Fiji August Itinerary (11 nights)

Hi Everyone,

I'm planning a honeymoon trip to Fiji in August and have been reading all the recommendations on the boards to put our trip together. I used the lonelyplanet boards for our Guatemala trip last year and it was great..so I definitely appreciate the insight. We love the indoors and want to do many activities. We will be taking our snorkling gear.
Day 1- Arrive in Nadi @5:10am. We need to find a low budget hotel to spend the night and get ready for our trip to the Yasawa islands.
Day 2- Take Yasawa Flyer to Blue Lagoon Resort and stay 3 nights..I've read that there are a lot of things to do on the Nacula island (Hike, Kayak, etc)
Day 3- Blue Lagoon Resort
Day 4- Blue Lagoon Resort
Day 5- Leave Blue Lagood Resort and take Yasawa Flyer to either Octopus Resort or Mantaray Resort. Which one would you recommend for 3 nights? We want to be able to do some activities, etc.
Day 6- Octopus Resort or Mantaray Resort
Day 7-Octopus Resort or Mantaray Resort
Day 8-Leave Octopus Resort or Mantaray Resort and take Yasawa Flyer back to Nadi where we already booked 4 nights at the Radisson.
Day 9- Nadi Radisson.
Day 10- Nadi Radisson.
Day 11- Nadi Radisson.
Day 12- Nadi Radisson.
I haven’t figured out the activities we want to do yet but welcome any feedback. Are there any islands that I should look into visiting? We don’t need fancy hotels, but definitely don’t want to dorm.

For an overnight in Nadi try Bluewater Lodge. You can get an ensuite room there - last year we paid FJ$98 and that included airport pickup and breakfast. - or, considering you are arriving at that time you could easily make the Flyer that morning and get straight out to Paradise!
You have a great choice in Blue Lagoon. For your other stay my pick would be Octopus, but I haven't stayed at Mantaray. I get the impression that they are more geared towards the backpacker market but am happy to be proved wrong! Octopus is bigger but still able to provide privacy as the bures are well spaced and would probably have more activities. They are a sister resort with Blue Lagoon, and the food is great at both.

I have visited though not stayed at Manta. It is indeed more down market than Octopus, but is in a great position, near the Mantas (obviously) and has a glorious outlook. I didn't see the accommodation.

Whilst staying at the Radisson you should book the dinner INSIDE the pool - it is great fun and classier than it sounds.

I was thinking of going directly from the airport to the Yasawa's but wasn't sure if it would be too exhausting seeing that out flight will already be a long commute (US)..but maybe I can do Waya island first since its closer and then move to Blue Lagood Resort. Do you think I should fit another island? Do any of the islands offer Canopy tours? or ATV tours? I will definitely look into the pool dinner at the radisson, it sounds like fun..

Thanks for the insight.

Manta ray has basic accommodation- rooms are clean and comfy but fairly small. The snorkeling off of the beach is out of this world, and if the mantas are about, take the trip to swim with them- I did it twice and it was magical. You can hire kayaks and paddle over to little deserted islands, and there is a short walk over to sunset beach, which is also worth snorkeling. The tree houses are huts on stilts, right on the beach- great for a morning swim. The jungle bures are set farther back.

Octopus is more upmarket. There are lots of activities on offer, including walks across the island and village visits. The resort has close ties with the local villages. The snorkeling is good and they have an excellent dive shop (I would rate the diving at Octopus well above Manta Rays). The beach is better- a huge long sweep of sand. There is also a small pool there, though I prefer the sea- more fish! The accommodation is set back in gardens, which keeps it private and quiet. I had an amazing stay here- and the massage is highly recommended.

Both resorts have good food, though Octopus comes out on top. Of the two, I would rather return to Octopus, but if you are a wildlife lover then the mantas and reefs at Manta Ray are a huge draw. I wouldn't try to squeeze a third resort in on your time frame, it could end up feeling rather rushed.

I noticed you are coming form the USA and you say you are for Hiking and Kayaking etc I also noticed you ahev said that you have already booked 4 nights at the Radison in Nadi.

Because you are coming all the way from the USA it would be such a shame to miss the people and culture of Fiji. Dont't get me wrong you will see it in the Yasawa's at Octopus or Mantaray (I have stayed at both and I would say Octopus is better) but I spent some time at a village on the Coral Coast - 2 hours drive from Nadi - and it was a life changing experience for me. The resorts in Nadi such as the Raison are GREAT - I stayed at the Hilton - BUT these resorts/hotels on Denarau are exactly the same as in in capital city around the world...exactly the same all they have done is change the decor to fit Fiji i.e. big, flash, clean and great service and fun to stay at.

But the village stay is nothing that can be duplicated in another part of the world so that is why I am saying it would be a shame not to spend a night or two there since you have come all the way from the USA.

The price to stay there (which in includes all meals) is a dinner for two at any of the resorts/hotels on Denarau so even though you have booked your stay at the Radison you will still have to pay for your meals.

I would suggest day 9 and Day 10 you go to the village and day 11 and day 12 at the Radison before flying home.

pictures here at this link

http://www.fijihomestays.com/fiji_homestays_photos.htm

youtube video here at this link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH9_Ui4J3lI

As I said my stay there was life changing because I had never experienced anything like it before...real people and real culture and a glimpse of how the world should be.

Hope this helps in some way.

If you stay at Octopus, one ofthe activities is a half day trip to swim with the Mantas. We did that whilst staying there, nad they ensured that we encountered a number of them.

By the time you have got back to Nadi you would have had a lot of nice island / accommodation experiences and then to head to Denarau may be a low point for the final days of your holiday.

The accomodation itself and gardens are stunning and really lovely but their is no natural beaches. Its grey sand and murky water.

I recommend what nztourist has said. Head towards the Coral Coast and see some of the real fiji which you wouldnt have seen alot of on the islands. A homestay experience is awesome. But if you like your comforts there is also a string of resorts to choose from. The nicest one I have stayed in on the Coral Coast is the Warwick.

The benefit of being on the Coral Coast (1.5 hour drive from airport) is that you have the opportunity to experience so much.

I have put together a range of activities that can be done easily, cheaply and the money goes directly to the local which is what I love.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1882156

Have fun:-)

Unfortunately, our flight package included the 4 nights at the Radisson in Nadi, so we are kinda stuck there for the last 4 days..But I am definitely interested in taking a day trip to the Coral Coast..I was hopping to just enjoy the last 4 days enjoying the area but from I keep reading there's not much to see in Nadi :(
I am however thinking of heading to the Yasawas the first day we arrive (5:10am) and coming back a day earlier and maybe heading to the Coral Coast atleast for a night and heading back to Nadi...but what about transportation?

Dont worry about changing plans if they are set. The Coral Coast is only a 1.5 hour drive away so you can do several day trips and still stay at the Radisson. Loads of people do that.

But dont forget that there is the Garden of the sleeping giant which is close to the airport and very close to that is the Sabeto Mud pools which is an authentic experience and that could fill half a day going to both and then add on a drive to Lautoka to look around?

Regarding transport you can do 3 things.

1. Hire a taxi to drive you there and back. I know a guy who will do a return trip for $160 FJD from Nadi

2. Hire a car and do the trip yourself. The hire of car and fuel will cost roughly the same as the taxi but you get to do it alone. Fiji is not hard to drive around. One road goes around the whole island so you cant get lost.

3. Catch local transport and experience the local way of travel. If you get an express bus to the Coral Coast then roughly it will cost you $7 - $8 and take around 2 hours from Nadi Markets. You can catch a Westbus from Denarau for $1 or less and get to Jacks Handicrafts in Nadi town. Head towards the end of town close to the Indian Temple and ask around for where the bus stop is for the express bus to Coral Coast. A local will show you but I only know to catch it from the market bus stop which is confusing and has no signs so hard for me to explain but the bus winds its way through the main street at the end of town so they will stop for you if you wave them down. Once on the bus take a seat and the ticket guy will come to you and ask where you are getting off. Say Sigatoka. Get off there and have a look around then you can either hire a local taxi from there or get on another bus that heading to Suva and get off along the way up and down the coast. I would only recommend getting to Sigatoka by bus, then go around to the taxi stand at the back of the market and negotiate a day rate with the driver to take you places along the coral coast. You should get it for around $60 FJD if you want to see things between the Sigatoka and the Warwick resort. Any further than that and you will need to pay more.