Newbie Novice Amateur Traveler to Fiji ~ help please

Well, our family of 3 divers has saved up for a trip to the Pacific so we're trying to plan our flights to Fiji. None of us have ever been to the Pacific!

I'm a little confused about the flight planning. We'd like to stay 9 nights at the resort in Nadi. We plan to leave on a Thursday night and return on a Tuesday flying Air Pacific.

So, will it work if we depart LAX on an 11:30 pm flight which flies direct to Nadi, thereby arriving at 12:40 pm on the 20th?

And, for the return...departing Nadi at 10:00 pm on 6/30, which will arrive at LAX at 1:20 pm?

I would appreciate any thoughts on this itinerary so I hopefully don't end up getting to Fiji several days after I had planned to or missing a flight home because I had the wrong day! thanks~

Oh great....

already a mistake.

We will arrive in Nadi at 5:10 am on Saturday, June 20th.

(sorry)

"We'd like to stay 9 nights at the resort in Nadi."

That's your first mistake-you arrive in the jumbo jet early AM and should be leaving town as soon as you clear Customs & Immigration-there is no diving in Nadi.

Where to is up to you-tonnes of information on this site spend a few hours reading the older posts on Fiji and also check the Diving & Snorkeling Branch.

#2 is spot on. Not only is there no diving in Nadi, the "beach " is mud ie no sand.
There is however a port at Denearau (10 mins from Nadi) that takes you by ferry top a myriad of gorgeous diving spots.

If you leave LAX in the eveing, before midnight, you will arrive in Fiji TWO days later as you cross the Dateline.

If you leave Fiji nonstop to LAX, you'll arrive the SAME day you left! You cross the Dateline the other way (you'll get younger as you head home!)

I agree with the above, gt outta Nadi as fast as you can. Pick a nice resort that appeals to you and that meets you budget, in the Mamanucas (closer to Nadi) or Yasawas (farther from Nadi, but not a problem for the length of vacation you indicated.).