Fiji is a stunning South Pacific island nation where tourists are warmly welcomed with the Fijian greeting, “Bula,” which is often followed by, “Welcome home.”
Tourism is the largest sector of Fiji’s economy, accounting for 34% of its GDP in 2021, and locals are eager to see the industry start to thrive again now that the borders are fully open without restriction.
Only about 11% of visitors to Fiji come from the U.S., according to the most recent data. But this archipelago made up of more than 300 islands has a lot to offer American travelers of all ages and budgets.
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Fiji—The Basics
Nonstop flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Nadi, Fiji take 11 hours overnight, but when you land you’ll have skipped ahead a day thanks to crossing the international date line. On vacation in the future—19 hours ahead of California—you’ll find your money has doubled in value as one U.S. dollar is worth 2.2 Fijian dollars.
Fiji is a country where you will want to have some cash, so change money before leaving the airport. Taxis and some small businesses don’t accept credit cards, and it’s nice to have some small bills on hand for tipping. When changing money, ask for a $7 bill—it’s uniquely Fijian.
English is one of three official languages in Fiji and is the language used to conduct business. The other two languages are Fijian and Hindi, as roughly 34% of Fijians are of Indian descent.
Signs and menus are also in English, so navigating the country isn’t a challenge. The two Fijian words you need to know are “bula” to say hello and “vinaka” to say thank you.
Getting Your Bearings
Fiji is made up of over 330 islands, about one-third of which are inhabited. You’ll fly into Nadi International Airport, which is on the main island of Viti Levu. This island is also home to Suva, the capital city, which is about three and a half hours away by car.
The area near the airport does not have the best beaches, but it is very convenient to stay here and take day trips to smaller islands to enjoy white sand and jaw-dropping turquoise water. After the long-haul flight from California, you’ll be thankful to only have to travel a short distance to your hotel.
Many tourists opt to stay on Denarau Island, which is a 20-minute drive from the airport. You might choose to stay at a hotel in this gated community for the first few nights and then relocate to a more exotic destination on a smaller island. Doing so can relieve the stress of worrying that you’ll miss the boat to your hotel if your flight is delayed. The ferry to Tokoriki Island, for instance, only runs once a day.
One advantage of staying here is the Denarau Island Marina, which is the gateway to Fiji’s popular Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands. The marina is a hub for excursions, day trips, small ship expedition cruises and resort connections to other islands. Transfers to resorts from the marina vary in length from 45 minutes (for the nearby Mamanuca Islands) to five hours (for the farther-flung Yasawa Islands).
Denarau Island, Fiji
A stay on Denarau Island is a great way to ease into your Fiji vacation. In addition to its marina, this gated community has several high-end hotels, a golf course, mini golf, a 24-hour medical center and a supermarket.
Where To Stay on Points
- Radisson Blu Resort in Port Denarau—Rates run as low as $151 per night or you can use your Radisson Rewards points to help offset the cost or cover it completely
- Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa—From 58,000 Hilton Honors points per night
- Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort—From 32,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
- Sheraton Denarau Villas—From 65,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
- Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa—From 10,000 ALL points (a Capital One transfer partner)
Radisson Blu Resort in Port Denarau
The Radisson Blu Resort Fiji Denarau Island is an oceanfront resort with spacious one-bedroom suites that include a kitchen with a microwave, stove and dishwasher, as well as a washer and dryer. Each unit also has a neighbor suite that can be booked to double your living space.
The resort is not all-inclusive, so you can customize meals and activities to fit your budget. If you’re not looking to splurge, enjoy the property’s four pools, beach area and free entertainment. There are complimentary evening events throughout the week, such as cocktail hour with the GM, live music, a traditional meke dance show and a fire show.
Blu Banana kids club costs FJ$40 per day per child, which includes lunch. Kids get to know each other through the kid club activities which happen all over the resort, mostly outside. For FJ$18, your child can dress in Fijian attire and help light the torches around the property at night, and for another FJ$40 they can enjoy a themed night including dinner.
The resort does have an adults-only pool and adults traveling without children are typically booked in a separate section of the resort. If you’re looking for even more peace, book a treatment at the outdoor spa. You’ll take a pleasantly overgrown garden path to a thatched-roof hut with open windows, so you can hear the birds and waterfall outside. A relaxing harmony massage is FJ$88 for 30 minutes or FJ$157 for a full hour.
Where To Eat
Members of the free Radisson Rewards program get 10% off food and beverage, so it’s worth signing up if you’ll be dining on the property. Some booking packages include breakfast.
The open-air, beachfront Blu Bar and Grill serves up a large breakfast buffet with fresh fruits, vegetables, pastries, meats, cheeses and an assortment of bread. You’ll also find baked beans and grilled chicken if you’re looking for a hearty start to your day. For lunch and dinner, dining at Blu Bar is à la carte, with an expansive kids menu.
Byblos: Taste of Lebanon is open for lunch and dinner. The other specialty restaurants are only open for dinner. You can choose from Chantara Thai, Basilico Italian and an intimate adults-only Japanese dining experience at Teppanyaki.
If you’re looking for a romantic dinner for two by the ocean, you can book a signature table. Or you can wow your travel partners with a reservation for in-water dining—where the table and chairs are in the pool—called Lomani Wai.
What To Do
For the lightest lift excursion, Radisson Blu offers a three-hour Village Tour for FJ$50 for adults, or half price for kids age 6 and up.
You can also visit the Rosie Holidays desk in the hotel lobby to plan a more elaborate adventure. A trip to Sabeto Hot Springs and Mud Pool near the Garden of the Sleeping Giant is about a 40-minute drive, for instance. You can extend your relaxation if you pay an extra FJ$40 in cash for a 30-minute massage following your soak in the spring-fed pool.
Day Trips From Port Denarau Marina
The main reason to stay on Denarau Island is for its convenient marina, which is a hub for Fijian tour operators. You can book your adventures in advance or in person, just be sure to arrive at the marina at least an hour before any boat departure time. Pack some Dramamine because some of the smaller boats can give you a bumpy ride.
The marina is technically within walking distance from the hotels on Denarau Island, but most people opt for private car or bus transfers which are sometimes included in the cost of the excursion.
Once you’ve arrived and checked in for your tour, you can buy a drink, use the restroom (always a good idea because not all boats have them) and enjoy up to two hours of free Wi-Fi. If you have time, walk over to Nadina Authentic Fijian Restaurant for Fiji’s national dish, Kokoda, a ceviche made with fresh local fish.
Here are some popular excursions that depart from the marina.
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Tivua Private Island
Captain Cook Cruises offers boat trips ranging from a sunset dinner cruise to an 11-night expedition cruise. If you’re looking to enjoy a few relaxing hours on a remote island, try the Tivua seven-hour day sail.
The company owns Tivua Island, so whoever joins you on the 90-minute catamaran ride will be the only other people with you on Tivua. It’s a small island that you can walk around in about 15 minutes, but there is plenty of room to spread out and find your own cabana or hammock. There are six cabanas you can reserve for a fee. The others are first-come, first-serve.
Once on the island, there are several complimentary activities to choose from, including snorkeling, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, an herbal medicine walk and glass-bottom boat tours of the coral reef with a marine biologist.
Baby reef sharks swim in shallow water, which can give you a start when you’re wading, but they’re not considered dangerous.
Lunch is also part of the deal for all guests and it is delicious. You can load your plate with barbecued meats, fruit and a variety of fresh salads. Beer, wine and soda are available at no charge on the island.
Childcare is available at no extra cost if you’d like to try an activity kid-free, but the workers won’t take children in the water.
Options to upgrade your experience for a fee include scuba diving—for kids age eight and up, beginners and certified divers—and massages at the outdoor spa. You can also pay FJ$5 to adopt baby coral for coral planting on the island.
Cloud 9
Cloud 9 is a laid-back spot to grab an espresso martini and a wood-fired oven pizza while enjoying music on a floating bar at sea. This solar-powered, two-story hangout is a unique experience in the waters of Vanua Malolo on Ro Ro Reef. It even has Wi-Fi.
Arrive by boat, grab a sun bed or a bar stool and rub elbows with some new friends from around the world. You can leap into the turquoise water from the second story of Cloud 9, or borrow snorkel gear to see the tropical fish along the coral reef. Many days you can also see turtles.
You will pay for whichever boat service you use to get to Cloud 9. If you come from Port Denarau on a Cloud 9 boat, it takes about an hour. This costs FJ$229, which includes a $60 food and beverage credit. As soon as you arrive, get your pizza order in to beat the rush.
You can also get there by speed boat from several closer resorts, including Lomani Resort, Plantation Resort, Castaway Island Resort and Musket Cove Resort. This trip will only take 15 minutes. Cloud 9 is open to minors but note that it is a bar which serves alcohol and smoking is permitted.
Tokoriki Island, Fiji
Day trips are wonderful, but you might also want to spend a few nights on a smaller South Pacific island. Tokoriki Island in the Mamanuca Islands has two resorts: Sheraton Resort & Spa and the adults-only Tokoriki Island Resort.
You can reach Tokoriki Island by boat or by helicopter. Most guests opt for the most affordable option, a two-hour ferry ride from Port Denarau Marina. A one-way ticket on the South Sea Cruises ferry from Port Denarau costs about FJ$186 if paying by credit card. This ferry passes many other islands on the way, with stops at other resorts.
Where To Stay on Points
- Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island, Fiji—From 31,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island, Fiji
When you arrive at the island by ferry, you’ll board a smaller boat that takes you to shore for a “wet landing” on the beach. Sheraton Resort & Spa staff welcome you with singing, a shell necklace and a glass of juice, to set the tone for your stay.
Adjust your internal clock to island time at this five-star getaway. Everything must come here by boat, from food to clean linens, so service is a bit more laid back. Slow down, try a cocktail from Sala Lounge and Bar and get ready for an incredible sunset on the beach.
Bungalows line the coast at this resort, some with plunge pools and hammocks off their back decks. There are also oceanview rooms for adults only available.
While not an all-inclusive resort, there are packages available, such as the MyBula Bubble package, that include some meals and activities.
Where To Eat
The oceanfront Waitui House Restaurant is open throughout the day, starting with a large breakfast buffet. Stop at the noodle station for breakfast or grab a custom-made juice with beets, carrots and celery. For dinner at Waitui, choose from an eclectic international menu that includes butter chicken, beef stir fry, pumpkin risotto and rock lobster.
To enjoy dinner with a show, make a reservation for outdoor dining at Tokoriki Coco Palms. You’ll try kava (a drink known to make your tongue go a bit numb) and lovo-style food made in an underground oven, plus experience Fijian meke music and dancing. This special meal only happens twice a week and you’ll want to book it early because it does sell out.
What To Do
The Sheraton has a daily activity calendar with free activities, including coconut ice cream making, salusalu (lei) making, weaving and Fijian cooking lessons. You can play tennis and mini golf on the property for no charge. On a clear night, stop by the telescope on the helipad to see all the brilliant stars the Southern Hemisphere has on display.
A nice perk is that the resort’s onsite kids club is free, which might help you sneak away to Tokoriki Retreat Spa for a warm sea shell massage. The kids club has morning and afternoon sessions—you’ll pick your child up for meals in between.
On the beach, a local water sports outfitter offers excursions, including tackle fishing and parasailing. A two-hour snorkeling tour will take you out to the ocean to swim over the colorful coral and to visit Monuriki island where the movie “Cast Away” was filmed.
The watersports bure—or beach hut—also rents snorkels, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, so you can explore the reef in front of the hotel as well. If you booked a special package, the cost of these rentals may be included.
When Is the Best Time To Visit Fiji?
The best time to visit Fiji for weather is May to September—Fiji’s cooler months. These months are drier with mild temperatures in the 70s.
November to April, in contrast, is Fiji’s wet season, with frequent rains, high humidity and temperatures up to the low 90s.
“We recommend Americans visit during low or shoulder season,” says Brent Hill, CEO of Tourism Fiji. “Fiji is a year-round tropical destination, so you’ll get warm temperatures in the air and in the water, and sunshine any time of year. January to March is traditionally our low season which tends to be wetter, but you can get great rates during this time.”
Getting to Fiji From the U.S.
Fiji Airways has nonstop flights from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Honolulu to Fiji’s main international airport in Nadi. There are daily flights from Los Angeles, while the other cities offer a few flights each week. Leaving from Los Angeles or San Francisco, your trip will take about 11 hours.
Other airlines travel to Fiji but do not offer nonstop flights from the U.S., so it will take you longer to get there. With Fiji Airways, you also have the option to book through its partners, including American Airlines and Alaska Airlines.
Booking With Miles
- American Airlines AAdvantage charges 80,000 miles for a round-trip economy flight to Fiji, or double that amount for business class.
- Alaska Mileage Plan has round-trip economy award flights starting at 60,000 miles and business-class award flights starting at 110,000 miles.
Sneak in a Fiji Stopover
If you’re booking with points, adding a stopover in Fiji could mean getting two vacations for the price of one.
Alaska Airlines allows you to book one stopover on each one-way international award trip for no additional miles.
You could book an Alaska Airlines award trip to New Zealand on partner Fiji Airways with a stopover in Nadi that allows you to spend some time in Fiji. The stopover can be as many days as you like, provided award travel is available on your desired dates.
Entry Requirements for Fiji
To enter Fiji as a U.S. citizen, all you need is a valid passport. All Covid health measures have been lifted. You don’t need a visa if you’re staying less than four months.
Travel Insurance for Fiji
Travel insurance is not required for visiting Fiji, but it is recommended.
The best travel insurance for a trip to Fiji will have primary coverage for travel medical and generous emergency evacuation limits, so you can be flown to the nearest adequate medical facility if you are injured on a boat or small island.
Look for a travel insurance plan that covers adventure excursions such as snorkeling or scuba diving, as many exclude coverage for certain sports and activities.
Getting Around in Fiji
First, you’ll need to figure out how to get from the airport to your hotel. Arranging ground transportation through the hotel might be the easiest but will likely also cost you the most. Other options include:
- Taxi. On the main island of Viti Levu, there are airport cabs, Denarau cabs and town taxis. All can take you from the airport to Denarau Island, but town taxis cannot pick you up from there. Town taxis are less expensive but you might get what you pay for. If you plan to take a taxi, have cash on hand for payment and negotiate the price before you get in. By law, the driver has to give you a receipt if you ask for one.
- Private car. Hired cars may be better quality than taxis. You can make the arrangements yourself with a company like Rosie Holidays or through a travel agent. If you let the hotel arrange your car, you’ll likely pay more.
- Bula Bus. This won’t help you get from the airport, but if you’re staying on Denarau Island, you can use it to get to your day trips leaving from the marina. The open-air Bula Bus stops at all of the resorts on the way to the port.
- Shuttle bus. Many excursions include hotel pick-up for transportation to and from the marina. Be sure to check when booking yours.
- Public transportation. Buses are inexpensive and run regularly, but they can be crowded and uncomfortable, especially during peak hours. However, sometimes the driver will turn up the music and make the ride a party.
- Rental car. Unless you’re planning a vacation focused on exploring the main island, you can probably skip renting a car. Even if you feel comfortable driving on the left, there are challenges with one-way streets in Nadi, parking, the condition of some roads after a heavy rain and a lack of street lights in many areas.
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Bottom Line
Fiji is a welcoming country in the South Pacific where locals speak English and the U.S. dollar is strong. It takes five hours longer to fly from Los Angeles to Nadi than it does to fly to Honolulu, but your extra effort is rewarded with hundreds of more islands to explore.
“Once you’re in Fiji, it is much more affordable on the ground than Hawaii,” says Hill. “Fiji is also never crowded. With over 333 islands to choose from, there is plenty of space to spread out.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I buy a SIM Card to visit Fiji?
If you’d like to buy a SIM card for your phone, they are available for sale in the airport when you land in Fiji. Depending on your U.S. phone plan, you may not need one as Wi-Fi is readily available at resorts.
Will my U.S. electronics work in Fiji?
Many resorts have 5-volt USB ports in the outlets for charging small electronics. If you want to charge your laptop, you’ll need a type one, three-pin travel adapter—the same kind used in Australia, New Zealand and China. The voltage is 240 volts.
Outlets in Fiji typically have a switch, so be sure to turn the outlet on after you’ve plugged in your electronics.
Do I need to tip in Fiji?
Tipping is not expected in Fiji, not even in restaurants. “Fiji is a non-tipping culture, so you are not expected to provide gratuity everywhere you go,” says Hill.
You can certainly tip if you feel someone offers exceptional service, but there is no standard percentage.
