Two weeks in Fiji in Sept '15 for the first time - Pls seasoned travellers advice me on my schedule

Thanks everyone who contributed to the questioned in other Fiji's forum. IT helped me tremendously build this tentative schedule.
Day one Arrive in Nadi airport (3hours layover) before continuing flight to Tavueni.

Stay at Tavueni for two days (is that enough?) I don't swim, snorkel or dive. I enjoy taking in beautiful scenary, hiking and mingling with locals. Plan to hike Bourma Waterfall
Question #1 - Am a solo female traveler - is it safe to hike alone? Is there anyway I can find or join a hiking group?

Leave For Savusavu and Vanua Levi For three days
Q#2 Where should I stay to be able to visit both islands? Q3 - Any advice on where to stay. Budget is not 4 star but a safe place and a room by myself for safety

Leave for Yasawa/mamanuca for three nights and three days Q4 - Any Accomodation ideas?

Definitely want to stay two nights in Blue Lagoon in Nacula island.

Afterwards I plan to spend the rest of the days (3 nights and four days) in Vita Levu/Overau islands - visiting Pearl Harbour, Suva, before going to Nadi to catch my 9:30pm flight back to the US.
I want to see as much as I can see because I can't afford to travel to Fiji again.

Is there any homestay you can recommend?

Thanks a ton! Gracias! Merci Beaucoup!!!
Cheers
AJ

you seems to be crossing the islands with the places you mention, do you mean the Pearl at Pacific Harbour, and Overlau, I would fly into Nadi, bus to Pacific Harbour and Suva, then Overlau, fly from Suva to Taveuni, then to Savusavu and fly back to Nadi to do the islands before you go home, there is a ferry from Suva or Natovi wharf to Savu Savu Levu but it takes hours, or do it in reverse, visit the Yasawas first and then Savusavu, Taveuni, Suva, etc

Thanks a lot jbinternational. I meant the Pearl at Pacific Harbor, and Ovalua.(island names and places are confusing even with maps. This helps a lot. I'm glad that I haven't bought the tickets yet. Let me make sure I understood you well.

From Nadi, Bus to Pacific Harbour and Suva, then Ovalua.
Fly from Suva to Taveni, then Savusavu . (Fiji airline staff told me that it will be expensive to go from Suva to Taveni)
Fly back to Nadi and do the islands
Or
Take a ferry from Suva or Natovi to Savu Savu (you mentioned that it takes long - is it cheaper/convenient than flying?)
Or do the reverse
Yasawa first Savusavu, Taveuni, Suva (This one seems manageable with less flying)

I get to Nadi at 11.15am so I will make my way to Danaru port. right? I really do appreciate your help.
Cheers!

Annie

D

Revised schedule: 12nights in Fiji September . Please let me know if I am missing anything.
My revised trip to Fiji – 4 nights in Suva
Explore the Coral coast
· Visit Waterfall
· Museum
· Ovalau Island
· Caqalai Island

Fly to Taveuni and to view the below for 2 night –
· Garden on Taveuni
· Waterfall and the Fijian Villages

Catch a flight or boat from Taveuni to Savusavu and spend 1 night and view the below –
· Hotspring
· Other beautiful sights

· Travel to Labasa by Bus
Catch a flight from Labasa back to Suva and view the below –

· Other side of the Viti Levu Group including where the Fiji Water is bottle.
· Travel to Smugglers Cove and spend 1 night

From Smugglers Cove catch a boat Catamaran to travel to Yasawa Island –
· Stay at Oasman’s Bay for 2 nights and view the Blue Lagoon
· Catch the catamaran after 2 nights to Bounty Island Resort and spend 1 night
· After 1 night catch 12.30pm midday boat to travel to other islands in Mamanuca Island before the boat goes back to Denarau Marina in Nadi
· Spend 1 more night in Nadi
Leave Nadi

Hello Again.

I've stayed at both Oarsmans Bay and Blue Lagoon, and there are pros and cons for both places.

Oarsman's Bay Lodge is somewhat...rustic, shall we say. The rooms next door at Blue Lagoon are much much nicer.

However, Oarsman's Bay Lodge is 100% owned and operated by Indigenous Fijians, and I find that it really feels like you are staying with close family and friends. Blue Lagoon is a foreign operated and partly owned, so much of the profit leaves the island and the country. It also feels, a little- sanitised I suppose. Both share the same stretch of beach and reef, which is easily one of the best in Fiji.

Thanks commissioner for your kindness and time. It all comes down to $ for this budget traveler - which is cost effective? Which is easier to get to - in terms of cost and convenience? I've read not so great things for solo traveler in Suva and Nadi and am thinking about skipping them and going to Yasawa and maybe Tevuni? What do you think?

Have an awesome day.

I've not been to Suva for a while- but I preferred it to Nadi. Nadi is pretty uninteresting, Suva at least has some things to look at. On the other hand, Suva felt a bit dicier in terms of safety (but not wholly unsafe), whereas Nadi never felt unsafe at all- just dull. The main street and the Hindu temple would occupy a morning, but there's not a whole lot else to do.

By the likelihood of your flights and ferry connections, you'll have to spend at least one, perhaps two nights in Nadi.

Oarsmans Bay and Blue Lagoon are bang next to each other- literally no difference in cost, convenience or time.

The Yasawa Islands in general offer a range of resorts and prices, some better than others. The further you get from Nadi, generally the more peaceful they become.

suva is considered safe, that said the night club scene is not good very late at night, in Suva the museum is good, there is the Colo-i, suva park, but you would need someone with you, if you go to Pacific Harbour, there are cheaper places to stay than the Pearl, and I would definitely do the trip up the Navua River, there are two options, one more challenging, but it is one of the best views of waterfalls I have seen. Bus travel between Nadi and Suva costs $15FJ, and safe, eg Pacific, Sunset or Sunbeam, they go every hour,

Commissioner and jbinternational Thank you very much for the help and input. My plan is to spend two days in Suva for two days to tour the Coral Reef and other island.. AS a coincidence - one of my summer students is from Suva - he is offering to let his daughter rent a car for me and drive me around for two days and get a room for about $70 US dollars. I don't know.

I'm trying to avoid the one night forced stay (boat schedule)on my way to Sydney.

This is my itinery for 31nights and 32 days in Fiji, Australia, and NZ. It looks crazy busy because I tried to jam as much as possible. I may not afford to come back. I'm delaying buying my tickets until I get final revisions from kind folks like you. I am so excited. Thanks for your time:
31days Fiji Australia, and NZ I’m posting for last minute advice before purchasing tickets. Thanks for your valuable advice I have removed Alice Spring and Christchurch. Thanks a ton. I do appreciate your help. The schedule is crazy busy because I don’t have a lot of time and I may not afford to visit South Pacific. I’m excited, a little scared but I’m happy to finally visit these places..Thanks again/
Day 1 – arrive in Nadi 6am
Spend two days in Suva
Day 3: Fly to Lambasa Spend a night & two days in Savusavu.
Fly to Tevuni spend two nights days in Tvn

Fly back to Nadi – spend a night and take a oabt to Yasawa Island for two nights.
Spend a night in Bounty cath a flight to Sydney

Leave Nadi 6:30pm arrive in Sydney at 9:25pm Three nights in Sydney

Leave Sydney for Cains 3nights

Leave Cairns, to Ayers Rock 3nights

Leave Ayers Rock to Mel 3nights

Leave Mel on to Hobart, Australia 3nights

Leave Hobart for Queenstown NZ 3nights

Leave Queenstown for Rotorua 2nights
Auckland Leave Auckland two nights and 3days. Depart to Lax via Nandi

Cheers

You're traveling too quickly - you'll spend a good deal of your time just transfering between locations, leaving not enough time to enjoy the places.

FarFlung - So true. Two full nights in a place with the 3rd night traveling. Time constraint and money are the reasons. It is feasible because I love sight seeing and hiking when I visit a new city. I planned my flights to book my flights close together so I will have time to take in the cities. I can't swim so diving, snorkeling and water activities are out. I have done a lot of traveling by cruising and the most that I have stayed in a place was two days. Is an economical way to sample the world. So many places to see - so little money and time. I doubt if I will come back again to the South Pacific, so I better sample places that I want to see. USA is so far from South Pacific.

I want to specifically reply to whether it is "safe" to hike alone as a woman in Fiji. I am a 56 year old American woman who was sexually assaulted at noon along the trail to the waterslides on Taveuni September 2014. Terrifying experience. Don't hike alone.

Oh NO GBabhb50, I pray that you have healed from the horrific attack. Thanks for your input. I will NEVER do it not only in Taveuni but anywhere in my travels. Scary, Sad and horrible.

Is it safe to walk into market place, walk around interesting places during the daytime in Fiji? Is there an inexpensive tours that I can trust to take me around? I will be in Taveuni, Savusavu, Blue Lagoon and Bounty Island, Suva.

Take care and thanks once again.

Annie

It is safe to walk around in Suva during the day time, walk through the markets trying some of the local produce, then along the main streets, with a stop at a coffee shop on the way, down to Thurston Park and the Fijian Museum, walk through the restored Grand Pacific as you get close to the park, I will pm you my favourites if you like coffee, you can also walk along a new part of the waterfront, at Laucala Bay, the Colo I Suva park is great but you do need a guide there for safety.

GBabhb50 that is awful. I am so sorry it happened.

I traveled with a (female) friend in Taveuni many years ago: we were regarded with some curiosity by the majority of the locals but I have to say the local Lads did seem to pay us a LOT of attention. Nothing bad happened but I would be very circumspect about traveling alone.

Please note that the local women dress very modestly- whilst I get the impression that the locals tolerate tourists dressing scantily I think you would do well to be more observant with your clothing the further away from the main tourism areas (Nadi, Coral Coast) you are. You would do well to have local women on your side. You don't need to wear a burqa, just not a bikini and cutoffs! A long sarong and light long-sleeve shirt will take you far.

The market places are fine to walk in daytime: we love visiting them!

The resort were I was staying helped me to hire a guide - a staff that works for them. The hotel told never to hike alone that it was dangerous. It turned out ok and Bouma's park was amazing. I noticed the extra caution a female sole traveler has to take. I easily made up answers that I'm meeting my husband in the next stop when asked if I was traveling alone. A lot of questions on what do you do? Are you traveling alone? I had an amazing time in Fiji.

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