The real Fiji guide.
Written by locals.

✈️ From Nadi Airport

🚢 Island transfers

• Mamanuca Islands: high-speed catamaran from Port Denarau, ~25–45 min depending on island
• Yasawa Islands: Yasawa Flyer ferry from Denarau, 5–14 hrs depending on how far up the chain
• Taveuni (Garden Island): 1-hour domestic flight from Nadi or Suva via Fiji Airways
• Outer islands: seaplane or helicopter options available, check luggage allowances (often 10–15kg max)

🚌 Local buses & share taxis

Local buses are the cheapest option (from FJ$1–5 for short routes). "Share taxis" pick up multiple passengers along a route and charge bus prices — good for longer journeys on a tight budget. For groups, hiring a private driver for a full day costs around FJ$100 if you negotiate — significantly cheaper than multiple taxis.

💱 Currency & payments

• Currency: Fijian Dollar (FJD). Roughly: FJD 2.2 = USD 1, FJD 1.4 = AUD 1
• All our tour prices are quoted in AUD — no conversion surprises
• Cards accepted at resorts, larger restaurants, and Nadi's main strips
• Cash essential for: local buses, markets, small shops, village visits, tips
• ATMs in Nadi, Suva, Sigatoka — very limited on outer islands. Withdraw before leaving Viti Levu

📊 Daily budget guide (AUD, per person)

Fiji is significantly cheaper than Bora Bora or the Maldives, similar to Samoa, and more expensive than Southeast Asia.

✈️ Getting to Fiji

Fiji Airways flies direct from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Tokyo (Narita). From Australia, return fares drop to AU$300–400 during Fiji Airways sales in shoulder season — sign up for fare alerts. Budget: round-trip from Australia typically AU$400–900. From the US: USD$800–1,500.

🏡 Visiting a village

• Always bring sevusevu (gift of kava root) — available from Nadi market for FJD 20–40
• Remove hats before entering a village — it's a sign of respect
• Dress modestly: covered shoulders and knees for both men and women
• Remove shoes when entering someone's home
• Accept kava when offered — refusing can be considered rude
• Clap once before drinking kava, then say "bula!" — our guides will walk you through it

🌺 Loloma Hour (2026)

A 2026 tourism initiative: spend at least one hour giving back to Fiji — planting coral, beach clean-ups, learning traditional crafts in villages, or helping protect native wildlife. Participating resorts listed at fiji.travel. If you're on a tour with us and want to incorporate this, tell us — we can build it in.

🎭 Things to know

• "Fiji time" is real — things run on a relaxed schedule. Embrace it rather than fighting it
• The Fijian Drua Super Rugby home games (Feb–May 2026) are genuinely electric if you're near Suva or Nadi
• Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple in Nadi — Southern Hemisphere's largest Hindu temple, worth visiting even for non-religious travellers
• Suva Municipal Market: the most authentic local market in Fiji, best on Saturday mornings

👶 Is Fiji good for families?

Genuinely excellent. Fijians adore children — your kids will be welcomed everywhere. The range of resort Kids' Clubs is among the best in the world. The youngest person on one of our EcoTrax-style tours was 3 months old; the oldest was 97. Fiji is that flexible.

🏥 Health & safety for kids

• Pack a small medical kit: reef-safe sunscreen, mosquito repellent, calamine lotion, electrolytes, generic painkillers
• Coral scrapes are nasty — they don't heal like normal cuts. Covered shoes in the water are smart for young kids
• All resorts have medical kits; there are local doctors in Nadi and Suva for serious cases
• Tap water: generally safe in Nadi and major towns; stick to bottled on outer islands
• Flying domestically with kids: book domestic + international with Fiji Airways together to get international baggage allowance on both legs

🎒 Packing tips

Pack light — Fiji is warm year-round so you need very little. Include modest items (covered shoulders and knees) for village visits. If flying to outer islands by seaplane or helicopter, check luggage allowances in advance — often only 10–15kg including carry-on.

🏖️ Viti Levu (main island)

Where most visitors start and many stay. Nadi is your arrival city; the Coral Coast has the best resort stretch; Suva is the authentic capital. Best for: first-timers, families, road trippers, budget travellers. You can do a full Fiji trip without leaving Viti Levu.

🌊 Mamanuca Islands

20 islands, 25–45 min from Port Denarau by fast catamaran. Barefoot-style to honeymoon hideaways. Monuriki Island ("Cast Away Island") celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2026 — tours are running. Cloud 9 floating bar is here. Best for: day trips, watersports, short island hop.

🏔️ Yasawa Islands

~20 volcanic islands stretching 80km north. Wilder, more remote, cheaper than Mamanuca. Sawa-i-Lau caves (Blue Lagoon film location) are here. The Yasawa Flyer hop-on-hop-off pass (5–13 nights) is the best way to explore. Best for: backpackers, serious snorkellers/divers, honeymooners, anyone wanting "end of the world" peace.

🌿 Taveuni — The Garden Island

Fiji's most verdant island. Bouma National Heritage Park, the Lavena Coastal Walk, and the Rainbow Reef (one of the world's top 10 dive sites). 1-hour domestic flight from Nadi. Best for: divers, nature lovers, hikers, people wanting somewhere genuinely off the beaten path.