Cloud 9 Fiji: Floating Bar and Pizzeria, Transfers and Prices

Cloud 9 is a two-level floating bar and wood-fired pizzeria anchored in the turquoise water off Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu. Guests arrive by boat from Port Denarau, spend four hours swimming, snorkelling and lounging on the sun deck, and order pizza with the open Pacific all around. The operator calls it Fiji’s first and original two-level floating platform.

What is Cloud 9 Fiji?

Cloud 9 is a day venue on the water. The platform has two levels, an expansive sun deck with daybeds, an internationally stocked bar and an Italian wood-fired pizzeria. A sound system and a line-up of chill-house DJs set the mood on event days, and the operator’s events page lists when the DJs are playing. It also hosts private functions.

The platform sits among the reefs and resort islands west of Nadi. From Cloud 9, the boat ride to Namotu or Tavarua takes about 10 minutes, and Musket Cove, Malolo, Castaway and Plantation Island are about 15 minutes away.

Getting to Cloud 9 from Port Denarau

Most visitors travel from Port Denarau on the Maximum, Cloud 9’s own 120-seat boat, which takes about an hour on the direct route. Two trips run daily, each giving four hours on the platform:

• Morning trip: check in 8:00–9:00, depart 9:00, arrive 10:00, leave Cloud 9 at 14:00 and reach Port Denarau around 15:00.
• Afternoon trip: check in 12:00–12:45, depart 13:00, arrive 14:00, leave at 18:00 and return around 19:00–19:15. It runs only when 25 or more guests are booked.

Shared hotel pickups are included from selected Denarau and Nadi hotels. Pickups from Vuda, Lautoka and the Coral Coast cost an extra FJD 20 per person. Guests staying at a Mamanuca island resort book through their resort’s reception, and private boats, seaplanes and jet skis can tie up with no landing fee.

Prices and what is included

At the time of writing, the return fare from Port Denarau is FJD 239 per person. That covers the boat both ways, shared hotel transfers from the included areas and FJD 60 of onboard credit, which you can spend on food, drinks or merchandise. Bookings can be made by email or phone through the operator’s booking page.

Tips for a day on the platform

• Pick the morning trip if your plans are fixed: the afternoon boat can be cancelled for low numbers, with guests moved to 9:00.
• Allow extra time on the return. Heavy weather can add up to 30 minutes to the crossing, and Coral Coast hotel drop-offs can run late into the evening.
• Bring swimwear, a towel, reef-friendly sunscreen and a mask if you plan to snorkel.
• Check the events calendar: DJ days are lively, quieter days suit swimming and sunbathing.

The Mamanuca Islands around Cloud 9

The Mamanuca group is an archipelago of about 20 islands west of Nadi and south of the Yasawa Islands, with Port Denarau as the gateway for day trips and resort transfers. Mana, Malolo and Matamanoa are among the main islands, and tiny Monuriki played the deserted island in Robert Zemeckis’s 2000 film Cast Away with Tom Hanks. A Cloud 9 afternoon fits easily into a stay on Viti Levu or on one of the resort islands.

Related reading

• Cloud 9 Fiji: A Floating Venue and a Day on the Water
• Fiji Islands: Choosing a Base in the South Pacific
• Winter in the Karkonosze: Snow, Summit Buildings and Borderland Views

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