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Hotels in Fiji

330 islands, kava and the warmest welcome in the Pacific

Fiji

LanguageEnglish
CurrencyFJD
TimezoneGMT+12
Temperature24-30 °C
Dial Code+679
Population936K
Area18,274 km²
SocketsType I
Tap waterBottled advised

Discover Fiji

Fiji is 330 islands in the middle of the South Pacific, of which roughly a third are inhabited, and it's the most accessible Polynesian destination there is — direct flights arrive from both Australia and New Zealand, and accommodation ranges from FJD 20 hostels to private islands. Almost everything centres on the main island of Viti Levu, home to Nadi's airport, and 2 chains of smaller islands to its northwest: the nearby Mamanucas, good for day trips, and the more distant Yasawas, with volcanic ridges and undeveloped beaches. Alongside swimming there's a lively village culture — being welcomed into a village begins with a kava ceremony, in which a slightly bitter drink made from pepper-plant root is drunk from a bowl, and you don't enter a village without it. Almost half the population are descendants of Indian labourers brought to work the sugar plantations, so churches, Hindu temples and mosques stand side by side, and curry is cooked just as naturally as fish over charcoal.

What to see

The places worth your time in Fiji, and what to expect at each

Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple

Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple

Nadi, south of the city

The largest Hindu temple in the Southern Hemisphere, standing at the end of Nadi's main street. Built by South Indian craftsmen in Dravidian style, its gopuram tower is covered in colourful sculptures of deities. The ceiling frescoes were painted on site following traditional designs.

Tip: Shoes are left at the entrance, shoulders and knees must be covered and photography isn't allowed inside; the best time to visit is during the morning puja around 7am, when there's chanting and the temple isn't full of tourists.

Admission:
around FJD 5
Time needed:
1 h
Mamanuca Islands

Mamanuca Islands

west of Nadi

A chain of around 20 islets west of Nadi, most ringed by white beaches and each with its own resort. They lie closest to the mainland, so a day trip is possible, and this is where the country's best snorkelling, diving and surfing are found.

Tip: A day boat trip to an islet, including lunch and snorkelling, costs around FJD 150 and is the cheapest way to see the Mamanucas without paying for a resort stay.

Admission:
day trip from FJD 150
Time needed:
full day
Yasawa Islands

Yasawa Islands

northwest

20 volcanic islands stretching 80 km to the north, with sharp ridges, empty beaches and villages with no roads. Electricity often comes only from a generator and many resorts have no signal — which is the main reason people come.

Tip: The Yasawa Flyer catamaran serves the whole chain once a day, and with a Bula Pass you can hop progressively further along the islands — the cheapest way to see more of them.

Admission:
Yasawa Flyer from FJD 130
Time needed:
several days
Garden of the Sleeping Giant

Garden of the Sleeping Giant

Sabeto Valley, 15 km from Nadi

An orchid garden on the slopes of the Sabeto range, founded by actor Raymond Burr to grow his collection. Today it holds over 2,000 species of orchids and Asian lilies along wooden boardwalks leading into the rainforest.

Tip: The garden can be combined with the Sabeto mud pools in a single half-day, as they're 10 minutes apart by car; the orchids bloom most heavily from June to September.

Admission:
around FJD 20
Time needed:
2 h
Sabeto Mud Pool

Sabeto Mud Pool

Sabeto Valley

3 natural hot sulphur pools beneath a volcanic ridge, where visitors coat themselves in grey mud, let it dry in the sun, then rinse it off in progressively warmer pools. Run by the local village.

Tip: Wear swimwear you don't mind ruining — you won't get the sulphur mud out of it. Towels can be hired on site and entry costs a few dollars.

Admission:
around FJD 20
Time needed:
2 h
Sigatoka Sand Dunes

Sigatoka Sand Dunes

Coral Coast, near Sigatoka

Fiji's first national park, 2 km of dunes rising up to 60 m above the mouth of the Sigatoka River. Wind here uncovers pottery and graves over 2,500 years old, making it one of the Pacific's most significant archaeological sites.

Tip: There are 2 marked loops; the long one takes 2 hours and there's no shade at all — set off right after 8am and bring 2 litres of water.

Admission:
around FJD 12
Time needed:
2–3 h
Nausori Highlands and Navala Village

Nausori Highlands and Navala Village

inland Viti Levu

Mountainous inland country beyond Nadi with grassy ridges, and the village of Navala, the only place in Fiji where every house is still built traditionally as a bure of bamboo and thatch. The village has kept the rule voluntarily since the 1950s.

Tip: You don't enter Navala without notifying the chief in advance and bringing a gift of kava root, bought for a few dollars at Nadi market; it's easiest to go with a local guide who arranges the ceremony.

Admission:
tour from FJD 150
Time needed:
full day
Monuriki

Monuriki

Mamanuca

An uninhabited islet on the edge of the Mamanucas, where the film Cast Away with Tom Hanks was shot. It has a white beach, a rocky ridge with views over the whole chain, and the surrounding waters hold Fiji crested iguanas, nearly extinct elsewhere.

Tip: The island is uninhabited with no shade or water; boats stop for only 2 hours as part of a tour, so bring water, a hat and shoes for climbing the ridge.

Admission:
included in boat tours
Time needed:
2 h
Suva and the Fiji Museum

Suva and the Fiji Museum

southeast Viti Levu

The capital, at the opposite end of Viti Levu, is the largest city in the Pacific and unlike anywhere else in the country: colonial buildings, markets and a university. The museum in Thurston Gardens holds a 13-metre drua canoe and a collection of cannibal forks.

Tip: Suva sits on the windward side and gets over 3 metres of rain a year, so bring a raincoat whatever the season; it's 4 hours by bus from Nadi along the south coast.

Admission:
museum around FJD 10
Time needed:
half day

Photos: Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple — Dead.rabbit (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Mamanuca Islands — American at German Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Yasawa Islands — United States (Public domain) · Garden of the Sleeping Giant — Radosław Botev (CC BY 3.0 pl) · Sabeto Mud Pool — Maksym Kozlenko (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Sigatoka Sand Dunes — Radosław Botev (CC BY 3.0 pl) · Nausori Highlands and Navala Village — Anton Leddin (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Monuriki — KhufuOsiris (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Suva and the Fiji Museum — User:Matthias Süßen (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Where to stay

Areas and districts, matched to the kind of trip you are taking

Nadi and Denarau

Best for: first and last night, boat trips

The area around the airport has the highest concentration of hotels, the marina all the ferries leave from, and the best transport links. The beaches here are murky and not great for swimming, but as a base for excursions it's the most practical place in the country.

Coral Coast

Best for: families and a stay without boats

An 80 km stretch of Viti Levu's southern coast between Nadi and Sigatoka, with resorts of every class right on the road. Behind the reef lies a calm lagoon, and the Sigatoka dunes and villages are within easy reach. Good if you don't want to be tied to ferry schedules.

Mamanuca

Best for: snorkelling, surfing and short transfers

The nearest island chain, reachable by boat in 30 to 90 minutes. The islets are small, easy to walk around, and each has its own resort, from backpacker to five-star. It's the simplest choice for a week on an island without long travel.

Yasawa

Best for: isolation and the prettiest beaches

The more distant chain, a 2 to 5 hour catamaran ride away. The islands are mountainous, the villages traditional and the resorts smaller, often without air conditioning and with signal only on the hilltops. The prettiest beaches in the country, at the cost of a longer journey and less comfort.

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Getting around

From the airport

The international airport is at Nadi on the western coast of Viti Levu, 9 km from town and 20 minutes from Denarau Marina. There's no direct or single-stop connection from Europe — routes run via Dubai and Sydney, via Los Angeles, or via Seoul and Hong Kong, and the journey takes 26 to 35 hours. Fiji Airways operates direct flights from Sydney, Auckland, Los Angeles and Hong Kong. Hotel transfers and taxis run from the airport, and onward travel to the islands continues from Denarau Marina by South Sea Cruises or Yasawa Flyer catamaran, or by small plane or seaplane.

Nadi International Airport (NAN) · 9 km

  • Taxi to Nadi· 15 min· FJD 20
  • Transfer to Denarau Marina· 20 min· FJD 25
  • Catamaran to the Mamanucas· 30–90 min· FJD 90
  • Yasawa Flyer to the Yasawas· 2–5 h· FJD 130

Around town

Cheap Sunbeam and Pacific Transport buses run along the coastal Queens Road between Nadi and Suva on Viti Levu; the journey takes 4 hours and costs around FJD 20. The buses have no window glass, just tarpaulins, which you'll notice when it rains. Shared minibuses run more often and cost a bit more. Taxis have meters, but outside towns the fare is agreed in advance. Boats are the only link to the islands, usually running once a day on a fixed schedule — missing the catamaran means losing a day. A rental car is only worth it on Viti Levu, and driving is on the left.

Yasawa Flyer catamaranThe only regular link to the Yasawas, leaving Denarau once a day and calling at individual resorts. · FJD 130
Bus along Queens RoadThe cheapest way around Viti Levu; Nadi to Suva takes 4 hours. Windows are often just tarpaulins. · FJD 20
TaxiMetered in towns; on longer routes the fare is agreed in advance. A full-day hire with driver is common. · FJD 5
Domestic flight or seaplaneNorthern Air and Fiji Link fly to the outer islands, and seaplanes serve resorts in the Yasawas. · from FJD 250

Useful apps: Google Maps, Awesome Fiji, Windy

When to go

Fiji lies in the Southern Hemisphere and has reversed seasons. The dry, cooler season from May to October is the main one: 26–28°C, little rain, low humidity and the best underwater visibility. The wet season from November to April brings humidity, heavy afternoon downpours and, from November to April, cyclones — but it's also the cheapest time to go. The difference between the two sides of the island is actually bigger than between seasons: the west around Nadi is dry, while windward Suva in the southeast gets over 3 metres of rain a year and sees rain year-round.

Best time

May to October, dry with the best visibility

What to avoid

January to March, because of cyclones and humidity

MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day31°31°31°30°29°28°28°28°28°29°30°31°
Night24°24°24°23°22°21°20°20°21°22°23°24°
Rainy days1617181410878891114
Sea29°29°29°29°28°27°26°26°26°27°28°28°

Food & drink

Fijian cuisine combines a Melanesian base with Indian spicing. Home-style food is baked in a lovo, an earth oven heated with hot stones, and resorts open a lovo once a week as an evening event. The best everyday food is found in Indian eateries in Nadi and Lautoka, where a curry with roti costs a few dollars. Root vegetables form the base of most side dishes — taro, cassava and sweet potato. Kava root is sold at Nadi market and crushed into the drink yaqona; it's drunk from a bowl called a bilo, with clapping before and after drinking as part of the ceremony.

What to try

Kokoda

Raw fish marinated in lime juice and coconut milk with chilli, onion and tomato. Fiji's answer to ceviche and the country's most typical starter.

Lovo

Pork, chicken, fish and root vegetables wrapped in banana leaves and cooked for several hours in an earth oven. Made for Sundays and celebrations, and once a week at resorts.

Rourou

Taro leaves stewed in coconut milk with onion, similar in taste to spinach. The most common side dish in home cooking and one of the few vegetarian items in the traditional diet.

Curry with roti

Indian curry made with goat, fish or chickpeas, served with a thin roti flatbread. Costs a few dollars at eateries in Nadi and is the cheapest filling lunch in the country.

Yaqona (kava)

A slightly bitter drink made from crushed pepper-plant root that numbs the tongue and relaxes you. It isn't alcoholic, but it's drunk socially and is part of every village welcome.

Duruka

A seasonal sugarcane flower cooked in coconut milk that tastes like asparagus. Sold only from April to June and considered a Fijian delicacy.

Ika vakalolo

Fish stewed in thick coconut milk with onion and chilli. The most common way fresh catch is prepared in Fiji.

Fiji Bitter beer

The local lager, sold as Fiji Gold or Bitter depending on the variant. Costs around FJD 4 in a shop, three times that at an island resort.

What it costs

Curry with roti in Nadi

FJD 8–15

Dinner at a resort

FJD 50–90 per person

Fiji Bitter beer

FJD 6–14

Bed in an island hostel

from FJD 60

Night at a mid-range resort

FJD 250–450

Day boat trip to the Mamanucas

from FJD 150

Catamaran to the Yasawas

from FJD 130

Dive with gear

from FJD 200

Indicative prices that change over time — treat them as a guide, not a price list.

Practical information

SocketsIAustralian, angled pins
Voltage240V / 50Hz
Tap waterTap water is treated, bottled is common — Tap water in Nadi, Suva and larger resorts is treated and safe to drink. In villages and small island resorts it comes from rainwater tanks or wells and is best boiled, especially after heavy rain. Bottled water costs around FJD 2 for 1.5 litres.
TippingTipping isn't traditional in Fiji and is turned down in many villages. Resorts have adopted a shared tip box at reception, into which guests contribute at the end of their stay and which is split among all staff — this is preferable to tipping individuals.
Driving on theleft
SafetyFiji is safe and people are welcoming, but petty theft is common after dark in Nadi and Suva, and walking alone isn't advised. Natural hazards include strong currents in reef channels, stonefish on shallow reefs, and cyclones from November to April, which can disrupt boat transport for days. Medical care is basic; serious injuries are flown to New Zealand, so insurance with repatriation cover is essential. Dengue fever occurs, so insect repellent is worth packing.
Opening hoursShops are open from 8am to 5pm, until noon on Saturdays, and closed almost everywhere on Sundays, including many restaurants — Sunday is a strongly observed day of rest in Fiji. Markets are liveliest in the morning. Resorts are unaffected and operate 7 days a week.
Customs & etiquetteYou don't enter a village without an invitation and a gift of kava root for the chief. Hats and sunglasses aren't worn in villages, and touching someone's head is avoided, as it's considered a sacred part of the body. Swimwear belongs on resort beaches; in villages people wear a sulu, a wraparound skirt worn by both men and women. Shoulders should be covered. Fijians smile a lot and you'll hear the word bula 100 times a day — reply with the same.
A few local wordsHello — BulaThank you — VinakaGoodbye — MoceHow much does it cost? — E vica na kena isau?Good (tasty) — Vinaka vakalevu

How to plan your days

1 day

A day around Nadi

  1. 1Morning at the Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple during puja.
  2. 2Late morning at the Garden of the Sleeping Giant with its orchids in the Sabeto Valley.
  3. 3Afternoon at the sulphur mud pools and hot springs.
  4. 4Early evening at Nadi market, kava and curry with roti for dinner.

2 days

2 days with the Mamanucas

  1. 1Day 1 as above.
  2. 2Morning catamaran from Denarau Marina to the Mamanuca Islands.
  3. 3Snorkelling on the reef and a stop on uninhabited Monuriki.
  4. 4Lunch on the island, then back in the early evening or an overnight stay at a resort.

3 days

3 days including the interior

  1. 1The first 2 days as above.
  2. 2Day 3: head into the Nausori Highlands with a local guide.
  3. 3Kava ceremony and a tour of the traditional village of Navala.
  4. 4On the way back, the Sigatoka sand dunes above the river mouth.
  5. 5If time allows, continue by catamaran for several days in the Yasawas.

Day trips

Beqa Lagoon

100 km · 2 h by car and boat

A lagoon south of Viti Levu where you can dive with bull and tiger sharks without a cage, and home to villages whose men walk across red-hot stones. The dive is one of the world's best-known shark dives and must be booked in advance.

Levuka

130 km · 1 h by air or 5 h by boat

The former capital on the island of Ovalau, listed by UNESCO as the Pacific's best-preserved colonial port. Nineteenth-century wooden shopfronts line a single street beneath a cliff, and little has changed here since.

Taveuni

320 km · 1 h 15 min by air

The 'garden island', with rainforest, 3 waterfalls at Bouma and the renowned Rainbow Reef dive site with its soft corals. The 180th meridian runs through it, so you can stand with a foot in each hemisphere at once.

Frequently asked questions

The Mamanucas or the Yasawas?+

The Mamanucas are closer — 30 to 90 minutes away — and can be visited even as a single day trip. The Yasawas are further out, a 2–5 hour catamaran ride, but the islands are more mountainous, the beaches prettier and there are far fewer people. Choose the Mamanucas for a week without much travelling, the Yasawas for peace, quiet and photos.

What is the kava ceremony, and do I have to take part?+

Kava is a drink made from crushed pepper-plant root that numbs the tongue and mildly relaxes you — it isn't alcohol. On entering a village, the root is presented to the chief and the drink is sipped from a bowl called a bilo — 1 clap before drinking, 3 after. You can decline politely, but it's the country's main social ritual and taking part is appreciated.

When is the best time to visit Fiji?+

From May to October, when it's dry, around 28°C and underwater visibility is at its best. From November to April it's humid, rainy and cyclones are a risk, but accommodation is significantly cheaper and the islands are empty. The difference between the dry west around Nadi and windward Suva is actually bigger than the difference between seasons.

Do I need a visa?+

Most visitors receive a free 4-month tourist permit on arrival. You need a passport valid for at least 6 months after arrival, a return or onward ticket, and proof of accommodation. If transiting through Australia or the US, you'll need their own ETA or ESTA.

How do you get to Fiji?+

There's no direct or single-stop connection from Europe. The most common routes run via Dubai and Sydney, via Los Angeles, or via Seoul or Hong Kong with Fiji Airways, and take 26 to 35 hours. It's worth combining the trip with Australia or New Zealand, from where direct flights take 3–4 hours.

Is Fiji expensive?+

Considerably less than Bora Bora or the Maldives. A bed in an island hostel starts at FJD 60, a curry with roti in Nadi costs FJD 10 and a day boat trip FJD 150. Resorts on private islands and boat transport are expensive by contrast, since you pay for every transfer. The gap between backpacker and luxury travel is wider here than almost anywhere else in the Pacific.

Can you dive with sharks in Fiji?+

Yes, and it's one of the country's best-known draws. In Beqa Lagoon you dive with 8 shark species, including bull and tiger sharks, without a cage, supervised by instructors who feed the animals. The dive is for certified divers, must be booked in advance and costs around FJD 400.

How many days are enough for Fiji?+

10 to 14 days, given that the journey alone takes 2 days each way. In 10 days you can manage a few days around Nadi with inland trips plus a week on the islands. If you want to island-hop through the Yasawas with a boat pass, allow 2 weeks.

Visa Requirements

Check the latest visa requirements for entering this country. Some nationalities may need to apply for a visa or e-visa before travel.

Check visa requirements

Emergency Numbers

Police917Ambulance911Fire910

Language

English / Fijian

Currency

FJD

Timezone

GMT+12

Dial Code

+679

Population

936K

Area

18,274 km²

Voltage

240V / 50Hz

Driving Side

Left

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