Luxury Travel Magazine contributor, Raquel Baldelomar, sits down for a conversation with Richard Evanson, Owner of Turtle Island Fiji.

After attending Harvard Business School and making his fortune in cable television, American entrepreneur Richard Evanson made a special purchase: his own island. In 1972, Turtle Island was filled with 'coconuts and goats' but through sustainable practices, a passion for planting, and a vision of romance, Richard transformed the 500-acres into an island paradise.

Hollywood approached Richard in 1978 to use the island as a backdrop for the film, 'The Blue Lagoon' starring Brooke Shields. Soon after, Richard welcomed his first guest in 1980. Turtle Island is an all-inclusive resort with 14 bures, or rooms, and it accommodates only 14 couples at any one time. Children are allowed twice per year, otherwise the island is devoted to providing an intimate atmosphere.

During my recent trip to Fiji and Turtle Island (March 2010), I sat down with Richard Evanson to discuss romance, being 'green', and the future of his exclusive island getaway:

Did you have romance on your mind when you were building Turtle Island?

I designed everything to encourage romance. If I was on my honeymoon, I would always want to be with my partner, to always have eye-contact with her. The atmosphere of Turtle does that: showers with two showerheads, private beaches, and sheer canopies draped over the beds.



Are the majority of your guests honeymooners?

Over 50% of the guests at Turtle Island are honeymooners, and another 20% are couples celebrating an anniversary. People fall in love with Turtle and often return – 35% of our visitors are repeat guests. I only market Turtle Island to American, English, and Australian audiences because I want everyone to share a common language at the dinner table. This makes my resort not only a place for romance but a place to meet fellow culturally curious, interesting, discerning travelers.

Turtle Island is a 'Green' Resort – tell me about how you are conscious of the environment.

Everything about Turtle Island is sustainable – a fact that I am very proud of. We have a 10-acre organic garden where we grow our own lettuce, cucumbers, pumpkin, carrots, pineapples, and papaya. Honey on the island is taken from our own hives. We also have our own woodshop where most of the furniture on the island has been handcrafted. We have a man-made lake that holds over 8 million gallons of water that services the island and resort and we use solar panels to harvest the energy from the sun. We proudly live off of the sea and the land.

A repeat guest, Craig, told me that, "Richard was a greeny before the term became popular." What encouraged you to build this sustainable resort?

When you own a piece of land, you want to protect it. My father was a planter, so since my childhood, I had a passion for gardening and planting. In 1972 when I bought the island, I wanted to get my hands dirty. Over 30 years we have planted more than 300,000 trees. Now we have beautiful mahogany, and can do our own woodworking on the island.



I was so impressed by your chef and the use of all the organic vegetables from your garden. What is your favorite meal at Turtle Island?

I love the Mongolian BBQ grill night. You make up a plate of ingredients such as lamb, fish, lobster, and chicken and mix it with either Asian noodles or rice. Add an egg or two, some really fresh vegetables, sauces such as garlic, ginger, hoisin, soy and a pinch of chili peppers and then hand it off to the chef. You sit at the table and enjoy some appetizers while your meal is cooked over the grill and then you're served a mouth-watering masterpiece!

What will the guests rave about to their friends and family?

This quote from a recently returned guest is how I want all my guests to feel when they are at Turtle Island: "It felt like a port to another parallel. Turtle is magic. It has an 'awe' factor and an amazing social aspect."

Your staff are some of the warmest and friendliest I've ever encountered – is this a part of Fijian culture?

I employ up to 80 people during the high season and my staff is the heart of this resort. Guests often comment on the kindness of their bure mama, and how having a personal assistant made all the difference to their vacation. In the Fijian culture, the guest is #1. My staff will welcome you here as if they are welcoming you to their home. It is in their blood to respect the planet and exude kindness.



How are you involved with giving back to the local community?

Each year $100,000 is donated for the education of Fijian children. We have also built an on-site chapel to make it simple for our staff to continue their religious practices. In 1992 I founded the Yasawas Community Foundation to provide assistance in local health, education, and transport. My home is in Fiji, and giving back to the community is part of the mission statement of Turtle Island.

What do you see in the future for Turtle Island?

The protection of this island is very important to me. I have a 21-year-old son, Richard Evanson Jr, who is currently studying in Melbourne, Australia. I'd love to turn it over to him someday. I know he would preserve what I have built here.

Hotel Profile: Turtle Island Fiji

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