POINT OF ORIGIN I Castaway Island Resort

ON July 6, 2026, Castaway Island Resort celebrated its 60th anniversary marking a significant milestone for the Mamanuca based retreat.

Located on Qalito Island and facing the vast oceanic expanse of crystal blue waters, Castaway Island Resort has grown and established itself as one of Fiji’s beloved family resorts.

Today, the resort covers about 17 acres of the private island and features a wide variety of facilities that has kept countless guests entertained over the past six decades.

So, for the uninitiated, it would come as a surprise that Castaway Island Resort’s origins started on July 6, 1966, with a single thatched bure.

The resort gained notoriety and momentum when it was bought by the late Geoff Shaw who later became an influential figure in Fiji’s tourism industry.

His footprints and influence spanned between the shores of the Mamanucas, Nadi and the Coral Coast.

In one of his last interviews with this masthead, Mr Shaw recalled his association with Castaway which began in the early 1990s when the resort was 26 years old.

“It was in 1992 and of course Castaway was in receivership that time so I thought there was an opportunity to see if I could purchase a property that was iconic in the Mamanuca region,” he said.

“My accountant thought I was crazy and he said how are you going to do this, you don’t have any money, but I had another little property in those days called the Reef Hotel.

“I had this idea back in those days that I wanted to, in fact, recreate what the Reef was and build it into what is today the Outrigger.”

Mr Shaw bought Castaway when it went into receivership and had a dream to convert the property into a family focused island getaway.

He had said the success of each project he undertook relied heavily on its people.

“It’s not just our product – our people make the product and with their support and dedication, taking ownership of what my vision was at that time.

Under the late Mr Shaw’s stewardship, Castaway Island became synonymous with authentic, barefoot island hospitality, a blueprint that drew guests back year after year and established the resort as one of the defining properties in Pacific tourism.

That legacy endures in the resort’s hosts, some of whom have worked on the island for more than 30 years, and in the guests who have made Castaway Island Resort a family tradition across generations.

In 2014, Castaway Island changed ownership after Mr Shaw sold the property to Outrigger Enterprises Group.

Castaway Enterprise Group was then acquired by Denver-based KSL Capital Partners LLC.

Under the present owners, the resort has grown into one of the Mamanuca island group’s most popular retreats amassing accolades at the Fiji Tourism Excellence Awards over the past two decades and a front runner in conservation efforts through the Mamanuca Environment Society and the Outrigger Resorts and Hotels led initiative Outrigger Zone.

According to the resort, the program allows the resort to focus on integrating the island’s ecosystem with the guest experience.

In 2025 alone, the resort launched a Sculptural Coral Gene Bank in partnership with non-profit Counting Coral which is a marine-grade steel installation housing more than 500 carefully selected parent corals and is designed to support the long-term regeneration of the surrounding reef.

The resort also collaborated in the translocation of 15 endangered Fijian Crested Iguanas to Qalito Island marking their return after more than 40 years.

Last year, Castaway became the second property in Fiji to earn the Green Key Certification signifying its commitment to sustainability and serving as an assurance for guests that it adheres to strict environmental requirements.

Resort general manager Steven Andrews said the resort offered a rare hospitality experience that’s more than a destination.

“It has allowed travellers to connect with each other and for generations of families to bond across six decades,” Mr Andrew said.

“The loyalty of our guests and the dedication of our hosts are a testament to what happens when a destination is built on authenticity.

“It’s the reason why our returnees and multigenerational families continue to call Castaway Island ‘home’.

“We’re proud to steward this legacy and are excited for everything the next decade holds as we invite more travellers to discover our island home for the first time.”

Later this year, the resort will kick start a week-long celebration themed around 1960s vintage and a nod to the era in which it was born.

A resort statement explained the program will include a traditional Fijian welcome ceremony, a Returnee Guest Appreciation Day, a Management Cocktail Evening, an Environment Day centred on coral planting and the Coral Gene Bank, and a Cocktail Gala on November 27.

Until then the resort introduced a guest and host driven storytelling campaign, inviting generations of loyal guests to share their favourite memories through photos, videos and personal reflections. The campaign will also spotlight longtime hosts whose stories have helped shape the resort’s enduring Bula spirit of hospitality.