Fiji - Yasawa Islands 🏝️
Viti Levu
The most popular arrival point will be Nadi International Airport - it’s easy to get a bus or taxi into the main city or hotel areas including Denarau Island and Wailoaloa Beach.
Day 1 - Nadi
There’s plenty to see and do within Nadi and a few different methods of transport to choose from.
1. Local buses are definitely worth the experience but the timetable is definitely run on ‘Island Time’ so you can be waiting at the stop for a while.
2. Negotiate with a taxi driver for a day rate where they will drive you to each stop and wait for you to finish before heading to the next. This is by far the easiest method of transport and provides you with the flexibility to spend as much or as a little time at each stop.
4. Hire a car - There are plenty of hire car companies available at Nadi International airport , it will also come in handy for the next few days as you travel around Viti Levu.
Stop 1 - Sabeto Mud Pools
A tranquil and invigorating spa treatment with a relaxing soak in the region’s mud and geothermal pool’s.
The experience starts with applying a luxurious thick mud lather on to your body, wait a few minutes for the sun to dry it and then dip in various thermal pools with a range of temperatures to wash away all traces of mud.
Spend as long as you want, soaking in the beautiful surroundings in the green rolling hills, just outside Nadi.
Cost FJ$20.00
Stop 2 - Garden of the Sleeping Giant
Five minutes away from the Sabeto Mud Pools you’ll find the Garden of the Sleeping Giant. Tranquil gardens with over 2000 orchid varieties as well as lots of indigenous plants. A beautiful botanical garden to explore.
Cost FJ25.00
Stop 3 - Local Village
There are plenty of local villages just outside Nadi - we visited Viseisei Village which is thought to be the first settlement in Fiji. A local member of the village provides a guided tour around the village sharing local history and an insight into village life. I would recommend going with a taxi driver or arranging through your hotel so a local tour guide can be arranged and it is custom to take a gift when entering a local village.
Day 2 - Nadi
Stop 1 - Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami Temple
A beautiful, brightly coloured Hindu Temple within Nadi town. The temple is a large pyramid shaped tower covered in multiple carvings of kings, gods and warriors with beautiful ceilings.
For a small entry fee you can visit the temple - just remember you need to dress modestly and remove your shoes before entering.
Cost FJ5.00
Stop 2 - Nadi Markets
Spend a few hours exploring Nadi Handicraft Market and Farmers Market, you’ll see a lot of items made by local villagers.
Evening Activites
Wailoaloa Beach Club a great place to mix with locals and enjoy some Fijian beer.
Denarau Island has a great selection of different restaurants and bars.
Accommodation
Day 3 - Suva
In the morning travel from Nadi to Suva, the capital city.
There are a few options -
1. Fly from Nadi International Airport to Nausori International Aiport and then get a taxi or bus to the city centre.
2. Use a coach - Pacific Transport and Sunbeam are both good choices with comfy coaches for the journey.
3. Hire a car and drive.
We opted for the coach and was pleasantly surprised - we purchased our ticket on the day for FJ15 and enjoyed the scenery.
Stop 1: Explore the city and see the sights including the Fiji Museum to learn more about the deep history of the country and soak in the rich culture and vibe of the city.
We used an app - GPSmyCity for a self guided walking tour. We’ve used them all across the globe and found them to be a great way to explore at our own pace and see the top attractions.
Dinner Recommendation: Paradiso Restaurant - great food with live music and the staff were extremely friendly.
Day 4 - Suva
Fiji is famous for it’s beautiful beaches and they definitely don’t disappoint but with a tropical climate the country also has a collection of beautiful rainforests to explore.
Just a 30 minute bus ride from Suva you can reach Colo-I-Suva Forest Park.
On arrival you are met by the local park ranger who shows you different walk options and offers help and advice. There are plenty of waterfall pools to swim in and it’s a relatively quiet place so you’ll most likely have it all to yourself.
Accommodation
Optional: Day 5 and Day 6 - Pacific Harbour
Once again your best option to reach Pacific Harbour is via coach - using either Sunbream and Pacific Transport from Suva’s main bus terminal.
Pacific Harbour is known as the Extreme Sport Capital of Fiji:
• White Water Rafting
• Sports fishing
• Terratrek Waterfall Tour
• Kila Eco-Adventure Park
• Scuba Diving - World Famous Site for Bull Sharks
The time you will want to spend in Pacific Harbour will depend on your budget and interest for the different activities. A lot of people use it as a base to get Padi ceritified and complete their introduction diving course.
We stumbled upon Pacific Harbour and spent the day enjoying the local area with the beach and green scenery, but one day is sufficient if you aren’t doing any activities but still choose to stop by.
Travel back to Denarau Island, Nadi in the evening ready to head to Yasawa Islands the following morning.
If you have more time and want to explore more of Viti Levu here are two more recommendations- we didn’t visit the below but have heard great things from other travellers:
•Coral Coast
•Taveuni Island.
Accommodation
Yasawa Islands
Helpful Tips
It’s easy to get a little overwhelmed when trying to choose which islands to visit. My top recommendation would be to do your research, there are so many islands suitable for different budgets, ages, activity interests and accommodation needs. As well as the range of hotels and resorts, a lot of islands also offer homestays. The majority of the islands charge a compulsory meal package which will cover all meal times for your stay - sometimes it’s included within the room rate and for others it’s additional. The day activites are usually charged at an additional rate as well.
As well as the Yasawa Islands there are the Mamanuca Islands - closer to the mainland and fewer to choose from but still a good choice.
We spent three nights on each island, again entirely up to you - some people we met stayed for less time and did more islands and others stayed on one island for a week.
Transport to and from the different islands - the easiest method is the High Speed Catamaran ran by Awesome Adventures Fiji.
There are several different options - they offer full packages including activities and accommodations. The Bula Pass is just for the island transfers but as a recommendation you can also just pay per transfer which might be cheaper, so definitely check that out! Most islands also offer Helicopter and Sea Plane transfers if you want a memorable arrival!
Day 7, 8 and 9 - Wayalailai Eco Resort
We were greeted with a traditional Fijian welcome with singing and dancing from the staff and then a whole welcome performance.
The eco resort was more then we could have imagined - the resort is ran by the three villages on the island, which provides a true community spirit and you are made to feel right at home. They only have a few beach huts, so it’s very quiet and tranquil, you can hear the waves from bed - a magical sound to hear when you drift off to sleep and to wake up to in the morning.
The resort offers varied activites including:
• Snorkelling
• Local Village Tour and School Visit
• Cultural Lesson
• Guided Walk to the Island Peak
As you’ll find out in the first few hours of being in Fiji, a traditional drink Kava - it’s a drink from a root vegetable, Yaqona strained with water. Before drinking Kava, a full ceremony is completed with a communal bowl and song and dance.
The eco resort included us within the ceremony and taught us about the traditions of the drink and the importance it holds.
Meal times are set each day and when food is ready they bang a drum which is a unique experience but one that fits the island lifestyles.
I can’t speak more highly of my experience and would recommend the resort to anyone looking for a traditional and local Fijian experience.
Day 10,11 and 12 - Barefoot Kuata Resort
Our second island was literally 2 minutes away from the first but a totally different experience and it did feel very different.
It was more of a resort with a buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner - definitely more choice but it was catered to tourists in terms of the food served. They did have a Fijian night where they prepared a Lovo - an underground traditional cooking method which was delicious.
The activities were similar to the previous island as the area is known for the Bull Shark Dive, so definitely recommend if it’s on your bucket list!
We went snorkelling and the coral was such bright colours, it was as good as I’d seen in other parts of the world scuba diving.
Accommodation
Day 13,14 and 15 - Blue Lagoon Resort
Our final island was most definitely the most beautiful and the most luxurious. It was further out into the Yasawa Island region and the water was turquoise blue for as far as you could see.
The resort offered free kayak and paddle boarding hire as well as offering a range of evening activites including coconut bowling and quizzes.
Day activities included:
•Extensive Dive Programs for Beginners and Experienced Divers
•Local Village Tour
•Sawa-i-Lau Cave Tour
The peak walk was also the best of the three islands, providing a great view and also being longer in length.
Accommodation
On day 15, make the transfer back to Denerau Island ready for your last night in Fiji.
Day 16 - Nadi
Hopefully you’ve had an amazing time in Fiji and embraced the traditions, friendly locals and rhe beautiful landscapes.
Have a safe flight home or on to your next destination.
Ready To Explore Another Pacific Island?
Check out my guide for Samoa, only a short flight from Nadi, Fiji.
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