Two friends created the ultimate beach club with a difference – there’s no beach

November 2, 2026 — 5:00am

Sometimes you have a life-affirming, authentic cultural experience when you’re on holiday. Other times, you just want to drink a cocktail in the sun. And right now, boy, does Fiji deliver on the party scene.

Visitors are spoiled for choice with an ever-increasing number of offshore floating bars, party pontoons, booze cruises and daytrip island experiences all offering their own twist on “daylife” in the tropics.

I’ve chosen to spend my afternoon at Cloud 9, Fiji’s original floating bar. Established by Australian surfer and DJ Barel Wachtel with Fijian entrepreneur and world champion windsurfer Tony Philp, the idyllic two-storey construction is considered one of Fiji’s most coveted party destinations.

But back when it was established in 2013, building a floating offshore bar 45 minutes from the mainland was a big gamble. Luckily, it paid off.

Even on approach, it’s clear to see Cloud 9 is the place to be. There are a few private boats tied to buoys and one luxury yacht moored just off its stern. The water around it is filled with swimmers, the deck is draped with bodies sunbaking, dark sunglasses seem to be compulsory, and almost everyone has a phone in one hand and a drink in the other.

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I’m arriving mid-afternoon, and I’ve come with a plan. It’s my last day in Fiji; I fly out that night, and I have no desire to walk aimlessly around my resort. Instead, I’ve booked a private sea taxi out to Cloud 9 from Port Denarau with my luggage, and when I’m done partying, my boat will take me straight to Naisoso Landing Marina, just a five-minute drive to the airport.

Having my own private watercraft is a little bit more bougie and indulgent than I’d like, but a spectacularly dramatic way to wrap up my last day in Fiji.

Pulling up alongside the structure, I’m surprised to find a beautifully constructed timber platform made from mahogany and raintree, sourced locally from the mainland. There’s a bar, bathrooms, tables, and daybeds scattered on the main floating area, and upstairs, a thatched shaded area covered in solar panels to power the structure.

And once I’m settled in with a cocktail, I have to admit it’s huge fun, as groups of young things, who seem to have spent as much on their plane ticket as they have on their resort-wear, frolic, dance, swim and backflip off the giant pontoon, filming every single moment and outfit variation for posterity.

But it also comes with some surprises. The pontoon has a reinforced “jump deck” up top, where a group of rowdy Swedes are doing their best impression of an Olympic dive team. As I watch from above, three men backflip together, and when they surface, so does a green sea turtle.

It’s just a few metres away, and the first turtle I’ve seen on this trip. Abandoning my sunnies and emptying my cocktail, the Swedes cheer as I leap off the top, their friends tossing a snorkel and mask to me when I come up for air.

As it turns out, sea turtles really like a party pontoon, and there are more than a few snacking on the healthy bed of seagrass underneath the bar, completely indifferent to the party going on above. Ro Ro Reef, where the bar is located, has a surprisingly healthy reef ecosystem, an abundance of tropical fish, and several reef conservation projects lie just a few feet below the surface

When Cloud 9’s transfer boat leaves, so does the crowd, and a more mellow vibe kicks in. There are a few honeymooners from local island resorts, a group who have jet-skied over from their luxury yacht, and there’s … me.

The set list switches to chill, the cocktails are strong, the vibe is exceptional, and the pizzas are the best I’ve had in Fiji.

Just before the sun sets, I make a move. It’s a shame to leave, but having my own private vessel makes for one hell of a stylish departure, and when the local dolphin pod decides to ride the bow wave in front of the private sea taxi as we speed off, I’m convinced that in Fiji, this is the only way to party.

DETAILS

Cloud 9 runs a return package trip from Port Denarau to their pontoon departing at 9am daily. This costs $FJ239 ($151) and includes a $FJ60 ($38) food and bar credit. If you have your own transport, cocktails and pizzas are reasonably priced, with many Mamanuca Island resorts offering a transfer service. See cloud9.com.fj

Shaney Hudson is an award-winning freelance travel writer based in Sydney. Specialising in family travel, she likes to go where the wild things are.

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