Fiji [refresh]

Fiji

If the thought of boarding an overnight flight from the West Coast, closing your eyes and waking up in Eden sounds appealing, then Fiji should be your next vacation destination. With friendly locals who treat visitors like long-lost relatives, lush greenery and turquoise blue seas everywhere you look as well as warm temperatures throughout the year, this South Pacific nation holds quite the allure. Fiji is an archipelago that consists of 333 islands — about 100 are inhabited. Obviously you can’t visit all of them in one trip, so you’ll just have to keep coming back for more. Read on to see why Fiji should move from your bucket list to your “now” list.

As you disembark from your plane into Nadi International Airport, you’ll be greeted by locals saying “Bula.” Not just a hello, “Bula” is a way of life here. (In fact, when you say “Bula” to someone, you’re wishing them life.) English is one of the official languages of Fiji, but greeting and thanking people is often in Fijian, so keep “Bula” and “vinaka” (thank you) in your back pocket. It's probably not surprising that Fijians are often ranked among the happiest people on Earth, given their environment. They welcome visitors and you’ll no doubt share a smile or a laugh with the locals right away. While family time is important, there is also a spirit of giving to their neighbors, no matter who they may be. Diverse religious groups live peacefully side by side here, united in their values of helping each other out.

It’s not just the blue seas and white-sand beaches that will draw your attention – Fiji’s unique culture is enticing as well and oftentimes, you don't even have to leave your resort to experience it. One of the most awe-inspiring traditions is the firewalking ceremony, performed by descendants of the Sawau tribe of Beqa Island as a rite of passage for young men. If not at the Beqa village itself, you can catch these performances at resorts around the Pacific Harbour region and in some parts of the Coral Coast. Resorts also tend to invite meke (traditional dance) groups to perform. Both men and women partake in this rhythmic tradition, sometimes using clubs, fans and spears to punctuate their movements.

Fijian culture

Cultural activities

One of the ways Fijians welcome visitors is with a bilo, a hollowed-out coconut shell cup, full of kava, also known as yaqona or grog. Made from the dried and crushed roots and stems of a pepper shrub, kava has mildly sedative qualities and an acquired taste. (It’s technically legal to drive after drinking kava, but we wouldn’t recommend it.) In Fiji, a kava ceremony is a ritual in every village. Here, you’ll sit in a circle around the bowl as the kava root is turned into a liquid ready for drinking. It’s polite to drink it in one gulp and to dress modestly for the event.

Village visit

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With all that lush greenery around, it makes sense that a day on the green is a beloved pastime in Fiji. In fact, one of the world’s top golfers, Vijay Singh, hails from Fiji. Three 18-hole, 72-par championship golf courses can be found on Viti Levu, but there are over a dozen scattered throughout the islands. With a backdrop of coral reefs and the Pacific Ocean, the Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course is considered one of the best in the South Pacific. Pro tip: Club and equipment hire is available at all of Fiji’s major courses, so you can leave your gear at home.

Golf

Hike

Along the western and northern coasts of Viti Levu, Fiji’s largest island, lies a region of rugged mountains and off-the-beaten-path adventure: the Suncoast. Plan to hike for a few days here from April-November (avoiding peak summer months in the Southern Hemisphere). Talanoa Treks offers various hikes – a cross-island hike that includes sleeping in a highland village, a peak challenge scaling some of Fiji’s tallest mountains and a waterfall hike.

Water sports

With temperatures hovering around 79 degrees all year round, Fijian waters invite you to dip more than a toe and there are plenty of activities in which to do so. A kaleidoscope of soft corals teeming with more than 1,200 species of fish rewards those who decide to go scuba diving in Fiji, long considered one of the best places in the world for this sport. Many resorts have their own dive operators who can help you get your feet wet. Snorkel along the barrier reef ecosystems and even up close to manta rays from May to October. (As opposed to stingrays, manta rays do not have a barb on their tail.)

Venture farther out (90 minutes by air or 4 hours by boat) to reach Lomaiviti’s seven larger islands and you’ll be rewarded with less touristy spots. (Budget travelers tend to stay here for the wallet-friendly accommodations.) Levuka, the seaside colonial capital located on Ovalau island, is Fiji’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site; with its clapboard storefronts painted in rainbow colors, it presents a frozen-in-time snapshot of the late 19th-century. Hike to Lovoni Village, set on the side of a volcanic caldera.

Outer Islands

Yasawa Islands

Another popular chain, the Yasawa Islands, are located 20 minutes by air or a 2-hour boat transfer northwest of Viti Levu. Here is where you can find those manta rays, which tend to gather in a shallow channel off Drawaqa island to feed. (It’s actually one of the few places in the world to swim, snorkel or dive with them.) The tiny island of Sawa-i-Lau has a single mountain with saltwater caves inside it to explore. Get a bird’s-eye view of the islands with a seaplane or helicopter tour.

Mamanuca Islands

After landing in Nadi and exploring the main island of Viti Levu, it’s time to explore some of the other islands, either for day trips or overnight stays. It’s about a 5-minute flight or a 20-minute boat ride west to the Mamanuca Islands (pronounced mama-nutha). Their proximity to Viti Levu means this string of 20 islands is pretty popular (and recognizable if you watched “Survivor” as it is currently filmed here). Here is where you’ll find bright turquoise water, live coral reefs, white sandy beaches and private resorts.

Invite your friends to a destination wedding or elope to paradise; it’s your day to do it however you wish. Fiji provides a beautiful backdrop to a wedding – and you won’t have to go far for a honeymoon either. Whether you’re looking for a traditional chapel wedding or prefer being barefoot on the beach, many resorts have all-inclusive wedding packages for different themes and budgets. You will need to pack a few documents as well as get a Fijian marriage license before the big day, so use this checklist if celebrating your love in Fiji is on the cards for 2024.

Get married or honeymoon

Adults-only resorts

Make it a kids-free vacation by booking any number of adults-only resorts. Take a helicopter transfer from Nadi and head to the Mamanuca Islands. There you’ll find options like award-winning Tokoriki Island Resort, where you can indulge in couples massages or the intimate setting for only four couples at Oishii Teppanyaki restaurant. Likuliku Lagoon Resort has a private island, the perfect place for a sunrise and champagne breakfast for two. At Lomani Island Resort, your beachfront bure offers a relaxing private deck and the opportunity for a romantic sunset swim.

Bobo massage

Soothing sunshine, tranquil seas and swaying palms just lend an easy air to romance in Fiji and there are plenty of ways to enjoy this island nation with your partner. Start with a traditional deep tissue massage called bobo (pronounced “bombo”) with your partner. Passed down through the generations, a bobo massage uses coconut oil and the pressure from fingertips, forearms and elbows to relieve pressure. You might be so relaxed you whisper “Au domoni iko” (I love you) to your massage therapist.

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The Bula Spirit

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Fijian family fun

Coral Coast

On the southwestern side of Viti Levu, the Coral Coast is not only full of family-friendly accommodations but also surfing, snorkelling and diving spots. Kula Wild Adventure Park, the country’s only wildlife conservation park, has just over half a mile of wooden walkways and bridges to explore this eco preserve. Visitors can walk through the habitats of resident animals (think parrots, fruit bats and reptiles) and see marine life up close. Ecotrax Fiji mounted ordinary bikes on old sugar cane railway tracks; the result is an electric bicycle carriage that you can either pedal or not, as it takes you through mangroves, rainforests, villages and open coastline. Before you leave, stop at the Sigatoka Market to pick up fresh produce or locally-made souvenirs like pottery and jewelry.

Bula buddy

For such a romantic destination, Fiji is surprisingly kid-friendly as well. In fact, many resorts specifically cater to children with their kids’ clubs (and free nannies) so that adults can have some alone time. At Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort Fiji, every child under six years old is assigned their very own nanny, or Bula buddy, for the duration of their stay, while older kids (in groups of five) get their own buddy. At Castaway Island, Fiji, kids ages three to 12 can participate in sandcastle competitions and coconut bowling as part of the kids’ club, while teens get their own program that includes snorkeling lessons and scavenger hunts.

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Sustainable experiences

In a place as stunning as Fiji, the concept of leaving only footprints is an easy one to understand. Guests can go a step further and volunteer while on vacation; many resorts offer opportunities to participate in mangrove planting or coral restoration. Depending on the length of your stay and the specific organization, you can volunteer to do even more, anything from a few hours cleaning up a beach to monthlong expeditions. Think Pacific whisks voluntourists away upon arrival at Nadi International Airport and takes them to a traditional Fijian village, where they become part of a Fijian family and contribute towards education, sports development, mental health promotion or building programs. Living like a Fijian is the best way to carry that “Bula” spirit home.

Volunteer

National parks & marine sanctuaries

Fiji is home to four national parks you can visit any time of year: Bouma National Heritage Park on Taveuni, Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park on the Coral Coast, Koroyanitu National Heritage Park in Lautoka and Colo-i-Suva Forest Reserve in Suva. Make your friends back home jealous with Instagram shots of waterfalls, lush rainforests and sweeping panoramic views. In addition, there are more than 200 marine parks in Fiji, highlighting the importance of marine conservation awareness. A number of resorts, including Treasure Island and Vomo Island resorts even have rehabilitation centres for endangered sea turtles, so guests might witness infant turtles being released into the wild.

Local ingredients

If a feast of fresh local meat, seafood and vegetables is your idea of a good time, then join a communal lovo while in Fiji. Similar to a barbecue or grilling, a lovo is an underground oven used as a traditional Fijian way of cooking. The food is wrapped in foil and banana leaves, placed on hot rocks lining a shallow pit in the earth and then slow-cooked in the oven. Traditionally, lovo cooking has been used locally for big gatherings, like births, marriages and holidays; today, many resorts have a lovo night so visitors can have a taste of Fijian culture. To prepare yourself for the variety of foods you might encounter, visit a local market to appreciate unique local ingredients like nama (edible seaweed), duraka (known as the “Fiji asparagus”) and breadfruit.

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Fiji’s world-class waves are a beacon to surfers around the world; Cloudbreak, a reef-pass break about three miles south of Namotu Island, is routinely ranked among the 10 most challenging waves in the world. If you’re at the beginner level, learn to surf with one of Fiji’s tour operators located at Natadola Beach, the Sigatoka Sand Dunes or the Coral Coast.

Alternatively, let someone else do the work and just go sailing by yacht or cruise along the peaceful, crystal-clear water. It’s the best way to explore Fiji’s many islands.

Plan your trip

Credit: Chris McLennan

Credit: Elliot Grafton