Backpacking Fiji

hi all,

thanks and happy travels!

My 2nd time in Fiji was in December and never had any trouble finding a place to stay.

Some cheapies on Viti Levu - you can also find places within your budget on Vanua Levu and Taveuni, but not in the Yasawas, I think.

$20 in which currency? If you mean Fiji dollars, you're going to have some problems and will be very limited in where you can go...

There aren't any hostels. Some resorts and hotels (the link Laszlo provides is to a youth-oriented organization) have dorm accommodation.

No need to make reservations before you start your trip. However, once in Fiji, it might be a good idea to phone ahead to some place a day or two before you move to your next destination. Especially with your budget, there may not be many accom options for you and the one or two lowest end places could be full on any particular day.

Recommendations for places to stay depends on where you are going. Personally, I'd suggest getting a copy of David Stanley's Moon Guide to Fiji and use it. I can't improve on his info.

About your itinerary: Not sure what your idea of running around Vanua Levu involves. Vanua Levu will be rather limited in places to visit even as compared to an island such as Taveuni. Also, islands like Ovalau and nearby 'resort' islands will be less expensive and culturally more interesting than the Yasawas.

Thanks! I should have specified $20 U.S. dollars. With the information you've given me I feel a lot better about keeping a little spontaneity in my itinerary.

Head East

Even with $20 USD per day your budget is super tight,,, transport is cheaper if you use bus's, the problem is they dont always go where you want to go...Food is only cheap in fiji if you buy at the market and cook yourself... Meals even on the cheap are around $10 - 15.

There are hostels with dorms in Nadi, just do a google search and you will find them and most offer free transport from the airport, once there, pick their brains for cheap accomodation elswhere... I know they are on the islands but transport will blow your $20 per day budget.

Just be prepared to spend a little more,,,

Just to clarify that Fiji4Less mentioned by Lazlo as being a youth oriented company isn't actually youth oriented (at least it isn't now). In fact, their properties shy away from the usual backpacker party atmosphere, and so their guest lists would include as many couples, families and retirees as younger travellers. (They even had some senior citizen discounts some time ago, but not sure if still offered!) By the way, if you do use this company, they offer 25% discounts for local Fiji residents, so if you can book through a local Fiji friend or use a Fiji email address, you would probably be able to score a good discount!

#6 Just to clarify .. I stayed at a couple of their places myself, so mere age isn't relevant for my remark. Perhaps the phrase 'youth-oriented' was itself misleading. Certainly it does not mean 'youth' in the sense of backpacker party atmosphere. There is more to youth and to youth organizations than catering to the party type. At the same time, even 'youth hostels' in Europe accept people of all ages, so examining the clientele isn't in and of itself informative of the character of the organization. The other point is that these properties are run by a not strictly business-oriented organization - they have (or had) some sort of mission statement regarding their social goals. I meant to suggest that if there is anything in Fiji which corresponds to a youth hostel concept (in answering the OP's question .. ) then Fiji4Less is somewhat analogous, even though most of their properties do not follow the European hostel model.