Highlights of Fiji

After my adventures in Samoa, I was ready for more Pacific Island exploring while it’s winter in New Zealand. My heart was set on a Vanuatu trip with work, and wouldn’t you know it, there are no direct flights from NZ to Vanuatu. My route required a connection in Fiji, which was the perfect excuse for a trip there as well! I only had a few days to explore so I had to narrow down the highlights of Fiji. I picked a base in the Wailoaloa Beach area of Nadi and signed up for a few day trips. Having also been to Hawaii as well as Samoa, I was curious to see more Polynesian culture and how they all compared! I should note, Fijians are actually ethnically Melanesian, but their culture and traditions are more similar to Polynesia.

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Wailoaloa Beach

While there are a few hotels along Nadi’s main street, the majority of the tourist accommodation is either at Denarau by the port or Wailoaloa Beach. There are more further south along the Coral Coast too, but these, as well as most of the Denarau options, were beyond my budget. They were also very much self-contained resorts, with little else around them. Nadi itself, when I was driven through it a couple of times, seemed to be mostly for locals, plus you can’t walk to the beach from town. Wailoaloa, therefore, had made the most sense to me, with budget accommodation options by the beach. There are two hostels, Bamboo Travellers and Bluewater Lodge, plus Smugglers Cove has a dorm. I actually had a private room for a good price at Bluewater.

Wailoaloa isn’t a huge area, just a couple of streets of hotels, Most have their own restaurants plus a couple of other independent ones. There was also a supermarket, which was good for buying snacks to not have to eat out all the time (the hostel had a cafe for breakfast options, but no kitchen to cook in). The area is a little isolated, as you can’t really walk anywhere beyond Wailoaloa, you’ll need to drive or get a taxi. However, this seems to be true no matter where you stay in Fiji, since so many resorts are self-contained.

I could walk down to the beach, though I never saw many people swimming or sunbathing. It’s perhaps not the cleanest water, close to the town? People would be walking, running or playing volleyball though. I went for a walk a few times, especially at sunset, which was nice. Overall, not the most memorable beach location I’ve stayed, but was fine for what I needed.

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Tivua Island Cruise

Boat Trip

The two day trips I did were definite highlights of Fiji though! First up was a boat cruise to one of the islands offshore. There are several options for this, and I ended up going with Captain Cook Cruises to Tivua Island. A few of the alternative options sounded like they just took you to a beach club for the day, while this one sounded a bit more laidback and with more activity options. All the food, drinks (wine, beer, soft drinks) and activities were included in the price too, so while it seems expensive upfront, I spent nothing on the day. I got picked up from the hostel and transferred to Port Denarau. There was a little time before boarding, so I looked around some of the shops here, picking up my souvenir magnet.

Our boat looked like an old-fashioned sailing ship, but it was definitely powered by an engine. I ended up sat near two other solo female travellers, and we got chatting and ended up spending all day together, which was lovely! I’m too much of an introvert to be always meeting people while travelling (especially in hostels, it gets exhausting) but it’s nice to have these sorts of encounters sometimes, to avoid loneliness. The journey took about 1-1.5 hours I think, with tea, coffee and snacks onboard. They also did a mini kava ceremony, inviting anyone who wanted up for a taste. I assumed it would be similar to what I had in Samoa so I gave it a pass this time!

Snorkelling

Arriving on Tivua Island, we had time for a morning activity before lunch, after which there would be time for another. We made a beeline for snorkelling. There was a guide to accompany each group – beginners or experienced – and while there would be another chance in the afternoon, we wanted to jump straight in! Equipment was provided and we jumped off the end of the dock, swimming along the reef that surrounds much of the island. The guide mentioned that the company (who owns this private island) had planted lots of coral here and it certainly looked healthy for the most part!

There was coral of all shapes and colours, some of the brightest ones even vibrant without much sunshine today. The reef forms a whole city full of fish darting between the nooks and corners and crevices. Most were quite small and I don’t know the names of all the species, but it was just fun seeing all their shapes and colours too. I also spotted plenty of urchins poking out and bright blue starfish gripping on to the rocks. A heathy coral reef like this is never boring, with so much to capture your eyes’ attention! The guide took us on a fairly long swim, staying in the water for at least 45 minutes, maybe close to an hour!

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Tivua Island

Reemerging onto dry land, it was time for our included buffet lunch. We grabbed drinks first were sat waiting for the queue to shrink down, when I heard my name called. I was pleasantly surprised to get a fully-loaded vegetarian plate delivered straight to me! I’d expected to just serve myself from the buffet, skipping the meat dishes, so this was delightful. And meant I didn’t have to wait in the queue!

After lunch, the weather had turned rather overcast, windy and even raining. We’d originally planned to grab the kayaks and SUP boards, but changed our minds given the wind in particular. It didn’t seem like it would be as enjoyable! Instead, we took a leisurely walk around the island. It didn’t take long, as it’s very small, just a spit of white sand covered in palm trees and cabanas. Grabbing a few more drinks, we ended up sitting on the beach chatting. We joined a couple of the guides, who were weaving hats from palm leaves, which was fun to watch. We exchanged stories about where we’re from with them, which made for a nice hour or so despite the weather!

When they called for last drinks, the staff we were with sent us running to the bar to grab more. Then straight to the boat to try and get good seats! Unfortunately, we still ended up at the edge of the canopy, making for a rather wet and cold ride back. But with music playing, people dancing and even a coconut demonstration halfway back, most people were still in good spirits. I’d heard Fijians are very friendly and happy before this trip, and it was certainly proven true today!

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Village Tour

Waterfall Visit

My next day tour started with a very early pick-up time, because we had to drive over 3 hours (almost 4) to the other side of the island, near Suva. I had read this when I booked the tour, but I know a couple of other people in the group didn’t realise. However, they agreed it was worth it in the end, as this tour was definitely one of the highlights of Fiji for me, partly due to our super friendly guide! We started on the shores of the Navua river, boarding a long boat to travel upstream. The weather wasn’t on our side, pouring with rain, but they gave us sturdy ponchos to throw on. You can’t control the weather, even on holiday, so we soldiered on and kept our spirits up!

Even in the rain, you could tell it was a beautiful setting as we cruised through a deep valley. The banks were tall, steep hills, covered in a thick jungle. Red flowers dotted the canopy and we glimpsed several waterfalls tumbling down cliff sides. Eventually, we arrived at our waterfall though, where we disembarked the boat and followed a short trail up a side stream. Luckily the rain had stopped by now! The waterfall was smaller than some of the others, hidden in the jungle with greenery overhead and plunging into a deep pool you could swim in. A few guests took a dip but I passed. Not because the water was cold, but more because it was still breezy and I knew I’d feel cold while still damp back on the boat.

Bamboo Raft

Returning to the riverside, where the sun was out at last, we cruised back downstream again. It was a bit more enjoyable not having to cling to the poncho hood to keep it on my head! We pulled over again next to a bundle of bamboo sticks tied together, quickly realising this was our raft. We carefully climbed on to it from the boat and our guide used a long pole to push off from the bank. From there, he didn’t really punt, just kept us away from the shores while we slowly drifted along in the river current.

It was a much more peaceful stretch of the journey without the boat engine! He used this time to answer our questions and talk to us about life in Fiji, being very honest and real about the things he loves about his country, but also the hardships of living in a developing country. It was all very interesting and helped paint a full picture, not just a tourist postcard. Eventually we approached the rapids and tied up the raft again, switching back into the boat to return to where we first boarded.

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Village Ceremony

We spent the afternoon back on dry land at the village next to the river, where our guide lives. He showed us the main buildings and then took us over to see the lovo, a Fijian underground oven, where some of our lunch was cooking! One of the village men, dressed in his traditional garb, came to uncover it while our guide explained how it works.

Then we headed into the village’s main building, the hall where they have their meetings, ceremonies and other gatherings. Several villagers were there to conduct the kava ceremony to welcome us in. Only one member of our group had to drink it this time, the honour falling to one of the guests who had never tried kava before. Then the women performed a couple of dances, before pulling us all up to join in for a sillier, funnier number! We tucked into lunch, served in the hall as a buffet, with several delicious local dishes, including plenty of vegetarian options.

Craft Demonstrations

Afterwards, we headed back outside for a few demonstrations of traditional crafts. Our guide started off with a coconut demonstration, showing how they crack them open and grate the meat, to squeeze it into coconut milk to cook with. Then he used some palm leaves to weave together a basket, which was so incredibly fast! He explained it will last a few weeks before turning brown, and then biodegrades of course – very eco-friendly. He taught us several Fijian words throughout as well. Then a couple of the women came to join us, one of them weaving a floor mat from dried pandanus leaves, the same as covered the hall floor. The other was painting using a printing method with stencils made from X-ray paper. She had decorated the entire ceiling of the hall the same way!

Finally, we headed back inside where the other women had laid out various handicrafts for purchase. I ended up with some beaded earrings and a hand-printed bookmark. Then a final farewell song, before we boarded our bus for the long drive back. It was such an interesting, cultural and varied day trip all around. I’m very glad I booked it, as this was certainly one of my highlights of Fiji.

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Garden of the Sleeping Giant

I had an afternoon departure flight from Fiji, which gave me a few hours to squeeze in one more stop. After looking at what was available nearby, I settled on the Garden of the Sleeping Giant, which is just 10 minutes from the airport. Public transport won’t get you there though, so I booked a private transfer to take me to the garden, wait with my luggage while I was inside, then continue to the airport. This pretty, botanical garden lets you wander through the tropical jungle, surrounded by flowers and ferns. The name comes from the mountain behind it, which looks like a giant lying down asleep.

I passed dozens of potted orchids, a lotus pond and a small orchard growing bananas and breadfruit. The path climbed up through the dense trees, where there is the option to branch off to the viewpoint. It’s a steep but short uphill climb to an open hilltop. From here I could see the airport and more of Nadi, as well as the coastline and the mountains surrounding us. I didn’t know Fiji had such mountains until this trip! Back under the jungle canopy, I wandered down to an open clearing, with a pavilion where weddings are sometimes held. There was a swing next to it, which was a cute little rest stop before leaving the garden.

You also get an included fruit juice on the way out, which I had plenty of time to sit and drink before it was time for my flight! It’s not huge and I spent about an hour and a half there, but it is very beautiful and serene. The garden was a pretty addition to my trip, and I was glad I had time to see one more place before leaving Fiji.

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Highlights of Fiji

It was a whirlwind trip, fitting the highlights of Fiji into just a few days! Of course, I’m sure there’s plenty more to see across its many islands, but I think I did well with the time I had. It seems many people go to Fiji to relax, maybe doing a couple of outings, but rarely filling every day with activities. Especially since, when I was researching this trip, a lot of the accommodation options are expensive, self-contained resorts. I typically prefer more walkable destinations, to be honest. But hopefully that means I still covered a good amount of highlights with my limited time!

There were definite similarities to Hawaii and Samoa, with their shared Polynesian cultures, especially evident at the village tour. Fiji and Hawaii are certainly the more popular, developed tourist destinations. Samoa is still a little more under-the-radar with fewer resorts and tourist infrastructure. Anyways, I enjoyed my time in Fiji overall! While it was nice to relax a little, I mostly loved getting out and about to learn about its culture and see another beautiful Pacific island location. Now, on to Vanuatu next!