Closely resembling a beach bar, Cloud 9 is different in that it is a floating unit. It is about 45 minutes away from the nearest town of Denarau, Nadi. The two-floor floating bar offers breathtaking views near the Ro Ro Reef. As far as the eyes can see, the tranquil turquoise ocean stretches out to the horizon with stupendous snapshots of the Pacific flora and fauna. But Cloud-9 is more than just a floating utopia. Crafted with precision and perfection, it is reflective of Fijian artistry. With enormous wood-panelled sundecks, nets over the water and foldable table-chair sets dotting the floating unit, visitors can bask in the warm sunshine and salt-scented air.
There are many water-based recreational activities like swimming, diving, surfing, canoeing, and kayaking, among others, to choose from, with diving providing the most comprehensive underwater experience while visiting Cloud 9. The flora and fauna near the Ro Ro Reef region are picture postcard examples of serendipitous serenity enveloping the Pacific vista. Marine fauna that can be spotted on a diving escapade are parrotfish, sea turtles, triton shells, clownfish, giant clams, nudibranchs, and soft corals. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a critically endangered species, a Fijian iguana. If you find your adrenaline reserves peaking, you must also drop in at the uninhabited island, Modoriki—popularised by Hollywood. As seen in Tom Hanks’ movie Cast Away, the island is a labyrinth of caves. Armed with a map, charting out your itinerary through the cave—which is risky but rewarding—can be a vaunted outing for thrill seekers out there!
Cloud-9 isalso a slice of the musical heaven. Offering a rare, resplendent mix of music with a slew of national and international elements peppered in, the music policy at Cloud-9 brims with signature themes characteristic to the bar. The resident DJ, DJ Bar’el, a music maverick, has a way with music that gets visitors to shake a leg, regardless of their willingness to do so! Swaying to the nifty tunes, visitors can sneak into the Italian wood-fired pizzeria outlet onboard the floating unit.
But what makes Cloud 9 stand out is not the unparalleled experience it offers but rather its commitment to environmental preservation. Following the Fijian tradition, The Cloud 9 family takes sustainability quite seriously. They go beyond their contemporaries to protect the delicate, dainty marine flora and fauna of the Pacific. For instance, at the end of each day, all the waste materials generated on board are transported to the nearest island. They are processed to be converted into usable compounds, like fertilisers. Now, how many bars floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean can boast that kind of attitude?
