Travel companion wanted for Fiji travels

Looking for a like-minded travel companion for all or part of my journey around Fiji for five weeks this summer. I'm a middle-aged, independent, energetic, and enthusiastic woman, non-smoker, with many cultural interests. English is my native language but speak fluent French and a bit of Dutch (and a tiny bit of Russian). I plan to do lots of scuba diving and snorkelling, however would also like to do sightseeing, get to know the local people and traditions, walk in nature, etc. I don't mind teaming up with older or younger travellers, any nationality, male or female, with a good sense of humour and a spirit of compromise. I generally travel on a budget and would be happy to save on hotels by sharing a room. Contact me if you plan to be in Fiji and have the same wish to share the adventure!

Hi Janet. This all sounds great to me. I guess the only question would be when are you travelling? Are you currently in Australia or close to fiji? I am and I plan to go to Fiji 6 -19 july. Would this fit in with your plans? If so, I would love to join you. If however it doesn't, i have info from a friend about what to book in fiji which i would be happy to share. Apparently island hopping is the way to go! Happy travels :o)

Hi Mandy,
I was really pleased to get your message! However unfortunately our dates don't coincide. Though originally American, I live in Belgium, and will only be leaving on July 19th, arriving in Nadi on the afternoon of the 21st. What a pity! But I'll definitely take you up on your offer of sharing your friend's information about what to book. After booking my non-changeable flight, I started looking at budget hotels and dive centres. I was shocked to see that accommodations seem to be either dormitories or else luxury high-priced resorts. I thought Fiji would be like Indonesia or the Philippines, with lots of cheap places to stay, but I haven't found them so far. The one-week live aboard costs 4 or 5 times the price I paid for a live aboard in Thailand! I'm going to go broke. I wonder if there's any way to lodge with local families. Do you know? Or are there cheaper hotels that just aren't on the Internet? I'm planning to start with the island of Taveuni.
Don't know where you live, Mandy, but if you need a travel buddy for future trips or if your passing through Brussels, get in touch. My e-mail is:
jwishnetsky@yahoo.com.
Hope to hear from you soon and happy travels! Write me about your experiences in Fiji or any tips you might have.
All the best,
~ Janet

Mandy, did you get my reply via ThornTree? I received a message indicating it wasn't delivered. Strange ..... ~ Janet

Fiji is leaning towards upscale tourism now, so most of the cheaper budget hotels have closed, other than the renovated Nadi Downtown Hotel that used to be the Nadi Backpacker hotel, the Travellers Beach Resort, the Nadi Bay Resort, and another one the name of which I've forgotten - near the Indian temple downtown Nadi There's also the Kontiki Private Hotel near the airport (barking dogs at night can be a bit problematic though).

My favourite of the cheapest in Suva is the South Seas Private Hotel, although two other choices popped up here:
http://www.travellerspoint.com/accommodation/fiji/suva/budget/

I've not stayed in hotels anywhere else in Fiji except Seashell Cove Resort in Momi Bay and Macdonalds Cottages on Nananu-i-Ra Island, both within a budget traveler's budget.

Thanks so much for the tips. As I'm travelling alone, it really seems like it will be soooo expensive for accommodation. I should have checked this out before booking my flight for a five-week stay! I thought it would be like the Philippines or Indonesia, with plenty of cheapies available.

Did you enjoy Fiji? What were the highlights for you? If you did scuba, what were your favourite dive sites? Anyway, thanks again for your reply. ~ Janet

The dormitories @ Octopus Resort on Waya Island in the Yasawas are really good: 8 beds, no bunks, your own box that can be locked, facilities are spotless, great food, lots of activities (some free, some not), nice house reef for snorkelling and there is a dive centre. Good, eclectic mix of people, great atmosphere. Check it out on tripadvisor. I have been three times and wouldn't mind going back at all!

Off Suva there is a very small island, Caqalai, run by methodists (BYO booze!), that was cheap(ish) when I was there a couple of years ago. Nothing fancy, ramshackle huts, shared outdoor shower, but snorkelling (and I imagine diving too) was great. They had a dive centre then.

All above nentioned accommodations can only be booked with the mandatory meal package.

Hi "Lilau" -

Thanks so much for the great tips. I will probably visit the Yasawas towards the end of my trip so will take your advice. And I'll surely be in Suva on the way back from Taveuni island by ferry, so will try to check out Caqalai. Do you think I'd have to book the Methodist huts in advance or do people just show up? If you have any more advice, let me know. I'm first going to Taveuni and that's where I'm finding such high prices. The dorm options don't mention if they have lockers in the room and I have expensive camera equipment.

All the best, Janet

Hi Janet,

Yes, you'll need to book ahead, so they will send a boat to get you to the island. From Suva it's an hour and a half bus ride to Waidalice Landing, where the boat will pick you up.

And to be sure, you'd better book Octopus ahead too, it's popular, and even the dorms fill up quick. You can get there from Nadi (or rather: Port Denarau) on the Yasawa Flyer, a big catamaran that serves most islands in the Yasawas and Mamanucas. It leaves in the morning and returns late afternoon. But Octopus Resort also has their own boat, slightly more expensive, but also faster than the Flyer. This one departs from another port, but they will pick you up from Nadi or the airport.

I also stayed @ Mantaray Island Resort in the Yasawas, but the dorms there were very hot, cramped and had no lockers, so I can't recommend that. Besides that there was an in your face noisy party atmosphere that wasn't exactly my cup of tea.

Cheers,
Marion

Hi Mandy.
How are your travels in Fiji going? Hope you're having lots of fun and discovering beautiful places. I'm still looking forward to getting the info about Fiji that you said your friend gave you. Any info about budget places to stay, dive centres, sightseeing, transportation around the islands, whatever would be greatly appreciated. Anyway, let me know what you think of Fiji and your experiences there. I'm staying two days in Nadi and then heading to Taveuni for diving/snorkelling, then working my across Vanuatu Levu, back to Viti Levu by ferry. If time permits I'll try to explore the Mamanuca and Yasawa group of islands. Total of five weeks there! I'll be broke at the end of this trip....
Anyway, Bon voyage, Mandy.

Yes, the cost of travelling in Fiji can easily match what you might spend in the West. There aren't the economies of scale that you get in the backpacker land of S.E. Asia etc. Most of the food and materials need to be imported to the remote island resorts.
Leleuvia island resort, right next to Caqalai, is another option. The resorts on the Yasawas are highly recommended. The Blue Lagoon beach resort has excellent dorm facilities but you would need to purchase their meal plan as well.
Check out the Tripadvisor Fiji forum for additional info. A guidebook such as LP Fiji is a good investment as well.

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