Here are 8 of the best things to do in Fiji, a gorgeous South Pacific island that is a dream holiday destination for many!
Fiji has been a bucket list destination of mine for many years.
Growing up in New England, USA, the islands of the South Pacific always seemed like a faraway dream. They are, physically, very far from Massachusetts. And their tropical scenery made them seem even more exotic and enticing.
I adore warm weather and beaches, and photos I saw of Fiji made the island look like a sun-kissed paradise.
So I always had Fiji on my travel bucket list, but I never knew when I would get the chance to fly to a remote South Pacific island.
But in 2018, I moved to Australia! Fiji is just a quick, 4-hour flight from Sydney, so I felt that I finally had the opportunity to visit.
Still, it took me 8 years of living in Australia to finally make the trip to Fiji.
I just decided, what am I waiting for? I called up my mom and asked if her and my sister would be willing to meet me in Fiji for a girls trip. They said yes, and off we went to the South Pacific!
8 Best Things To Do In Fiji
After spending a week in Fiji, I can confidently say it was everything I dreamed it would be, if not more.
We stayed at the Beachhouse on the Coral Coast, about 2 hours away from Nadi Airport.
This location was the perfect blend of convenience (didn’t need to travel far or catch any ferries) and remoteness (we were surrounded by local villages, islands, coral reefs, and barely any crowds).
So for anyone interested in visiting Fiji, here is some inspiration for you! I hope these fun things to do in Fiji convince you to just book the flight and make it happen.
Plan your next trip with my list of 50 Budget Travel Tips!
1. Embrace the tropical weather
Fiji is a tropical destination, meaning it has warm or hot weather year-round. Picture lots of sunshine, warm temperatures, and light ocean breezes. It’s heaven!
Like most tropical places, there is a wet season and a dry season.
Dry season, May to October, is generally the peak season because the weather is warm and sunny with little chance of rain.
Wet season, November to April, is hot, humid, and slightly rainier.
We visited at the beginning of March, which is the tail end of wet season. There were generally a few showers in the afternoon and most of the days were gloriously hot and sunny.
While I would maybe avoid visiting Fiji in February (the rainiest month), I would still recommend visiting in the wet season. There are still plenty of sunny days and you get refreshing afternoon showers.
Plus, wet season is the cheapest time to visit Fiji!
2. Get to know the amazing people
One of the main things I had heard about Fiji was that the people are incredibly nice and friendly.
And they were right. I noticed it straight away as well, when I was taking the bus from Nadi Airport to the Coral Coast. People went out of their way to help me find my stop.
During our one-week stay on the Coral Coast, locals were always so kind as well.
We did a tour of a nearby village, and our guide (who lived there) said anyone is always welcome in their village at any time. He said just pop into any house and they will treat you like family. I really get the feeling that he meant it!
Another time at our hotel, my sister needed batteries. Some local guy went out of his way to go to the shop and get some for her, asking for nothing in return.
On top of that, all the Fijian locals were just genuinely warm, inviting, happy people.
Oh, and all the local dogs we met were also amazing!!
3. Explore the lush forests
Fiji’s islands are small yet mountainous, with most of those hills and mountains covered in lush green forests.
The main island, Viti Levu, is covered in rolling green hills dotted with palms and exotic fruit trees.
It’s absolutely beautiful!
If you can get into the jungles of Fiji, I highly recommend it.
We did a trek to a small waterfall and swimming hole in the jungle with a local guide. It was such a blast trudging through thick red mud, mingling with local farm animals, and admiring all the cool trees and plants.
The hike ended with a tranquil freshwater swim surrounded by greenery.
Ziplining, river tubing, and quad biking are other fun things to do in the jungle. Though many come to Fiji for the coast, the inland forests are also incredible!
4. Relax on the stunning beaches
Visiting the tropical beaches is of course, one of the best things to do in Fiji!
With soft white sand, crystal clear waters, and swaying palm trees clad in coconuts, Fiji’s beaches are like something straight out of a postcard.
It’s definitely worth doing some trips out to the smaller islands around Fiji. That’s where you’ll find the most pristine waters and untouched beaches.
A few days of island hopping is possibly the best way to experience Fiji’s remote beaches.
Or you can stay on the mainland and book island day trips. We stayed on the mainland but did a day trip out to Yanuca Island off the south coast of Viti Levu. It was a highlight of the trip.
5. Enjoy the delicious food
I actually didn’t know that Fiji had delicious food before I visited. But I was pleasantly surprised!
From fresh fruits to hearty and flavorful main meals, Fiji does not disappoint in the food department.
The hotel we stayed at served a variety of home-cooked dishes every night. One standout meal was chicken! Whether roasted or baked, marinated or plain, Fiji has some of the most amazing chicken I’ve ever eaten. And I’m not usually a huge fan of chicken.
But someone told me all of the chickens on Fiji are wild, meaning they are not confined to small spaces or fed antibiotics like those in the US.
If that’s true, you really can taste the difference.
Other food highlights in Fiji included homemade ice cream with tropical fruits and fresh coconuts straight from the tree.
6. Adopt the relaxed pace of life
Like many island destinations, Fiji has a relaxed vibe that is so refreshing.
If you’re living a fast-paced life in a big city, I think a week of kicking back in Fiji is exactly what you need.
You’ll often hear people refer to “Fiji Time” here, which just means loose schedules and no hurrying.
People take their time, they chill out, they don’t stress too much. It’s a lovely lifestyle. Fiji is the perfect place to come to just slow down.
The best things to do in Fiji? Spend all day swimming and reading with no plans. Turn your phone off and watch the tide come in and out. Disconnect, relax, and just be.
7. Book an epic holiday for cheap prices
Another surprising reason to visit Fiji is the affordable prices! I say surprising because I was expecting Fiji to have similar prices to Hawaii or Australia, the only other Pacific islands I have visited.
While Fiji wasn’t dirt-cheap, it was definitely cheaper than Hawaii or Australia.
Lucky for me, I was coming here from Sydney, which is only a short 4-hour flight. So I also got super cheap flights on Australia’s main budget airline, Jetstar.
But even when we arrived, things were cheaper than I was expecting.
Of course, we stayed at a modest, boutique hotel and not a five-star luxury resort. I’m sure you could easily make a trip to Fiji expensive, but it’s also easy to keep your budget down.
My round-trip transport from the airport to the hotel, which was a 2-hour journey each way, only cost about $12 USD.
For 6 nights in a private room at the Beachhouse, we only paid $769 USD total! That’s about $128 USD per night, split between 3 people. You can’t get beachfront hotel rooms for that price in the US.
Here are some examples of other activities and things we paid for, converted to USD:
- Half-day village tour and jungle trek $15 USD per person
- Full island boat tour with snorkeling and lunch $80 USD per person
- One-hour massage $18 USD per person
- Meals $6-13 USD per meal
- Fresh coconut $2 USD each
- One night in a hostel in Nadi $15 USD per night
8. Try some water sports
Last but not least, water sports are some of the best things to do in Fiji. Surfers, snorkelers and divers will all be in heaven here.
Fiji is surrounded by pristine coral reefs, with epic dive sites and tranquil snorkel sites.
Definitely don’t miss the chance to get in the water at least once!
We did some snorkeling at an outer reef near Yanuca Island and saw so many cool corals and fish.
I didn’t get the chance to go scuba diving, but I’ve heard there is also amazing diving around Fiji.
The water is also so clear and warm, making the conditions wonderful for snorkeling tours and diving.
If you prefer water sports above the surface, Fiji is also known for great surfing. You can also usually do activities like kayaking and paddleboarding while staying around the coast.
Thanks for reading my list of the best things to do in Fiji.
I am so happy I finally got the chance to visit this beautiful place. I even hope to return someday and see more of the islands. Luckily, it’s so close to Australia that I do think I’ll be able to come back.
Because life is too short not to take that tropical holiday you’ve always dreamed about!
Read about more of my favorite tropical destinations!
The Ultimate List of Bali Travel Tips
15 Best Things To Do In the Whitsundays
Thailand Ultimate Budget Travel Guide
10 Best Things To Do In Tropical North Queensland, Australia
10 Best Things To Do In Kauai, Hawaii
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