Beach Management Strategy for Plantation & Lomani Island Resorts, Fiji
eCoast developed a coastal management strategy for Plantation and Lomani Island Resorts on Malolo Lailai Island, Fiji. The plan addresses beach erosion with practical, nature-based, and engineered solutions to protect resort assets and enhance guest experience.
.jpeg)
Protecting Fiji’s Beaches: Coastal Management Strategy for Plantation & Lomani Island Resort
eCoast was engaged by Plantation Island Resort and Lomani Island Resort to design a Beach Management Strategy for Malolo Lailai Island, Fiji. The project assessed coastal processes, shoreline change, and erosion risks using field surveys, wave and sediment modelling, and drone monitoring. Recommendations included targeted nourishment, low-profile breakwaters, mangrove planting, and long-term monitoring to build resilience, safeguard resort infrastructure, and maintain the quality of guest beaches.
Information
- Location: Malolo Lailai Island, Fiji
- Client: Plantation Island Resort & Lomani Island Resort
- Project Date: 2024
Scope of Work
- Coastal processes assessment and Shoreline change analysis
- Field surveys: RTK-GPS beach & bathymetry; tide, wind and wave review
- Nearshore numerical modelling of waves, currents and wind-driven circulation
- Beach Management Strategy and Monitoring Plan
Project Description
This strategy addresses chronic and seasonal erosion affecting the beaches of Plantation and Lomani Island Resorts. The assessment divided the shoreline into western and southern compartments, focusing on heavily used beaches where resort infrastructure and guest activities are concentrated. Data were drawn from RTK GPS and bathymetric surveys combined with sediment transport and wave modelling. Results show sediment movement is slow but seasonally reversible, shaped by wind and ENSO cycles. The pocket beach is narrowing due to short-period wave exposure, while the northwestern point remains vulnerable to episodic erosion. The southern beach is more exposed and exhibits limited natural recovery potential.
Key Recommendations
- Pocket Beach: Immediate beach scraping/re-grading of the eastern section to restore width; plan for periodic nourishment as clean sand diminishes; re-dredge the embayment in the future as it is a sediment sink.
- North-western Point: Construct two low-profile detached rock breakwaters to widen and stabilise the beach while avoiding persistent tombolo formation; treat structures as guest amenity with habitat co-benefits.
- Western Beach: Apply targeted small-scale nourishment where local erosion occurs; use the southern corner as a borrow area if required; continue to protect low-lying assets.
- Southern Beach (longer term): Replace ad-hoc shoreline rubble with offshore detached breakwaters; trial mangrove planting in their lee to attenuate waves and build a reserve of beach sand for future resilience.
- Monitoring: Establish benchmarks and complete 6-monthly beach profiles or UAV (drone) surveys to trigger scraping/nourishment or structural adjustments.
- Implementation: Submit a DoE screening to add works to the existing CEMP rather than a full EIA, covering pocket-beach works, breakwaters, and any borrow-area use.
.jpeg)
