Budget-ish accomodations

Hello!

Me and my husband are heading to Fiji at the end of a 6 month RTW trip.

We fly into and out of Nadi and only have 7 or 8 days. I think this means we will stick to islands close to Nadi.

My questions:
1. Any budget-ish accommodation recommendations would be appreciated.
2. Is there decent diving around the Mamanucas or Yasawa Islands?
3. With our limited time - are there any places on the main island that are worth the visit, instead of heading to an island? (relaxing, nice beaches, diving/snorkeling)

Our goal of Fiji is to relax in the last week before we head home and face reality again..

Thanks for any help!

Not sure what you mean by budget-ish - if you are looking for dorm style accommodations there are a number of islands that cater to that. One I am familiar with is Octopus Resort on Waya Island - you can get a bed in their lovely dorm for less than US$20 per person or upgrade to a private room for around $100. Octopus is a great place to relax with a nice beach, pool, good snorkeling off the beach, great food(you will have to buy a meal plan, somewhere in the $40 range per person), super staff and a nice mix of guests. Getting there will be an added expense, either with the regular boat transfers, or the resort's own boat.
You might also have a look at Mana Island, closer to Nadi so less cost to get there. The island has some upscale resorts but also has 3 backpacker style places to stay that has reasonably priced accommodations. There are a couple of restaurants that cater to the backpackers. The island has amazing beaches that can be accessed by anyone and some grest snorkeling. The backpacker places also offer excursions.
Another option would be to travel several hours north of Nadi(by bus or taxi) to Nananu-i-ra Island, a short boat ride from the mainland. The boat departs from Ellington Wharf, a short taxi ride from Raki Raki. There are a couple of basic places to stay that are budget - Betham's and McDonald's. I can't remember if there were any restaurants so you might have to self cater but there is a small store where you can purchase some basic groceries. We opted to have a taxi drive us to the wharf, more costly but allowed us to stop at the supermarket in Lautoka to stock up on supplies. You could also check out a place in the area (I think it was Volivoli- spelling may be off) - it was a budget place but I read it was going to go more upscale, but it may still be in your budget and it would not cost more than a bus ride to get there.
Good luck with your plans - Fiji is a great place to visit!

There are a couple of resorts on Waya that are lower-priced than Octopus, but you get what you pay for, i.e., less.

I'm not familiar with mainland resorts. If you just want to relax for a week I suppose they'll be OK for that, and it'll give you some options for mainland excursions. For a couple of budget options, have a look at this website: www.fiji4less.com/

Another alternative would be to fly to Ovalau island east of Suva, but the flight is an extra expense. Overland (bus and ferry) will take a day's travel. You have a choice of a couple of lower budget end lagoon island resorts (Leleuvia and Caqalai) or stay on Ovalau. There's a lot there that you can do. In contrast the Yasawas/Mamanucas, Ovalau is a decent size, with the very picturesque old town of Levuka (more budget options, a few restaurants to avoid the obligatory meal plans), jungle walks ...

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