Industry Insider: Life on Kaibu Private Island with Katy and John Fatiaki
“Having an entire island to yourselves unlocks a level of freedom and privacy that even the most exclusive resorts can't replicate. There are no shared spaces or schedules. Everything happens entirely on your time.”
Katy and John Fatiaki, Kaibu Private Island
This article is part of our miniseries Sea Views, which highlights experiences and expertise from members of the travel industry living and working on coastlines around the world. Read more from the series here & here.
The Northern Lau Group sits far to the east of Fiji’s main island, within the vast Lau Province, a remote archipelago stretching across more than 335,000 square kilometers of the South Pacific. It’s almost impossibly scenic; it’s also, by any measure, remote (as in, getting here requires a private plane). The reef systems surrounding the islands remain largely untouched. And somewhere in the middle of it all, ringed by a vast blue lagoon, is Kaibu Private Island.
Kaibu accommodates just six guests at a time across three individually designed villas (though larger families or groups can be accommodated on request). Each villa is set among tropical gardens with infinity pools, ocean views, and the particular quality of quiet that comes from being genuinely, completely alone. There are no shared spaces, no schedules, and no other guests. Running it are Katy and John Fatiaki, two people for whom Kaibu is a way of life. Katy grew up in Fiji, where her parents spent more than 50 years developing and managing private islands, including Kaibu itself; John hails from the island of Rotuma and is a commercial airline pilot by background. They have known each other since childhood. Today, she’s the Director of Island Operations and Marketing and also leads the Kaibu Foundation, the conservation organization she established on the island, coordinating coral monitoring, sea turtle nesting surveys, and field teams across the surrounding reef systems; he’s the General Manager and pilot for the island. When Katy's parents retired, stepping into their roles felt, as John puts it, "like a continuation of something that was already personal to us. It's not just a business we've taken on - it's a place we feel very connected to, and that sense of stewardship guides how we run the island today." We talked to Katy and John about what it’s really like to live and work inside a tropical wonderland.
Kaibu at a Glance
The Villas
Delana, Saku, and Vatu — Three individually designed villas, each sleeping two guests in king bedrooms with stone baths or jacuzzis, large deck areas, and infinity pools overlooking the ocean. The island accommodates a maximum of six guests at any one time.
The Reality of Island Life
While the idea of something as mundane as an alarm clock feels anathema to life in paradise, the romance of running a private island in the South Pacific comes with a reality most guests never see. Mornings begin early, with operational check-ins and guest logistics. "Most of our day is spent out and about," she says. "While we do have an island ‘office,’ making sure every detail is taken care of means being everywhere at once. We spend a lot of time with guests, balancing managing the operation with being present as hosts." Their two children are growing up on the island, echoing Katy and John’s own upbringing. "We feel incredibly lucky," John says, "but the reality of island life is that it's very hands-on. There's always something happening behind the scenes to keep everything running."
As a guest, this degree of remoteness is one of Kaibu’s major assets. "Having an entire island to yourselves unlocks a level of freedom and privacy that even the most exclusive resorts can't replicate," Katy says. "There are no shared spaces or schedules here, and everything happens entirely on your time." Meals, activities, and the rhythm of the day are all shaped entirely around the guests in residence. When the island is yours, the concept of a check-in time or a restaurant booking fades quickly from memory.
Experiences
Drift snorkeling — Through the lagoon over coral gardens and giant clam nurseries.
Diving — World-class sites in the Lau Group, with the option to explore something new each day.
Open-water fishing — Some of the richest waters in the Pacific.
Sandbar picnics — A private lunch surrounded by nothing but ocean.
Spa bures — Daily massages and treatments in dedicated spa pavilions.
Hiking — Trails to old village sites through the island's interior.
Cultural experiences — Traditional cooking, dance, and storytelling with the island's Fijian team.
Four-hole golf course
The island’s three villas, Delana, Saku, and Vatu, are each individually designed, but each have large bedrooms with king beds, ensuites with stone baths or jacuzzis, and wide deck areas with infinity pools overlooking the ocean. Beyond them, the island has spa bures for daily massage treatments, and private guides who can drop anything to take you open-water fishing at a moment’s notice. World-class diving from a different site each day, hiking to old village sites, sandbar picnics in the middle of the lagoon, and a four-hole golf course for those who cannot entirely leave the fairway behind are also de rigueur. But the moment that tends to stop guests in their tracks, Katy says, is always the same. "The lagoon. The moment guests arrive, they're struck by the color of the water - it’s every shade of blue you can imagine."
The Foundation Beneath Everything
What makes Kaibu unique among private island resorts is the depth of its conservation work, which is the animating purpose of much of what happens on the island. The Kaibu Foundation runs coral restoration and giant clam nurseries, sea turtle protection programs, and research initiatives across the surrounding reef. The island operates largely on solar power and grows much of what it serves in its own gardens. And in a part of the world where cyclones are a genuine and recurring threat, the Foundation has pioneered a reef insurance initiative designed to provide immediate funding for reef and community response in the aftermath of a storm.
"Sustainability at Kaibu is grounded in long-term stewardship of the island and its surrounding ecosystems," Katy says. "For us, tourism and conservation go hand in hand, actively protecting and strengthening the environment and the island we call home." The reef itself reflects that commitment. "The waters here are crystal-clear, thriving with coral and abundant marine life," she says. "But we are also seeing the impacts of climate change. Every decision matters, from resource use to waste management, to ensure what we do today doesn't compromise the future of the island."
Guest interactions with the reef are thoughtfully guided to be immersive but low-impact, like drift snorkeling or diving with knowledgeable guides who know every site intimately. The foundation's monitoring work means the team understands the reef in unusual depth, and that knowledge shapes how guests experience it.
Rooted in Place
Conservation
The Kaibu Foundation — Coral restoration, giant clam nurseries, sea turtle protection, and reef insurance initiatives led by Katy Fatiaki.
Getting There
Air Kaibu — The island's private plane, piloted by John Fatiaki, is the only way in or out.
The traditions of Fijian culture are also very much a part of the texture of daily life here. Most of the team comes from neighboring islands in the Lau Group, bringing with them a connection to place and tradition that shapes everything from the way guests are welcomed to the food that is prepared. "You see it in the stories shared, and in the food made using local ingredients and traditional methods," Katy says. "Whether it's cooking, traditional dance and song, or sharing cultural practices, it's about sharing a way of life."
"Most of our team comes from these islands," John says, "so what we do at Kaibu flows directly back into their communities. There is a shared responsibility to care for both the people and the place we all call home."
“Living here, you become attuned to the rhythms of the island," Katy says. "Reading the tides, the seasons, and the shifts in weather that shape daily life. Nature really governs everything we do. There are very few places left where you can be surrounded by such beauty without seeing another person. That quiet, that space, and that connection to nature — that's the real secret."
For both of them, Kaibu has become inseparable from who they are. It is tied to family history, to the legacy Katy's parents built over decades, and to a sense of responsibility that goes well beyond hospitality. "It's a safe haven," Katy says. "A place that feels protected from the outside world. There's a real sense of stewardship in ensuring it remains what it's meant to be."
