Fiji
Most visitors meet Fiji at Nadi, a working town on the dry western side of Viti Levu, and most of them are on their way to something blue. This guide books that something properly.
Catamarans leave Port Denarau every morning for the Mamanuca islands and the floating bar of Cloud 9, for the sand, snorkelling and semi-submersible of South Sea Island, for a private beach club at Malamala, and for the longer run to the Yasawas. Divers get certified-diver trips on the Mamanuca reefs. On land the Sabeto valley offers hot springs and a volcanic mud pool beside the Garden of the Sleeping Giant, the Sigatoka valley adds a jet-boat safari and the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park, and a village visit at Viseisei puts the culture of the islands in context. Then it matches you to a base, from the French-Fijian polish of the Sofitel and the family-friendly Hilton and Radisson Blu on Denarau, to a practical airport hotel and a beachfront budget favourite at Wailoaloa, because in Fiji where you sleep decides how fast you reach the water.
Garden of the Sleeping Giant
A tropical orchid garden at the foot of the Sabeto hills, with thousands of orchid varieties, a lily pond and a jungle walk. A calm, shady counterpoint to the beach and the mud pool, and a classic Nadi half-hour to two-hour stop.
Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park
A long wind-sculpted ridge of sand and dry forest beside the Coral Coast with hiking trails, sea views and an ancient burial site. A bracing, uncrowded contrast to the lagoon resorts.
Cloud 9 Floating Bar and Platform
A two-level floating platform moored over a turquoise reef in the Mamanuca group, with a bar, pizza oven, sun decks and snorkelling right off the edge. A half-day boat run from Denarau and the most photographed afternoon in Fiji.
South Sea Island Day Cruise
A tiny sand cay in the Mamanuca islands reached by high-speed catamaran from Port Denarau, with a buffet lunch, a semi-submersible coral viewer, snorkelling and a kids club. The classic Fijian island day for first-timers and families.
A two-level floating platform moored over a turquoise reef in the Mamanuca group, with a bar, pizza oven, sun decks and snorkelling right off the edge. A half-day boat run from Denarau and the most photographed afternoon in Fiji.
A tiny sand cay in the Mamanuca islands reached by high-speed catamaran from Port Denarau, with a buffet lunch, a semi-submersible coral viewer, snorkelling and a kids club. The classic Fijian island day for first-timers and families.
A small private island in the Mamanucas turned into an upscale beach club, with a pool, cabanas and a restaurant and bar on the sand. Full-day and half-day passes leave from the Denarau and Nadi side for a polished, grown-up island day.
A village-run volcanic mud pool and set of natural hot springs in the Sabeto valley north of Nadi. Smear yourself in warm grey mud, let it bake dry, then rinse in the springs. Messy, silly and a very Fijian half-day.
A tropical orchid garden at the foot of the Sabeto hills, with thousands of orchid varieties, a lily pond and a jungle walk. A calm, shady counterpoint to the beach and the mud pool, and a classic Nadi half-hour to two-hour stop.
A long wind-sculpted ridge of sand and dry forest beside the Coral Coast with hiking trails, sea views and an ancient burial site. A bracing, uncrowded contrast to the lagoon resorts.
A fast jet boat up the Sigatoka River through the Sigatoka valley, past villages and farmland. A high-reviewed, high-energy trip that links adventure with village culture.
A guided half-day around Nadi that centres on Viseisei, the village near Vuda associated with the legendary landing of the first Fijians, with a market stop, a garden and a Hindu temple. The best way to meet Fiji beyond the resorts.
A two-dive morning on the Mamanuca reefs for certified divers, in groups capped at eight, with equipment and snacks included. Fiji is a soft coral capital, and these reefs are a short boat ride from Denarau.
A full-day cruise from Port Denarau out toward the southern Yasawa islands, with snorkelling and a packed lunch. The longest sea day on this list, and the sampler for anyone planning a proper Yasawa stay later.
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Denarau Island
The polished five-star on Denarau: a beachfront resort with one of the South Pacific's largest pools, eight restaurants and bars, a spa, an adults-only beach club and a kids club. French style with a Fijian welcome, minutes from Port Denarau.
Rates on Expedia →Denarau Island
A family-friendly island resort on Denarau with beachfront pools, a spa, a kids club and four dining venues from Fijian dishes to Pan Asian. A confident upper-mid-range pick for a first Fiji holiday.
Rates on Expedia →
$$$Denarau Island
A Denarau resort of generously sized rooms and suites with kitchens, set around lagoon-style pools. A practical mid-range base for families and groups who want space and self-catering flexibility.
Rates on Expedia →Nadi Airport
A practical resort hotel directly opposite Nadi International Airport, with villas, a pool, a restaurant and airport transfers. Ideal for arrival and departure nights and a sensible mid-range base for Nadi sightseeing.
Rates on Expedia →Wailoaloa Beach, Nadi
A sociable beachfront budget favourite on Wailoaloa Beach near Nadi town, with rooms at a range of price points, a deck bar with sunset views and nightly Fijian entertainment. Good value for backpackers, couples and travellers who like a lively base.
Rates on Expedia →What to book ahead, how to get around Nadi and Denarau, how many days you need and where the island cruises, mud pool, dunes, diving and village visits fit.
Denarau Island, the airport area and Wailoaloa Beach compared, with the five hotels we recommend for different budgets and trip styles.
