A Fiji Vacation

Fiji is my favorite vacation destination, so far. It is very close to my heart and I wish it always stays the way it is. Fiji’s charm does not start or end with the beautiful ocean – although that plays a major role – it has much more to it. From locals singing to welcome you, to the elaborate ritual of the Kava drinking ceremony, the fire dance and pig roasting, friendly staff at the resorts, great hospitality and laid back atmosphere – it is all part of the magic!

Kava drinking ceremony

This was my first island vacation so I did not know what to expect. I had seen many gorgeous pictures of Fiji but it was hard to believe something this beautiful could exist. However,  as soon as we took that ferry from mainland and started traveling towards the islands, within 20 minutes we could start seeing the turquoise blue ocean and scenery which is postcard perfect.

View of Beachcomber Resort from the boat

I am not providing an itinerary for Fiji because making most of it is not about seeing everything; it is about unwinding and enjoying without having to think about the next thing. This post will provide tips and ideas to help you plan your trip.

Dawn colors at Barefoot Manta Resort

Travel Tips

Visa on arrival for Indians – Indians (as well as nationals of countries listed here) do not require a visa to travel to Fiji. You will be granted a visitor permit valid up to 4 months on arrival. Make sure to carry the required documents with you. Further information can be found here.

Do your shopping on the Big Island – Make sure to buy a stock of drinking water, alcohol, sunscreen (or anything you need) on the main island before getting on the ferry to the smaller islands. Everything would be 2-3 times more expensive on islands. There are some stores near the ferry terminal where you could do all your shopping.

Don’t book too many activities in advance – The real way of enjoying Fiji is by going with the flow. Keep plenty of time to relax and just enjoy the beautiful ocean. Most of the resorts have activities throughout the day like tree planting, coconut splitting, fun historical quizzes etc. In addition to that, you will have beautiful reef around you to snorkel and dive. Most resorts provide snorkeling gear for free but it might be a good idea to check in advance. However, if there is anything specific you want to do while you are there, please book that in advance.

One night on main island – It depends on the purpose of your trip but if you are in Fiji to enjoy the beautiful beaches, I would not recommend spending more than one night on mainland. The real beauty is on the islands.

Avoid peak season, if possible – Fiji is warm through out the year but July-September are dry and busiest months. November to March can get some rain and storms. So, shoulder months would be perfect to travel. We went in October – weather was great and very few tourists.

Learn about tides and weather before you go snorkeling – If you go out snorkeling during low tide, you might hit the corals and injure yourself as well as destroy them. Choppy water is not ideal either because the waves will tend to push you towards the shore. Ask your resort for best time and location for snorkeling; they may also tell you some tricks to find Manta Rays and Sharks.

Reaching Fiji

Nadi is the main international airport located on main island or mainland Viti Levu. It is well connected with New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong and many other countries. Fiji Airways has also started non-stop service from two major cities on west coast (San Francisco and Los Angeles) in the US.

Mode of transport

Taxi is easily available everywhere on mainland. You can also ask your hotel to arrange one for you. You can get taxis on hourly and daily basis too; just ask the taxi driver. To reach the islands, there are ferries from Port Denarau. You can book either South Sea Cruises or Yesawa Flyer depending on the island you are staying on. Reservations can be made here. Ferries have dedicated stops for each island from where the small boats pick you up and take you to the resort.

Where to stay

Fiji consists of 333 islands. Mamanucas and Yesawa are two main chains of islands. Given so many options, picking an island may seem tricky but, trust me, you can pick any island from these two chains and you would not go wrong.

Some islands are so small that they just have one resort on it. For those you will need to buy a package which is inclusive of all the meals because there are no other options to eat. We stayed in Beachcomber Resort, part of Mamanucas, for two nights and Barefoot Manta, part of Yesawa, for three nights and loved both of them.

View from our room in Beachcomber

Picture perfect setting

The selection of island can depend on how much you want to spend. If you are budget traveller, you may want to go for bigger islands which provide a variety of accommodation and will have something for budget travelers too. If you are not on budget, you can even rent an entire island for yourself 🙂 Fiji has something for everyone.

Our bure (room) in Barefoot Manta

Cost of travel

To set the expectations right, Fiji is an expensive place to travel. Flight ticket from California is around $1,000 USD if you book in advance. Mid range hotels/resorts would cost around $150-$200 USD per night plus $60 per person for meal package. Ferry to islands would be $100-$200 USD for round trip depending on how far the island is from Port Denarau.

Most of the hotels and resorts accept credit card but it would not hurt to carry some Fiji dollars with you. You may need it for taxi or at smaller stores.

Hope this information is helpful in planning your trip. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any question.