spendng new years eve in fiji

Hi all.

I'm planning on going to fiji with my girlfriend for christmas and new year's eve.

We're flying into fiji on the 25th of dec (the overnight flight from aus and so get in 5ish in the morning), and then hopping straight onto a ferry to go out to oarsmans bay lodge - i can't wait!

we are at oarsmans bay lodge for 5 nights, getting back onto the mainland on the 30th.

We still need to book 3 nights accomodation, flying back home on the 2nd of jan.

this is the bit i am scratching my head about: my girlfriend wants to go somewhere to party for new year's eve. i thought about mango bay resort, however we are mid to late 20's, so although we want to party, we don't want a heap of teenager's getting really drunk and being stupid near our accomodation. if we went to mango bay for the night, we would need to stay nearby, so we thought of these options:

split up the 3 nigts i haven;t booked with two nights before (night of 30th and 31st) on the mainland or denarau and then stay at mango bay resort or a nearby resort,

stay at a resort stumbling distance from mango bay resort

stay at mango bay resort

or ditch mango bay resort and go somewhere else for new year's eve.

Activities: we will have spent 5 nights at oarsmansbay lodge, so we will probably want a change of scenery regarding activities (neither my girlfriend or i are keen on snorkling so although we will do it, it's not a big part of the holiday, but lazing on a beach is). otherwise we are open to anything - we're both pretty fit and my girlfriend likes hiking.

Budget: i guess ideally 100aud/night per person (so 200/night would be at the upper end of our price range). that equals about 250fijian for the two of us per day.

if anyone has any ideas i would be grateful!

also, my girlfriend has a notion to buy instant noodles in cups to take with us if she wants a snack. is this something we can grab at the airport or nearby on the way to raffles hotel for the bus to the jetty?

also, are there any tips for things to take to oarsmans bay lodge? i heard water was a good idea, but then got told that they have a water tank we can use.

thanks all for any responses that you can give!

I was in Oarsmans in July. Dont take water - it is available at meal times and you can fill a bottle or 2 then.There is a small supermarket near the ferry, but.....if you plan to go Xmas day it and probably all else , will be shut. In fact, are you sure that the Yasawa Flyer is going that day?

By all means take noodles if you want, but staying at Oarsman you really need to buy the meal plan.I dont think that there is any choice in that. There are no shops and ther is nowhere to cook. Surely you wont take 5 days food with you?

Thanks for the reply. we are doing the meal plan (it's compulsory). for some reason my girlfriend wants to take noodles along as well, for the gaps between meals if she gets hungry lol.

I have booked accom, and oarsmans bay lodge is arranging the yasawa flyer as part of the package to oarsmans bay lodge, so presumably they have a service on that day.

I'm a 23 yo Australian who's been living in Fiji for the last 6 months.

We are also looking for a good place to spend new years eve, we where thinking about Mango Bay too, I hear it is almost booked up though so you'll need to be quick.

We are probably going to head out to Manta Ray Island in the Yasawas, it is 86 FJD per night inc. meals and is supposed to be pretty good.

We are still looking for suggestions though, if anyone has any.

Another place we were thinking of is Savusavu bay on Vanua Levu, harder to get to but it is supposed to be a beautiful place, still backpackery but more chilled out. Have a look at that.

I am pretty sure Beachcomber is booked out, but I'd say most of the Mamanucas and Yasawa islands would be pretty similar, beach party, bonfire, dancers, expensive drinks (by expensive I mean they'll be comparable to Aus prices, you can BYO but you'll have to pull up a palmtree away from the bar).

Octopus resort in the Yasawas is a more upmarket place, we stayed there a while ago, its a great spot and it would be around your pricerange for a dorm. That could be ok too.

well, since we are spending 5 nights out on oarsans bay lodge, i think that the mainland might be better to go somewhere for a party.

right now we are looking at the sofitel, as they held a beach party last year, and then maybe there is something better on the island.

As wonderful as Oarsman's is, its not going to be raucous on NYE. Whilst I'd not normally recommend staying at Denerau, for NYE , the Westin will be a good option

yeah, i think am booking sofitel, as is a little bit cheaper but still close. i guess by then i'll find out what there is for NYE...

The Sofitel is a lovely hotel and has a better pool and is almost next door to the Westin. You may need to book any function at the Westin if not a guest.

If you stay at any resort on Denarau you can use the facilities of the other resorts. If you want to spend NYE on Denarau but are watching your budget you should be able to stay at a budget place in Nadi then just get a taxi to the resort for the night. We come down from Lautoka sometimes and just stroll through the reception to the pools. If you look like a tourist they won't look twice at you. Might be worth a try.

Alternatively just book the night of the 31st in Denarau, the resorts are very nice but it has got to be the most un-fiji like place in the world, and the beach there is nothing special at all.

We have settled on Manta Ray resort in the Yasawas for the big night.

Denerau - "the beach there is nothing special at all." - it is in fact literally , mud, not sand

thank you all - i think we've decided to just book at the sofitel for the 3 nights.

i figured after lazing around in the yasawas the resort feel might be good. i'mlooking forward to cocktails! ;)

on an unrelated note, is anyone going to fiji over xmas/nye?

Hi we are in Fiji over NYE, like you have been unsure where to go. I have been to the yasawas a number of times... Oarsmans is lovely as is Octopus... Manta Ray ok but management ( Aussie and Swedish girl) not great hosts. I think we ( 5 late 20s early 30s travellers) are booked into Mango Bay for NYE and then going poss to Robinson Crusoe island on Coral Coast. Hope you have a fab time!!

You might want to check this place out.http://www.holidayrentalfiji.com/index.html

manta ray is ok but very much "fiji time" i was staying in the dorm there and asked for a towel to use for having a shower. i never got one for the 4 days i was there. all the staff knew that i wanted one (as they kept coming up and asking if i had got it yet), but no one ever actually bothered to give me one. i'm not sure if that is laziness or what.

oarsmans bay lodge is good, and very quiet but everyone i spoke to who had been to both recommended octopus. if i went back to fiji i'd go octopus as it's comparable, and also is a lot closer so you don't have to waste 6 hours on the yasawa flyer.

Octopus is certainly closer and marginally more upmarket (it has apool), but it is a fair bit more expensive.
Those that have stayed at Manta (NOT dorms) say that it is good too, though I havent stayed there - visited only.

yeah, maybe it was because i was in a dorm ;)

i had friends in a room there and they didn't have a problem.