Mantaray Island Resort Fiji Review as a Solo Traveler

Island hopping in Fiji is one of my favorite trips I’ve had the privilege of experiencing! I did stay on the main island, but I loved my time in the Yasawa Islands so much that I recommend skipping the main island!

I stayed in three resorts and my second of the three was Mantaray Island Resort. This trip to Fiji was solo and I can confirm the Yasawa Islands are great for solo travel! Mantaray Island Resort was chosen in hopes of seeing the manta rays!

I break down the things I loved about Mantaray Island Resort and the things that weren’t my favorite. Overall though, it just comes down to preferences. Here is my Mantaray Island Resort Fiji review as a solo traveler.

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First Impressions | Mantaray Island Resort Fiji Review as a Solo Traveler

Mantaray Island Resort has a more jungle vibe! It’s tucked away on the end of Nanuya Balavu Island with a view of Drawaqa Island. As with all resorts in Fiji, they greet you with song. The beach seemed small as I approached by boat because of how many people were relaxing on it. However, I eventually found out there is plenty of beach to find a secluded spot!

Check-In

The resort is built on a hill with the dining area at the top. The check-in office is about halfway up the hill, so you will get a taste of it right away. I didn’t have much luggage, but there was someone offering to help.

The office had a couple people working to check new arrivals in and overall the process was smooth. Snorkel gear does cost an extra fee, but it’s good for your stay! A bit annoying since it was free at the other two resorts (Blue Lagoon and Barefoot Kuata), but it wasn’t expensive.

First Impressions of Mantaray Island Resort as a Solo Traveler

Now this part would not apply to the private rooms, at least I hope it wouldn’t! There is a cost to rent a towel, but there was a delay in me getting one as the towels weren’t dry yet. I also couldn’t get two due to the fact they weren’t dry and I wanted a spare for the beach.

I did find it a bit annoying that I was charged for snorkel gear and towels, but it wasn’t exorbitant. Though I was staying in the dorms, they have the beds numbered, so I was given my bed number and shown to the dorms.

Accommodation at Mantaray Island Resort

Dorms and Shared Bathrooms Review

Mantaray Island Resort’s dorms line one big room as opposed to the other two resorts that had smaller rooms. My bed was at the end of this long room lined with bunk beds and I was assigned to the top bunk. These bunk beds were very sturdy! Not like the Barefoot Kuata bunk beds where I’d be nervous for anyone on the top or bottom of the bunk beds!

Underneath the bottom bed are built in cabinets where you can store your bags and there are towel hooks on the end of the bed. Overall, the dorms were clean and the beds were sturdy.

The drawback was that the dorms were FULL! At least for two of the three nights I was there! It felt a bit too chaotic for me overall, but I am paying very little for the dorms and it was my choice to be there. There is another resort in this area that is related to Barefoot Kuata and that is Barefoot Manta! While I can’t speak to their dorms, I’d imagine they would be similar to the Barefoot Kuata dorms.

Read my review on Barefoot Kuata

So with the dorms at Mantaray Island Resort at capacity, it felt crowded and a bit hectic, but surprisingly everyone was respectful. I’m not a light sleeper so that definitely helps, but overall people were considerate late at night and didn’t make a lot of noise!

The shared bathrooms were composting toilets which are not my favorite but I can appreciate them being better for the environment. There are plenty of stalls and they are each very private. So even with the dorms at capacity, the bathrooms never felt too crazy.

The showers were nice! However, there would be a short wait at times with most people wanting to shower before dinner. It wasn’t too bad though.

It’s also worth noting that some rooms, similar to Blue Lagoon, are private rooms but shared bathrooms. So in addition to the dorms being at capacity, there were additional people with private rooms using the toilets and showers. Yet, it still didn’t feel as crazy as the dorms themselves.

Overall, these were my least favorite of the dorms, but the showers did have hot water (unlike at Barefoot Kuata). And it’s not a distant third by any means. They weren’t my favorite of three, but overall they are not bad at all!

Dining Hall Bathrooms

There are private, regular toilets up near the dining area! The walk to these bathrooms the back way via the spa is about the same distance as the composting toilets. So once I knew how to get to these without having to enter the dining area, I would use them instead of the composting ones occasion.

Private Room Options at Mantaray Island Resort

There are plenty of other accommodation options from private room with shared bathroom to beach side bure! This resort has a beautiful, jungle vibes which I loved. All the rooms feel very private! It’s like a very lush garden meets jungle everywhere which helps with the privacy.

Unlike at Blue Lagoon and Barefoot Kuata, I did not have to walk passed other room types on the way to the dining area. They are more tucked to the side. The only time I was near the other room types was when I walked down the beach or enjoyed the hammocks. Even then, the rooms are private!

Privacy and Security | Mantaray Island Resort Fiji Review as a Solo Traveler

Just the way this resort is setup feels extra private! Security is the same as at the other resorts in that I felt very safe in the Yasawa Islands of Fiji! The bathrooms at this resort were a bit of a walk from the dorms, and even then I felt safe if I needed to use the restroom in the middle of the night (though I did take my phone with me).

The staff stay on the island as well and live tucked away on the other beach, which is a great area if you want a different beach to chill or watch the sunset. Other travelers were very respectful as well, so there was no issue there in terms of safety or privacy. As a solo female traveler, it can be intimidating but I felt safe island hopping in Fiji!

Dining Experience | Mantaray Island Resort Review

Dining is compulsory at every resort in the Yasawa Islands! You will not have any other choice because on a lot of islands, there is literally no other choice. So when you book, be sure to account for the dining plan.

Of the three resorts I stayed, Mantaray Island Resort came in second for food! Blue Lagoon Beach Resort just nailed it and really made solo travel in Fiji the most special!

Read my Blue Lagoon Beach Resort Review here!

However, Mantaray Island Resort had a great dining experience overall. The dining area is up a hill, so you get in a mini calorie burn before each meal.

Breakfast at Mantaray Island Resort

Breakfast at each of the resorts had a buffet style, with Blue Lagoon and Mantaray offering some extra options. At Mantaray, the breakfast buffet was both hot and cold, but you could request eggs done your preferred way and they would be brought to your table once done.

The coffee was decent as well and was NOT instant coffee (looking at you, Barefoot Kuata). The view from the dining area was beautiful and I especially enjoyed getting to breakfast early for one of the tables with a view!

Lunch at Mantaray Island Resort

Lunch at Mantaray was great! They offer a menu with a good variety of selections. I enjoyed my lunches here and thought they were a good portion size.

Dinner at Mantaray Island Resort

Dinner was also great! Again, not as good as Blue Lagoon and they also didn’t offer to sit solo travelers together like they did at Blue Lagoon. However, the dinners and desserts were delicious! Since I was dining solo, I brought a book or edited photos on my phone.

Even though this was the dining experience I expected as a solo traveler, I got spoiled with Blue Lagoon as my first stop. So it did feel a bit uncomfortable at first. However, I got used to it and even enjoyed my dinners as a peaceful experience.

Activities and Recreation | Mantaray Island Resort Fiji Review as a Solo Traveler

Snorkeling

While snorkeling gear did incur an extra fee, the reef off the beach was beautiful! All the resorts had beautiful reefs and Mantaray might be the best of the three. Though I didn’t get a proper look at Blue Lagoon, so they might actually be tied.

Paddle Boarding

I did take a paddle board out here and it was no extra charge for the paddle board. There are kayaks as well if you prefer. I paddled across to the beach on the other island and explored and enjoyed the views from there.

Relaxation

There is no pool at Mantaray Island Resort, but the reef off the beach is beautiful! The hammocks are also available for everyone to use, which I loved! I didn’t use the spa facilities, but they offer them here!

Other Activities

They offer a village visit similar to other resorts, but to a village close by. They also offered a guided hike, which I never did. Oh they also did a cultural dance show one night which was great!

Activities are posted daily so you can decide when and what you are interested in doing.

Tour Options | Mantaray Island Resort Review as a Solo Traveler

Manta Ray Season

The main reason I came to Mantaray Island Resort was in hopes of seeing manta rays! I came at the end of the season, so it wasn’t until the very last day, hours before I’d be getting on a ferry, that I got to see one manta ray for about ten seconds!

The best time to see to the manta rays is June and July. The season runs May to October, but I was told the BEST months are June and July.

How the Manta Ray Tour Works

If a manta ray is spotted, they sound an alarm and you run to grab snorkel gear and make your way to the boat. They drive the boat around to the passage and would drop you in the water near the manta ray I assume.

The first day I was there, the alarm sounded and I ran for the snorkel gear and hopped onto the boat. We made our way to around the corner to passage. They had seen one manta ray, but it must have been shy because numerous boats and guides were around but couldn’t find it. After looking for about ten minutes, we made our way back to the resort.

If a manta ray is not seen, you will not be charged for the tour. On my last day, the manta ray I got to see was right in front of the resort. Since I had paid the fee for the snorkel gear, I was able to grab it and I swam faster than I knew I could to see the manta ray for a thrilling ten seconds or so!

If this is something you want to do, I suggest being a good swimmer! The currents are strong! I walked quite a ways down the beach before jumping in and swimming because I heard the employee mention the strength of the current. That extra walk helped a lot because the current was very strong!

Sunset River Tubing

I signed up (and paid extra) for the sunset river tubing, not fully understanding what it entailed. The sunset is on the other side of the island, so each person brings their own drink and grabs a tube before getting onto the boat. They transport us to the other side of the island where we float around and enjoy our drink watching the sunset.

They add in a little fun surprise by towing us for a while before we climb back into the boat. I was a touch cold because of the time of year I was there, but it wasn’t bad. The sunset was beautiful and the experience was fun.

Scuba Diving

I got certified in open water before I left so I could feel comfortable in the scuba gear for the Bull Shark Dive at Barefoot Kuata! Since the open water certification I did was in fresh water, I decided to do an intro dive at Mantaray!

The day we went out it was quite choppy! However, my first ocean dive experience was a success! They did a great job!

You can get certified at Mantaray, which I considered before I left. In the end, I decided to get certified here in Florida. If you want to get certified at Mantaray, you’ll need to stay about 4 days to complete the dives and training.

Extra Charges

As previously stated, the meal plans are compulsory for all resorts in the Yasawa Islands. Mantaray also charges a fee for the snorkel equipment and as with other resorts have some activities offered for free and some that will cost extra.

There is an extra fee for credit card use and this fee follows you around Fiji! It’s not just a Mantaray charge.

Other Resorts To Consider

There is one other option to consider for the manta rays and that is Barefoot Manta. While I haven’t stayed at Barefoot Manta, I did stay at Barefoot Kuata, so you can get an idea of what to expect from the resort. Read my review of Barefoot Kuata.

How to Get to Mantaray Island Resort

I chose the Awesome Adventures Ferry! If you are only staying at Mantaray Island Resort, you can book a round trip ticket. However, if you are planning on a Fiji island hopping trip consider the Bula Pass! I bought the eight day pass which allowed me to island hop for the week!

Other options, for a higher price tag, include a sea plane or helicopter!

Who Should Not Book

I avoided resorts that had a party vibe reputation, so none of the resort I stayed at had that vibe. Of the three, Mantaray would be the closest, but it was full of every type of traveler from families, to friend groups, to solo travelers.

Unless it’s prime manta ray season, I’d recommend Blue Lagoon over Mantaray Island Resort. Or even Blue Lagoon’s sister resort, Octopus Resort.

However, if the manta rays are around, I think the food at Mantaray Island Resort was better than at Barefoot Kuata, so I’d recommend Mantaray over Barefoot Manta.

The Pros

The reef was beautiful and I enjoyed paddle boarding here as well! Oh and I loved that the hammocks were for everyone (at Blue Lagoon they were only for the beach side bures). I definitely had some great reading and napping afternoons in the hammocks!

The Pros of Mantaray Island Resort As A Solo Traveler

I don’t think I have any standout pros as a solo traveler for Mantaray. It’s not to say it’s not worth staying at, but there just isn’t anything standout about it related to solo travel. Oh, but I do appreciate the showers had hot water similar to Blue Lagoon. Barefoot Kuata failed in that department.

The Cons

Charging extra for snorkel gear (when the other two resorts offered it for free). The current around here was stronger than at the other two resorts. I would normally consider this to just be the weather and conditions while I was there, but I read a review where someone complained about it. This is just something to keep in mind if you aren’t a strong swimmer.

The Cons of Mantaray Island Resort As A Solo Traveler

Being charged for towels was another annoyance. I didn’t like how large the dorms were, as when it’s full it feels very hectic and intimidating.

Mantaray Island Resort Fiji Review as a Solo Traveler

I hope this Mantaray Island Resort Fiji review as a solo traveler was helpful in deciding if you should add this to your Fiji island hopping trip! Regardless of where you choose to stay, I think the Yasawa Islands will leave a wonderful and lasting impression! At least they did with me! I love how each of the three islands I stayed on had their own personality and vibe yet were all equally paradise! Maybe that’s why I loved island hopping in Fiji so much! A little variety but still in a tropical paradise!

Wherever you end up staying, I hope you have the best time in Fiji!