Fiji

Fiji Overview

When you come to Fiji, you’ll be able to stand on hills and see dozens of islands all around you. With beautiful surroundings, soft sands and great people, it makes for a great place for both the adventurous spirit and those of us who just need to unwind. Fiji is a vast island group where you can explore to your heart’s content; go snorkeling off the coast with many different coral reefs, or swim with Manta rays! See the Blue Lagoon (not the real one, it’s private), and you can even go white water rafting on some of the islands with rough rivers (Suva, for example). Enjoy dinner in an open air atmosphere under a Banyan tree, or sit out under the stars with a Lovo feast; however you eat out when you’re in Fiji you’ll find great eats! Nightlife is filled with soft lamps and great music, and you’ll be able to relax or dance until the sun comes up. Fiji gives you everything you need to have a magical time, but it’s up to you to get out there and explore.

Activities

Since Fiji is an island nation, you’re going to be spending a lot of time in the water! The first thing to do is go snorkeling along the coral reefs; there are many here and you won’t have to look far to find a little privacy! You can also find guides who will take you out to the best diving spots where you won’t have to worry about finding a good spot to explore. One of the things you have to try is swimming with Manta Rays; all the different resorts have trips out into the waters between islands but the schools of Manta rays can move quickly, so make sure you open in the water and play with them while you can before they move on!

Dining

Dining in Fiji is a truly unique experience. You’ll find lovo feasts that are like luaus with underground ovens, and you’ll also find tons of different restaurants on all the little islands. Some of the best will be found in the resorts, but you’ll also find little jewels like the Banyan Tree where you can enjoy that open air island dining experience. Almost every resort will have buffets day and night, so you’ll never have to worry about going hungry; when you’re the guest of an all inclusive resort, you’ll be able to get your meals as part of your package without spending extra!

Nightlife

There are many different nightlife spots here so all you have to do is start wandering around! You’ll find Kava ceremonies with strong liquor, story telling and dancing. You’ll also find great clubs like O2 Suva (in the capital Suva) and Traps if you’re looking for a bouncy nightlife experience, and you’ll have to also check out the resort clubs; when you’re a guest you’ll drink for free and you can party until the sun comes up, dancing the night away.

Activities in Fiji

When you come to Fiji, you’ll notice it’s about a dozen different island groups. Each one will offer its own unique fun and charms, but when you’re visiting while on vacation you’ll probably be on the Yasawa Islands where all the all inclusive resorts are. There are so many islands in all of Fiji it can be hard to figure out where to go, but don’t worry! Your first stop should be snorkeling and diving right off the beach! Nanuya Levu, or the Blue Lagoon, is really THE best place for diving in all of Fiji, so if you’re an avid diver make sure you make the trip! You’ll want to make sure you get a Bula Pass so you can travel between the islands with ease, and you’ll be able to avoid the $75 to hop between islands! Here is just a taste of what a Fiji vacation has in store for you.

Diving, Snorkeling and More

Fun in the water is a fact of life when you visit Fiji! With the many coral reefs off the coast you’ll always find a spot to explore; you can always hire a local to help you find a great spot by boat. Different resorts will have special trips to find Manta Rays; you’ll be able to get out into the open water and swim with them, but they’re not trained so finding them can be a strike of luck! If you’re looking for diving you can rent your equipment cheap and there are different schools that will help you learn and get certified.

Explore the Land

Depending on which island you’re on, you may be invited to a kava ceremony; kava is a strong liquor that the locals share with one another. It can be considered rude not to take part, so if you’re asked go ahead and take part! There are also the cave trips on different islands, ocean fishing (extremely challenging!), and a trip to the Blue Lagoon. If you’re interested in hiking, the best islands are Wayalailai and Waya; each island has great hiking spots but these are the best around the resorts. You can find guides for the more challenging hikes and equipment rentals if you need them.

If you’re looking for a more laid back time, take a trip to one of the plantations and each some fresh mangos and papayas! You can lay down on quiet private beaches, or climb of hills that give you great views of all the other islands. If you’re staying in one of the charming thatched huts, you’ll have great views right out into the other islands, and you may even be near one of the coral farmers who are helping the coral reefs regrow!

Learn

If you’d like to learn how to basket and bracelet weave, you’ll find many different schools and teachers who will show you how to use natural materials to create beautiful things, no matter where you are.

A Fiji vacation will give you everything you need to have the vacation of your dreams. Its pristine beauty, laidback atmosphere and friendly people give you that star treatment you need to relax!

Fiji Dining

Dining in Fiji is a really different experience than you might expect from island dining. For the most part its restaurants selections consist of resort catered buffets, but you’ll find a few gems hiding in the dozens of islands that make up Fiji. Banyan Restaurant is Beqa Island is a resort restaurant that features delicious seafood and open air dining and can’t be missed! Saffron on Nadi is very Indian fusion inspired, and you’ll be able to get a fantastic curry and relax with nice atmospheric Hindi music. The Plantation Restaurant on Sonaisali Island is delicious and inventive, so be sure to check it out!

Resort Dining

Resort dining is the way to explore Fiji! You’ll find different levels of restaurants here, but as long as you stick with the all inclusive resort hotels you’ll be able to enjoy great buffets that don’t run out! One thing you have to know about any kind of dining experience in Fiji is that if you like fish you have to tell the chef; Fijians usually prefer chicken and they think everyone else is the same way too! If you have food allergies you may have a tough time, but you can explain that you shouldn’t have shellfish for example and they’ll make sure you don’t get it. If you’re a vegetarian, you’ll have a good range of options of delicious and albeit starchy vegetables. Resort dining will fall into three categories:

• Cheap and Dirty Buffets: There are a lot of different cheap buffets with the little thatched hut resorts; the quality of the food won’t be that great, but this is mainly geared towards backpackers.
• All Inclusive Buffets: When you’re a guest of an all inclusive hotel or resort, you’ll get a great buffet experience with a wide range of options. These can run from breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets, so you’ll be able to enjoy buffet any time of day!
• Resort Restaurants: You’ll find many different restaurants that cater to all kinds of tastes from Indian, Chinese and pan-Pacific foods, to great European options that will give you that taste of opulence.

Best of the Best

There are some great restaurants hiding in the islands, and you’ll want to check them out!

The Pavillion: The Pavillion is on Nukubati Island and specializes in Fiji sushi! It’s marinated overnight in Fijian lime juice and served up with coconut cream, and everything is so crisp and fresh!

Banyan Restaurant: The Banyan on Beqa is homage to true Fijian cuisine! You’ll dine in an open air atmosphere under a big banyan tree near the Beqa lagoon; it’s one of the most scenic delicious restaurants in all of Fiji, so make sure you check it out.

Chefs Restaurant: This is one of the hardest places to get into on all of the Fijian islands! If you can get in, you’ll be able to eat coconut cream desserts and reef fish fried in banana leaves, or you can eat freshly made wafers with honey flavored ice cream.

When you’re in Fiji for your vacation, you have to leave your island to try out all the different hidden culinary gems waiting for you!

Fiji Nightlife

A Fiji vacation gives you a vast array of choices; you’ll be able to enjoy party clubs and bars, live entertainment like fire dancers, and little theaters with independent productions. If you’re looking for the ultimate Pacific experience, you’ll find it here; touched by China, India, Australia and more, you’ll always find something fun to do! Unlike some other islands you may visit in the region, you’ll be able to mix with locals and travelers alike! Nightlife is a great way to wind down a hot Fijian day. In Suva you’ll find Traps where you can dance until dawn with colorful drinks and fun people, but you’ll also want to check out jazz and poetry readings. O2 Suva (also known as Oxygen) has a great array of cheap beers and good times! You can have a Fiji style luau, or a lovo feast, right on the beach and you can take part in a Kava or Yaqona Ceremony with dancing and drinking!

Fiji Fun

There are a couple experiences that you can only find in Fiji, so you’ll want to check them out! The first is a Lovo Feast. Lovo feasts give you a luau experience Fiji style, with sweet meats wrapped in banana leaves cooked in an underground furnace. You can also take part in a Kava ceremony; after cannibalism was outlawed the Kava ceremony came about as a way to solve disputes between tribes. It can be considered extremely rude not to take part in a Kava ceremony, so if you’re offered take part!

Bars and Nightclubs

There are many different bars and nightclubs in Fiji, but some of the best are of course in the resort hotels. Here you’ll be able to drink free and dance into the wee hours of the morning if you’re a guest, and you’ll be able to take a party boat to hop from one tiny island to the next to see what nightlife offerings they have. The Blues Bar is cute and in a Pizza Hut (no joke!) where you can listen to jazz, eat pizza and drink colorful drinks. O2 Suva and Traps are some of the better more packed clubs where you can meet fun people and get great drink prices to boot.

Live Entertainment

Meke, or Fiji fire dancers, perform all night long and you can dance with them or just take pictures. You’ll usually find them around the Lovo Feasts, but you can also find them at Kava ceremonies where they’re telling stories. Almost every bar has live jazz music, and you’ll find a few have rock selections. The Bad Dog Café has live music and a good wine list, but you’ll want to check out the Victoria Theater to see some great independent productions!

Nightlife in Fiji is all about exploring what each island has to offer you; you could explore all the islands for the rest of your life and still miss a few of the great places to see!