or seaplane transfer to the island. Champagne, tropical fruit, cheese and charcuterie platters, freshly baked cookies and barista coffee are all on offer, as is complimentary Wi-Fi so you can clear the decks of emails and work commitments before you arrive on the island and fully switch off.<\/p>\n
And switch off you should, because there is more than enough to keep you entertained and active during your stay.<\/p>\n
Choose from stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, sailing, island hikes, fitness bootcamps, fishing and surfing trips. Play a game of tennis, pickleball or basketball, or wind down at the yoga shala with a class guided by resident instructor Luke.<\/p>\n
Kokomo’s floating pontoon provides a perfect platform for family water adventures.<\/p>\n
Perched halfway up the island\u2019s highest point, the shala is an open-sided pavilion with views out to the ocean and the neighbouring islands.<\/p>\n
Those travelling with children can make use of the kids or teens clubs but be warned \u2013 your offspring are going to be bereft when they have to say goodbye to their Fijian nannies. They\u2019ll dote on your kids, sometimes even more than you do.<\/p>\n
Viviana and Lily started their Kokomo careers as nannies, although both had graduated as marine biologists from universities in Suva. When the resort\u2019s Irish former marine biologist left, Viviana and Lily stepped in.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s rare to have locals working in these roles. In my many travels to Fiji over the last 20 years, I\u2019ve only ever come across expat marine teams \u2013 English, Irish, Australian, French. And while I certainly couldn\u2019t fault their expertise, being guided by indigenous women adds another level of depth to Kokomo\u2019s water-based activities.<\/p>\n
Lily and Viviana have a passion for preserving the natural beauty for future generations. They embody the Bula spirit \u2013 vibrant, warm, funny and passionate about showing guests the best of their country.<\/p>\n
I head out with them on one of Kokomo\u2019s signature seasonal activities \u2013 snorkelling with manta rays. There are about 500 mantas in Fiji \u2013 Viv tells me they have tracked 250 of them in the waters around Kokomo.<\/p>\n
The marine team monitor coral nurseries as part of sustainability initiatives.<\/p>\n
The island is situated in the Great Astrolabe Reef, one of the world\u2019s largest barrier reefs, where the waters are pristine and the snorkelling and diving exceptional.<\/p>\n
Mantas swim through the channels here year-round but are most likely to be seen between May and November, when they pause at the reef\u2019s cleaning stations.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we don\u2019t see any, we have to leave Viv behind in the ocean,\u201d Lily jokes, as we wait on the dock for the resort\u2019s shiny new speedboat, Nautilus.<\/p>\n
They\u2019re taking turns to get in the water this morning \u2013 for them, it\u2019s winter and they\u2019re feeling the cold \u2026 all 24C of it.<\/p>\n
The water is incredibly choppy and I inhale sea through my snorkel every time a wave breaks over my head. The visibility isn\u2019t great, and I\u2019m starting to think we won\u2019t see anything, when Viv points in front of us. Through the haze a shadow appears, getting clearer as it gets closer \u2013 a manta ray, soaring through the shallows.<\/p>\n
Divers encounter graceful manta rays in Kokomo’s pristine reef waters.<\/p>\n
Mantas can reach sizes of up to 5m wide and I\u2019d expected to feel scared if one crossed my path. But the three we see glide gracefully past, their wings beating as if in slow motion, as elegant as if they\u2019re floating on air.<\/p>\n
As we return to the island, Viv and I hop out of the boat again to view the coral garden nurseries, just off the jetty. One of Kokomo\u2019s key sustainability projects is regenerating the reef around the island, and they\u2019re already seeing excellent results.<\/p>\n
I see them for myself when I go for a self-guided snorkel off the beach in front of my villa. The tide is low and I\u2019m not expecting to see much in such shallow water, but to my delight, there\u2019s an abundant aquarium just metres from my bed.<\/p>\n
I spend an age in the water, face down, bum up, transfixed by the diversity of fish and vivid coral, stopping only when my stomach starts to rumble.<\/p>\n
Walker D’Plank restaurant offers barefoot dining over crystal waters.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t have to go far to sate my appetite. There are three restaurants on the island, with food and non-alcoholic drinks included in the cost of your holiday.<\/p>\n
Fiji isn\u2019t always thought of as a gourmet getaway but at Kokomo, the dining is exceptional.<\/p>\n
Executive chef Andy Bryant has worked in some of Australia\u2019s best kitchens, including Supernormal in Melbourne, Hinchcliff House in Sydney, and luxury winery resort Jackalope on the Mornington Peninsula.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s at the helm of The Beach Shack, the resort\u2019s main restaurant, serving three meals a day, and regular barbecue or curry theme nights.<\/p>\n
Kokomo’s beachside bar serves tropical cocktails with signature Fijian hospitality.<\/p>\n
Kokocabana is an Italian poolside bar and restaurant, where Naples-expat head chef Enzo Maione cooks wood-fired pizzas, pastas and indulgent small plates.<\/p>\n
For a casual, Asian fusion feast accompanied by cocktails and relaxed, barefoot dining, Walker D\u2019Plank \u2013 named in a nod to Lang Walker \u2013 sits on a wooden boardwalk over the ocean.<\/p>\n
Asian fusion cuisine at Walker D’Plank showcases fresh local ingredients daily.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a charming and casual spot, with wooden chairs in distressed paint shades of duck egg blue and baby pink; buoys strung from the trees, a ramshackle tin roof, and no official menu \u2013 guests can choose from whatever head chef Caroline Oakley and her team are making with the ingredients available on the day. I choose a dinner of sushi to start, followed by a prawn curry, and irresistible millefeuille dessert. The sea laps under the boardwalk as I eat, while baby reef sharks patrol the waters.<\/p>\n
Dinners can also be delivered to your villa, or, for special occasions, under a canopy strewn with fairy lights on the beach.<\/p>\n
Much of the fresh vegetable produce on the menus is grown on the island\u2019s terraced 2ha farm on the hill. I take a tour with Andy and check out the free-range chickens, hydroponically grown leafy greens, beehives, towering banana palms, and bushes of innocuous-looking chillies that will blow your tastebuds away.<\/p>\n
Getting anywhere on the island is easy \u2013 staff get around on golf buggies and are always more than happy to shuttle you back and forth between restaurants, activities and villas.<\/p>\n
But on my last day, I opt to stay put in my villa for as long as possible. Why would I want to leave? It\u2019s a beautifully appointed sanctuary with a footprint bigger than your average Kiwi home.<\/p>\n
My one-bedroom villa is perfectly set up with everything I could possibly want or need, including comfortable living area, kitchenette with Nespresso machine and bar fridge, daily replenished snacks like housemade cookies and chocolate-dipped honeycomb, and a luxuriant bedroom with views out to the private plunge pool, the beach, and neighbouring islands. <\/p>\n
Soaring peaked ceilings are in the traditional Fijian style with wooden ballasts secured with coconut husk twine.<\/p>\n
An open-plan room to the left of the bed has a huge sunken marble bathtub with French doors at the head and foot. Open them fully and feel like you\u2019re bathing outside.<\/p>\n
Luxurious bathroom features marble tub opening to tropical garden views.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also a private outdoor courtyard shower, and a garden with large daybeds, sunloungers and a hammock. Take a dip in your private plunge pool, or take a few steps to immerse yourself in the ocean.<\/p>\n
Each villa also includes helpful touches like mosquito repellent coils and spray, a wicker beach bag, and complimentary laundry service.<\/p>\n
Every thoughtful detail combines to become absolute heaven.<\/p>\n
My stay is only three nights but it\u2019s long enough \u2013 and luxurious enough \u2013 for me to leave feeling well and truly wound down and ready to face a new week back at work.<\/p>\n
As my helicopter transfer lifts gently off from the island\u2019s hilltop helipad, the pilot takes a flyby over my beachfront villa before buzzing out to sea.<\/p>\n
A humpback whale breaches just past the reef\u2019s drop-off \u2013 a magical salute to end a magnificent stay.<\/p>\n
Need to know<\/p>\n
A three-night stay in a one-bedroom villa at Kokomo Private Island costs from US$2500 ($4245) per night, up to US$3800 per night during the festive season. <\/p>\n
The rate is fully inclusive, with nannying services, all dining and non-alcoholic beverage costs across the three restaurants and in-villa dining, and activities at Beach Shack, including non-motorised water sports. <\/p>\n
Alcoholic drinks are at an additional cost, and prices are in US dollars. Cocktails are priced between US$14 and US$25, and a humble bottle of Steinlager US$11. <\/p>\n
Stephanie Holmes was hosted by Kokomo Private Island.<\/p>\n
More inspiring getaways<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Kokomo is where Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams got married. Here\u2019s how to stay there. It\u2019s fitting that…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":25863,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[5845,11346,138,26095,2109,26092,26094,26098,185,2514,26093,9610,26097,111,139,69,1136,26096,2069,684,61,1845,540,13971],"class_list":["post-25862","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-anna","tag-billionaires","tag-business","tag-everyone","tag-family","tag-fijis","tag-getaway","tag-heres","tag-is","tag-island","tag-kokomo","tag-married","tag-mowbray","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-private","tag-relax","tag-stay","tag-there","tag-to","tag-welcome","tag-where","tag-williams"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25862","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25862"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25862\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25863"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25862"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25862"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25862"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}