Today at 10am our plane with Virgin Australia went from Melbourne in Australia to Nadi on the island of Fiji – our first destination in the South Seas. This was the 32nd flight of our world tour and it lasted a good 5 hours.
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Fiji’s place in the world
The island nation of Fiji is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, more than 2,000 km from the Australian mainland and consists of a total of 332 individual islands, of which only about a third are inhabited. Fiji has about 900,000 inhabitants and is called “Viti” in the native language. The main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu cover almost 90 of the country’s surface and, like most of the Fiji Islands, are of volcanic origin, while the smaller islands are formed from coral reefs. With a coastline of 1,129 kilometres and 18,333 square kilometres, the island nation attracts visitors to the wonderful landscape to discover. The highest mountain in the archipelago is the tomanivi mountain on the island of Viti Levu at 1,324 meters. The capital is Suva and other major cities are Nasinu, Lautoka, Nausori and Nadi. The most attractive destinations for tourists are small resort islands on the Mamanucas, the Yasawas or beaches of the Coral Coast on the main island of Viti Levu.
Our travel plans for Fiji
To explore the different islands of Fiji we have planned a total of 12 days.
1) First we will spend a night near Nadi after arrival
2) From Nadi you can take the ferry for 4 days to a resort on the Yasawa Islands
3) After that, a small island near the mainland will follow for 2 days
4) Then spend another night in Nadi and the remaining 4 days there is still a little relaxation in a beach hotel on the south coast of the main island
Our accommodation in Nadi
In the late afternoon we arrived at the airport of the main island Viti Levu in Nadi, went to our accommodation Hans Travel Inn and bought some provisions for the next few days in a large supermarket. We booked the accommodation because of the cheap price. Since we arrived in the evening and had to continue early the next morning, the accommodation was ok. We wouldn’t recommend it for more than one night. The room was ok. In the bathroom, however, ants and mold were in the shower – a bit disgusting. Internet didn’t work. The hotel actually offers a free airport shuttle. We sent our flight details days in advance via contact form and mail, but did not receive a reply – even after checking again. Of course, no one was at the airport and we had to take a taxi. There was no explanation as to why no one responded to our mail, but we got the taxi costs back. We were the only guests at the time. The terrain and the entrance area looked very down. A supermarket is within walking distance.
Our room at the Hans Travel Inn
Island hopping with the Yasawa flyer
The next morning we were picked up in front of our accommodation by a bus that took us to the port of Denarau. From the port, the ferry departs to the many resorts on the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands, which are located west of Viti Levu. We had already reserved the tickets for the Yasawa flyer online at Awesome Adventure Fiji. The system to explore Fiji with its many islands is really well done: there is, for example, a so-called Bula Pass, with which you can flexibly & worry-free “island hopping” in Fiji.
The route along the Yasawa Islands
By ferry from Viti Levu to Tavewa Island
At 8.30 a.m. we started in bright blue skies and since we had chosen with Tavewa Island one of the furthest resorts, the trip took about five hours. On the ferry, we quickly noticed that Fiji is an absolute backpacker country – backpackers and young people without end. The trip past the many South Sea islands was great and the sight of the turquoise blue water was fantastic. Some islands were only a few meters wide, while others were very mountainous and wooded.
All travelogues from Fiji
The island state of Fiji lies in the middle of the Pacific and consists of a total of 330 individual islands. To explore at least some different islands, we had planned a total of 12 days. After our arrival in Nadi we first spent some great days on the Yasawa Islands and Beachcomber Island before we went to the main islands Viti Levu on the Coral Coast for a few more days.
» Travel planning for Fiji & our trip to the Yasawa Islands (Fiji)» Tavewa Island – Our stay at the Coralview Island Resort (Fiji)
» Yasawa Islands – Diving with Vertical Blue Diving (Fiji)
» Beachcomber Island – Relax & snorkel in the South Sea (Fiji)
» Viti Levu – Three days of relaxing on the Coral Coast (Fiji)