Total Days: 11
Total Days it Didn’t Rain: 3 (It wasn’t even rainy season, I just really need to work on this.)
Amount Spent: Since we were guests of Fiji Tourism I won’t do a budget breakdown on this one. From what I’ve found it’s possible to travel Fiji as everything from a five star luxury connoisseur to a budget backpacker.
Places Visited: Nadi, Castaway Island (in the Yamanucas island chain), Savusavu, the Coral Coast.
Biggest Misconception: That Fiji is only a luxury honeymoon destination. While it’s certainly perfect for that, there are a lot of great activities and accessible accommodations for all budget types.
Coolest Discovery: That Fiji is a really eco-conscious place. The government and a lot of the major tourist businesses put a strong emphasis on sustainability, which I really appreciate and appluad.
Favorite Food: Fiji has a lot of really interesting local food. I was a big fan of the duruka (Fijian Asparagus), which for the life of me I can’t seem to locate a picture of. It’s a white fibrous veggie that is often cooked in coconut cream.
Least Favorite Food: There wasn’t anything I hated in Fiji, actually the food in general was surprisingly good! Not sure I’ll be mixing up a big bowl of kava at home anytime soon though.
Favorite Place: Castaway Island in the Yamanucas, which we visited on our first day was a shining paradise. Pretty much the exacty definition of a tropical island. If the Yasawas look anything like that they must be amazing.
Least Favorite Place: Nadi itself is pretty bland. Although it’s the transport hub of the country, I don’t see any reason to stay there unless you are in transit to somewhere else.
Most Annoying Thing: Our flight home was an absolute mess. In general I got frustrated with the slow pace of, well everything. They call it “fiji time” or “island time” and it’s supposed to be relaxing but as a city girl I just hate waiting.
Most Memorable Moment: Rafting through deep narrow canyons in the interior of the big island was breathtaking and something I’d recommend to anyone headed to Fiji. I also had on of those great “this is my life and it’s so amazing” moments while getting an absurdly luxurious hot stone massage at Outrigger Resort in a room that overlooked the entire Coral Coast.
Biggest Regret: I wish it hadn’t rained so much of course, but I always wish that. On my next trip I’d like to get out and explore more of the islands smaller islands and hopefully head out to the Yasawas which as supposed to be lovely.
I also regret not having enough money to buy some gorgeous fijian pearls. Sigh.
Best Advice: There were a lot of surprises in Fiji, but the biggest was the sheer variety of activities and budget options available in Fiji. A lot of people seem to think it’s to expensive or too faraway to enjoy as an independent traveler, but it turns out there are a lot of options. I think it would make a particularly nice stopover for anyone traveling to or from Australian and New Zealand.
Would I go Back: Absolutely, I was already half-planning our return trip as we traveled the country. Although we wouldn’t be able to travel in half the luxury we did as guests of Tourism Fiji, I would feel truly privileged just to hang out on a beach here. In the sun, hopefully.
Have you been to Fiji? What were your impressions?
A special thanks to Tourism Fiji for inviting us to Fiji and covering our stay. All opinions are my own.
