Fiji Private Island Yoga Retreat: Six Nights on Toberua with Julie Smerdon

Days start with a yoga session, then breakfast. The second session lands in the late afternoon. Between the two, the island is yours: snorkel the turquoise lagoon directly off the beach, take a kayak out, sail, or play a round of the low-tide reef golf. Lunch is long and lazy, dinner is under the stars, and the Fijian staff play and sing at mealtimes. There is no schedule beyond that, and no pressure to fill the gaps.

What separates this from a bigger Fiji resort is the size. Toberua has sixteen bures and nothing else — no day-trippers, no other guests beyond your group. Julie has been coming back since her first visit and describes the quiet as something that takes a few days to get used to. Guests arrive as strangers and leave as friends; she says it happens every time.

The arrival is part of the trip. You fly into Suva, drive across the island, then board a boat for the lagoon crossing. In daylight the ride is spectacular; after dark it's disorienting and memorable in a different way. Either way, the island band is playing when you reach the dock.

Julie Smerdon is the lead instructor and the person who organises the week. She has run this retreat repeatedly and knows the island, the staff and the boat timings. Her contact for questions is julie@juliesmerdon.com.

Toberua sits in the Lomaiviti Group, surrounded by white sand and coral. Beyond the included activities, you can add a picnic day on an uninhabited island, a Fijian Bobo or Lomi Lomi massage in the oceanfront spa bure, PADI scuba diving at sites like Stairway to Heaven and Shark Reef, a guided mangrove kayak on the Navaloa River, sport fishing for mahi mahi, tuna or wahoo, or a night snorkel under the stars.

One practical note: the Fijian government's new 5% Tourism Services Tax applies from 1 September 2026 and will be added to your final balance — roughly AUD20 per person, depending on the exchange rate at invoicing.

What's included

- 7 days/6 nights in an oceanfront bure - Island-to-table cuisine, 3 meals each day - 2x daily yoga sessions (morning + late afternoon) - 30-minute relaxation massage - Traditional welcome drink - Farewell flower garland - Airport transfers from Suva - Return boat transfers to the island - Traditional basket weaving experience - Access to all island amenities (lagoon, pool, snorkelling, sailing) - Local recommendations and guides

What's not included

- Airfare - Travel insurance (proof of insurance required for all retreat guests) - Personal expenses, including alcohol - Optional add-on experiences (picnic island day trip, spa treatments, scuba diving, mangrove kayak, sport fishing, night snorkelling) - Fijian Tourism Services Tax of 5% (approx. AUD20 per person, added to final balance)