Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# Backwoods Fiji? Does it exist? Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Fiji
missworldly 17:28 UTC 06 Oct 2008 | My guess is probably no. I am stopping in Nadi for 6 days with 4 mates, and we are looking to camp, hike, maybe snorkel and swim a bit, but mostly get away from the hordes of sun-baked holiday makers. I realize this might be completely impossible, Fiji being an island and all, and very much developed- but we are looking for any advice as to the most rudimentary spots, possibly one of their National Parks (I know that label can mean a plethora of things!), perhaps Koroyanitu? We don't need any facilities- what we need we pack in, we aren't looking for the "unknown spectacular spot", just a patch of sand or jungle so out of the way, people would rather hit a resort. We don't mind traveling a day to get there from Nadi....Any suggestions? Am I dreaming that such an area would exist in Fiji? |
oldpro 09:11 UTC 07 Oct 2008 | I don't fully understand the context for your question(s), you seem to have some incorrect assumptions about what Fiji is like. Also, you seem to be painting your options in black and white extremes. A person does not need to hike out into untracked jungle to get away from "hordes of sun-baked holiday makers". There are a lot of low-key resorts to choose from. If hiking is a goal in itself, that's a different question. Fiji (the country) includes quite a few islands, most of which are not all that well-developed. A quick browse through a guidebook might give you some better background. Aside from Viti Levu with it's parks and a couple of well-known multi-day treks, village-hopping through upland jungle, the island of Taveuni has a couple of parks and jungle areas as well. The areas certainly exist. But to hike/camp there simply to get away from your idea of mass tourism strikes me as unrealistic. | 1
missworldly 17:36 UTC 07 Oct 2008 | I guess I should have stated that we aren't going to be flying to any islands other than Viti Levu for a 6-day stay (the cost doesn't fit the budget). I've done a bit of research, and am aware of the many islands that sound terrific, but again, we can't justify another flight. I guess what I am looking for is extreme- as in we have no desire to stay in a resort of any kind.Everyone has their own idea of what holidays are, and mine generally don't include resorts/resort towns or really many other people at all. But the more I read the more it seems like this is fairly unrealistic to ask of Viti Levu, as it is a very commercialized area. | 2
wave2angela 22:23 UTC 07 Oct 2008 | I have spent three seasons cruising on a yacht around various areas of Fiji, (which has many, MANY islands), I can asure you that there are places not found by many tourists. Since you want to stay near Viti Levu, here is one option that doesn't include flying. You could catch a ferry out to Waya Island in the Yasawa groiup of islands which lie off the Nadi/Lautoka coast. Waya has some popular resorts which get mentioned here, however what about this tiny place? Yalombi Bay on Waya is a small, neat and tidy village of 300 people, we've been welcomed there quite a few times. The village has a couple of tiny 'stores', a nice church, a large school which has a dormitory for children from 3-4 outlying villages, they all go home by boat for the weekend. We visited the school, met the headmaster and gave some simple school supplies (always welcome at island schools), we watched a class, talked with the kids and looked at their written work. There are no tourist facilities apart from a small back-packers called Adi’s (right on the beach) which was/is about $A50 per night, meals included. At various times, I've spoken to guests who said it was 'so quiet', 'food is great' etc, the rooms and kitchens, simple and clean. If your flight arrives early enough, you could be out there the same day and you could well be the only Westerners in the village. Various ferries from Denerau do a 'drop off and pick up' run to outlying resorts and bays, usual fare was/is about $A90. If you contact Adi's (I don't have contact details), they might be able to tell you how to catch a smaller and cheaper local boat which takes villagers in to the markets. However, if the weather is not good, you'd be better on the ferry. Most people use ferries rather than fly Yalombi occasionally organises dance/feast evenings that MIGHT draw a few tourists from resorts around the island. They host good rugby at the weekend when people will walk from other villages over the high surrounding hills to watch. You can do some great hiking behind the village, someone will be happy to guide you, take adequate footwear as it is steep and can be muddy. The local women go out into their gardens on the lower slopes and were always happy to stop and chat. There is pleasant swimming and good snorkelling especially if you get around or across the bay, nice walks around the beaches. | 3
hardnosethehighway 02:44 UTC 08 Oct 2008 | Wonderful post Angela-Thanks and good to hear from you! | 4
oldpro 07:17 UTC 08 Oct 2008 | Here are some photos of Waya Island , at an even more remote resort than Adi's place. You should realize that the word "resort" as used on Fiji (and as I use the word here) can refer to any place ranging from two huts on a beach to an exclusive luxury hotel complex at $US1000 a day or more. I still don't have a good idea of what it is you're looking for. I take for granted that different people have different wishes, but you have to spell out yours a bit better. There are people who like to camp out, that's no big deal in itself. Although, camping isn't an easy and quick option on Fiji because most land is private ("owned" by a local village etc) and you'd have to get permission. But describing it as 'extreme' doesn't help much. In fact, I only get the impression that what you want is to live out a reality-TV survival program for 2-3 days. If you really want to learn what it means to survive (rather than play at it) then you'll learn a lot more by staying near a settlement, such as Yalobi, and spend your time talking with and learning from the local inhabitants. One thing you'll learn pretty quick is that the facilities at some of these backpacker places are barely above the standard of the survival TV programs -- with the important exception that the locals do a much better job of living off and with the land and sea. | 5
wave2angela 20:02 UTC 08 Oct 2008 | Be kind, guys. I think either OP isn't writing in his/her first language or knows nothing about Fiji and hadn't thought to do any preliminary research. He/she has done well to ask the question here, the answers would help towards a great holiday. I particularly like Oldpro's comment about spending time and talking with the locals. They know stuff we need to (re)learn. We could all do with lessons in living with less and any time spent learning from people rather than any form of media is time well spent. Best way to 'drop out and slow down' is to spend a few indulgent hours having a conversation that you'd probably whizz through in moments at home. | 6
missworldly 22:18 UTC 08 Oct 2008 | Thank you Angela for your wise comments- I will check into Waya. We really are looking for some backcountry alone time, but maybe a few days would be nice on a little island after a few days of crazy trekking (which, if anyone is interested, can be done in the Koroyanitu Ntl. Park, Mount Evans is supposedly a feral and challenging climb, with no facilities maintained, and not very popular, I'm told) .Yalombi Bay, sounds nice, but the accomidation seems pricey- do you know any option of homestays? Oldpro, maybe you have something intelligent to say, but I can't get through the pomp and pretense to figure out what that is. If you are looking to offer advice on a board, do so, but if you would rather just play the superiority game and place asssumptions, you're really just wasting your own time. | 7
oldpro 07:55 UTC 09 Oct 2008 | #7 I don't know how kind I was, but I am trying to be realistic, and encourage the OP to be so as well. Here's a link to a similar thread. You'll notice that the OP on this thread was more up front about his motivations, and as a result was more accepting of the sorts of observations made by myself and others. The south pacific dream is something that a lot of us carry, I suspect, but it's a dream that has to be faced directly. You're also correct regarding my suggestion to 'go native'. I'm 100% serious here (that the OP apparently feels insulted probably means I hit a raw nerve -- all the more reason for some realism). If someone was genuinely interested in learning about survival, then interact as much as possible with the local villagers. I took Epi's tour on Ovalau .. the guy was a gold mine of practical information, turning the jungle into a living walk-through pharmacy and hardware store. I described a similar experience on Waya in my BLOG link. I was amazed and dumbfounded by what these people know about their environment. | 8
missworldly 22:16 UTC 09 Oct 2008 | There are many places in the South Pacific that it is possible to go wildnerness camping and trekking, so I think it is realistic to expect there is somewhere to go for such activities in Fiji. But it is a very popular holiday destination, and that means that is a wealth of information on the web about resorts, diving, party spots- you name it. But as a consequence, there really isn't much information on the web that is specifically on backwoods hiking- unless it is found in blogs and other personal experiences. I guess it's not something many people on this board are interested in, but I suppose that is what I came to find out. I appreciate that spending time with natives is a popular activity, but it really isn't what I am looking for. That's fine. I will continue to look for personal experiences of travelers who like to do wilderness hikes- this is obviously not the forum for it. It is really disheartening though, that on a board for travelers, people are so hostile and pretensious. The comment about a 'raw nerve' being struck by insinuating that I wish to 'live a reality show' isn't really a raw nerve, it's just funny how ignorant people can be, and how many assumptions they will make once in front of a keyboard. I am a born and raised Alaska Native, have lived in a village of 300 almost my entire life, speak a dying language, and as far as 'learning about survival' I think I could teach most people a thing or two, living in one of the most unforgiving places on Earth, primarily off of subsistance. I know that natives of all kinds are a wealth of information, having lived together with their environment, but I live village life, and I have traveled to small villages around the world, and have been lucky enough to have them share their knowledge with me. But, not to belabor the point, the assumptions made were obviously false, and really serve no purpose, other than to make the person making them look like a fool. As for 'survival TV' ; the village I grew up in didn't get television channels until 2006, so maybe I need to start watching to keep up with your 'Survival TV' references :) This 'know-it-all" mentality is what really ruins message boards. I am grateful for the advice, but the way it is dispensed makes it almost worthless. I won't be cowed into a corner- if you don't have any information on the subject, perhaps you shouldn't post anything? | 9
wave2angela 23:02 UTC 09 Oct 2008 | Well done for coming back and stating your wants more clearly. My mother used to say 'It's not what you say, it's the way that you say it' and I think some of the replies could have been more kindly put. One way to deal with this is to phrase your questions as clearly as possible. With the benefit of hindsight, I bet you could now phrase a better initial question. I would like to think it would get better replies but....... I'm sure what you are looking forward is available in Fiji, the trouble is tapping in to it. When heading for new sailing destinations, I do incredible amounts of research and have to get pretty devious to throw up results. To find information on a tiny bay or remote village, I google all variations of 'anchoring in, 'sailing to', 'waypoints for', 'reef surveys on' etc. Might work for camping??? Good luck! | 10
silvanocat 23:08 UTC 09 Oct 2008 | Oh please! Why didn't you just say you wanted to hike and camp in the wilderness instead of going on about wanting to "mostly get away from the hordes of sun-baked holiday makers". Who is the one being hostile and pretentious? It's wrong to go to Fiji for a holiday in the sun? | 11
missworldly 23:39 UTC 09 Oct 2008 | It's true- I suppose what I forget is that camping to most of the world is simply just sleeping in a tent. Camping to me includes hiking (on established trails or making trail) in to a remote area (not accessible by road, no services such as electricity), hopefully at least 5-10 miles, preferably near a water source, and setting up a base camp to use for smaller excursions for any amount of time- 2 days to several months. Not most people's idea of camping, to be sure! I'm sure what you are looking forward is available in Fiji, the trouble is tapping in to it.<< VERY TRUE. I have found that sometimes there are little niches that a few people explore, and have maintained their beauty and culture because tourism isn't prevalent yet, and if you are lucky, you stumble upon them, or get terrific advice from someone as to where they are and how to get there. Hawaii is surprisingly full of them, so is Thailand. There is a very well beaten track in both places, but it's also very easy to escape it. My searches have just been turning up so MUCH info, it's hard to wade through it all- I should take your advice and just get more specific! I'm not sure how referring to the fact that there will most likely be lots and lots of people on holiday in Fiji during high season is pretentious, but I don't think there is anything wrong with it, but don't really enjoy it personally. I shouldn't think there is anything wrong with that? I did state, right off the bat: "and we are looking to camp, hike, maybe snorkel and swim a bit". I don't see what's pretentious about wanting to escape the crowds. | 12
hardnosethehighway 00:18 UTC 10 Oct 2008 | Any travel agent @ the airport in Nadi can set you up with a guide for a cross island +(Viti Levu)+ trek-the guide knows the landowners and securing permission is generally just a formality. Note that November through March is bound to be quite rainy and hot with flooding-I doubt you would find anyone to go at that time. | 13
missworldly 00:26 UTC 10 Oct 2008 | Any travel agent @ the airport in Nadi can set you up with a guide for a cross island +(Viti Levu)+ trek-the guide knows the landowners and securing permission is generally just a formality. But a formality that we probably lack the cultural customs to execute gracefully! Is this more of an established service, or is it possible to head to a fringe village and there is a good possibility of a 'guide' (read: well-walked person with lots of knowledge of the area) that would accompany us for a fee? Obviously we would also provide shelter and food for the guide, but how much do you think is a reasonable rate? I have never had a guide before, but with the land issues, it might be worth it- as they would probably know of some nice hikes. | 14
hardnosethehighway 01:08 UTC 10 Oct 2008 | "is it possible to head to a fringe village and there is a good possibility of a 'guide' (read: well-walked person with lots of knowledge of the area) that would accompany us for a fee?" Everything depends on where you're going and for how long Yes you'll have to pay the whole tariff contacting a place like Margaret's Travel via email might work. Or not, if the person viewing the email doesn't know the answer they'll most likely just not bother to respond-Fijians don't like saying NO A place like Kadavu is quite undeveloped with no real roads at all just some rough hill tracks-landing in Vunisea and asking around might work depending-everything in Fiji is depending .... | 15
raro 06:37 UTC 16 Oct 2008 | I don't want to get into the persona debate above. But the OP should check out heading up the Sigatoka River, there are some villages upstream that get a few, but not many tourists. Some tour operators may be able to arrange a couple of nights in one of those villages. But i wouldn 't just head inland on your own. Almost all land is privately owned, (or controllled by the Native Land Trust Board, etc. ) and it could lead to some uncomfortable situations if you try to camp out without prior permission. | 16
mik_peka 00:33 UTC 22 Oct 2008 | We stayed at Abaca village in Koroyanito NP and were the only ones there. The hiking is amazing and there are waterfalls and places to swim nearby. We stayed in the village, in a bure with a local family, the food was very basic and you take your own water but it was certainly authentic. It rains in the highlands though so if you are there in the wet season you will get rained on for sure. Contact the Abaca visitor's centre, it was something like $15 park entrance then $30 pp pn in the village. | 17