7 days in fiji on a tight backpacker's budget - advice please!

Hey fellow travellers

I'm off to Fiji towards the end of May for 7 nights, flying into and out of Nadi (Viti Levu). My daily budget is tight around 90 Fiji Dollars a day for everything (over spent in Singapore and Australia :-( ) and I'm keen to visit/stay on one of the islands in the Yasawa group and maybe one in the Mamanucas. Any tips on which islands are best for backpackers in terms of cheap accomodation, food and drink and the cheapest ways to get there from Nadi would be really helpful. Plus any suggestions of other must see places in Fiji would be fantastic.

Cheers for any help/advice you can give

L

Unfortunately that budget doesn't leave you much in the way of options. At FJ$90/day, the islands are not an option.

One of the cheapest and closest resorts in the Yasawas is Wayalailai, and it's FJ$70/night for a dorm bed & meals. Add in the cost for transfers and it'll put you well over FJ$90/day.

I think your only option is to stick to the mainland. It's not nearly as nice as the islands, but it's all that your budget will allow, and even there it'll be tight. There you can get a hostel bed for $30-40, meals for $30, and get around by bus for $10. What little you have left can be used for activities.

Have a look at the Ratu Kini Backpackers web site - they are offering a special for FJD$318 for 4 days accommodation, meals and transportation out to Mana Island. It's a sweet deal if they still have availability! They get pretty good reviews on TA and apparently their food is better than what is available at the more expensive Mana Island resort.

"They get pretty good reviews on TA and apparently their food is better than what is available at the more expensive Mana Island resort."

Having spent time at both in 2012, I can tell you that this simply is not so.
The food we had at Ratu Kini was the worst we have experienced in Fiji.
The food at the Resort was excellent, but very expensive by Fiji standards.

Cheers,
Peter

on that sort of budget consider a homestay - stay in a village
accommodation and all meals are included + lots of things to do in the village if you are the sort of person to mix and mingle with the locals

start with ...www.fijihomestays.com

Peter_n_Margaret - having not stayed at either place (but will be staying at Mana Island Resort in early July) my observations were made based on the reviews I have recently read. As with most reviews I found some positive, some negative - but there were enough negative comments made with regard to the food at Mana Island Resort which led me to make my observation. Also a number of reviews stated that they preferred the food at Ratu Kini. I am looking forward to the opportunity to decide for myself in July.

There are even cheaper options on Mana.
I booked through a hostel in Nadi, and got a (obviously very simple) room, with meals included, for a mere 30 FJD per day!

The Japanese resort definitely looks very nice, and the island is bigger and more interesting for "exploring" than most in the Mamanucas.

It's quite funny, but also interesting to have an upmarket resort and many backpacker cheapies sharing the same island. Many resort guests seemed to find "exploring" the backpacker area and the surrounding Fijian village interesting.

If your travel dates match mine (see today's car rental post) and if home/ village stays interest you (they may be cheaper, though my reason is to stay with Fijians) you could just do your best for the car rental cost.

Lazlo, I would love to know the name of the $30 hostel you stayed at on Mana Island! Sounds great.

I think it was Mana Island Backpackers or sg like that.
The last place right of the jetty.
I got the lowest rate there by booking at the Nadi Downtown Motel, where they advertised a pay 2 nights and get the 3rd for free deal.

Remember, it is BASIC.
What else could it be for that price...