How to spend 5 to 10 days island hopping around Fiji. An overview of the best places in Fiji to visit, where to stay and top things to do!
Are you trying to plan the perfect itinerary for Fiji but not sure where to start? Not to worry, I am here to help you! The islands of Fiji are located in the South Pacific and are in my personal opinion one of the most beautiful places for a beach vacation. From white sandy beaches to crystal clear water, the islands of Fiji will blow you away as soon as you arrive!
This 10 days in Fiji itinerary will take you to the most beautiful beaches and shows you the true beauty of the islands. This itinerary is for traveling at a moderate pace but it is totally up to you if you want to spent more or less days on each island. Wether you are looking for a (solo female) Fiji backpacker itinerary or the best Fiji vacation as a couple, these tips will give you ultimate tips on planning a trip to Fiji!
Plan A trip to fiji
When To Visit
The best time for your Fiji vacation would especially be the months from April to October. During the high season you avoid frequent precipitation and the risk of cyclones which can occur during November to April.
Island Hopping with AWESOME ADVENTURES FIJI
Awesome Adventures offers different ferry tickets for a period of 5 to 15 days. During this time you can use the ferries as a hop on/hop off service and travel from island to island. The pass includes the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands. However, the Mamanuca Islands are more popular for day trips, as they are only a few boat minutes away from the mainland and some are only small sand islands. In addition to its ferry service South Sea Cruises also offers different day trips.
Where To Stay and What To Do On Each Island
Day 1: Arriving in Nadi
When i arrived in Fiji i was picked up by a driver and brought to a homestay of a travel agent. I was in contact with him before my arrival but had no further plans - a little adventure. Together with him I talked about the different possibilities and best Fiji packages for my island hopping trip and planned/ booked the perfect Fiji backpacking itinerary for me.
I decided to spend 9 days on the Yasawa Islands on 4 different islands. So I had enough time to book different activities on each one, but also to simply relax in the hammock. All resorts were the so called Simple Stays except Coralview as Relaxed Resort. This means that the accommodation was quite simple and there was no choice of meals. In each resort the food was exceptional good and all rooms/ bathrooms were clean. I stayed in dormitories in all places but private rooms are available as well!
Days 2-4: Tavewa Island
Coarl View Island Resort
The well-established Coral View Island Resort is located in the Blue Lagoon and offers a fantastic range of activities. What made this resort especially comfortable were the brand-new air-conditioned dorms.
The accommodation also works toward a self sustainability by fishing and growing their own vegetable garden wherever possible!
Activities on Tavewa Island
Blue Lagoon Snorkeling
The Blue Lagoon is less than 10 minutes by boat from the accommodation. Stroll along the endless white sandy beach and snorkel in the clear, warm waters.
Clam Shell Snorkeling
The resort includes an awesome dive centre. The giant clam shells are just off the beach. Even though there's not much more to discover than colorful corals it's still worth it!
Sawa-I-Lau Cave
Probably one of the most famous places in Fiji is the majestic sacred Sawa-I-Lau Cave. Altogether there are two caves in which you can dive. And yes, you really have to dive into the caves via an underwater tunnel - quite thrilling not knowing what to expect.
Sunset/ Sunrise walk
The resort offers a free guided sunset/ sunrise walk. After walking uphill for about 20 minutes you have a great view of the other islands and the sea.
Days 4-6: Nacula Island
NABUA LODGE
Nabua Lodge is a small, family-run property located with crystal clear waters and set in a fantastic location with one of the most beautiful Fijian beaches. It has a great atmosphere and is set in lovely grounds. This is the perfect place to relax in a hammock and soak up the sun. Make sure to wander along the beach and stop by at Gold Coast for some delicious cake or souvenirs!
Activities On Nacula Island
From Nacula Island you can also book excursions to the Blue Lagoon and the Cave.
Church
On Sundays you have the chance to visit a local church. The service is conducted in Fijian but it was still interesting to listen the beautiful singing and enjoy the uplifting songs of praise. Please make sure that your shoulders and knees are covered when going. It's the ultimate cultural experience!
Sunrise/ Sunset Walk
A fairly simple and short sunset walk is located right next to the resort and leads to a hill overlooking the nearby islands and crystal clear water.
Days 7-8: Naviti Island
KOROVOU ECO-TOUR RESORT
Korovou Eco-Tour Resort has a strong family atmosphere along with a fantastic location, set in the centre of a long sandy beach,
Compared to all other resorts the food there was the best. The dinner consisted of a starter (soup), main course and dessert (cake) every day.
Activities on Naviti Island
Learn traditional crafts
Staff of the resort will teach you the ancient craft of weaving. You can learn how to make a hat or a basket.
Manta ray & Coral Garden Snorkeling
To swim with Manta Rays gliding in the waters beneath me and marvel at their impressive figure, was one of the experiences I most looked forward to. Unfortunately, it was not the best experience. Our group was not lucky and we only saw one Manta Ray. Actually, not even everybody has seen it because 30 tourists tried to swim as close as possible and did not care a second about each other.
Afterwards, we also went snorkeling in the Coral Garden. That was by far the most beautiful and colorful reef with dozens of different fishes and sea stars I have seen around the islands of Fiji.
Honeymoon Beach
After a 10 minutes walk from the resort you will reach the so-called Honeymoon Beach. Since this is private land, you are asked to put a $2 coin in the box on the way to the beach. There you can go snorkeling, but you have to swim quite far out into the sea to actually see some corals and fishes.
Days 8-10: Wayalailai Island
NAQALIA LODGE
At lovely Naqalia Lodge you will experience the true Fijian culture. The family warmly welcomes and embraces you. In the evenings you experience the traditional kava ceremony, play fun games and share stories.
Activities on WAYALAILAI ISLAND
Sunrise Walk
The girls of the resort guided us up the hill of the island at 5:30 in the morning to watch the sunrise. And if you do not know it better by now - getting up early is always worth it.
Snorkel with reef sharks
After a short boat ride from the resort you get the chance to snorkel with reef sharks. You do not have to worry as they only eat fish - not people. I am actually not too sure what to think of this experience as the local guides hand feed the sharks. Of course its an unforgettable underwater experience but the sharks are exposed to a lot of stress in this situation. In my opinion it is unnecessary to feed them as they swim around the corals anyway. The feeding is just a tourist attraction to create awesome photo opportunities. Please don't touch the sharks - they are wild animals and don't want to be touched!
Conclusion
Fiji is an unbelievably great country, which surprisingly is also pretty backpacker friendly. On the islands you will meet the kindest people, who radiate an incredible joy of life. For this reason alone, I recommend a stay in the rather smaller accommodations or homestays. This way you will get to know the country, the people and the culture much more intensively.
Even if you are visiting Fiji as a female solo traveler, you will have the adventure of a lifetime. You will meet lots of fellow travelers who make this experience unforgettable and even greater!
Honestly, it was often not easy to plan a route in advance since a lot in this country is still done by phone and personal contacts. However, no matter how chaotic the planning and booking seems to you, in the end everything works out in the end. And don't forget it's Bula Time in Fiji.
In case you life a vegan lifestyle like myself, it surprisingly is not a huge problem to travel as a vegan in Fiji - just skip the dessert, that's it. The choice of food always included a vegetarian dish that was also vegan.
Oh and one more thing: Keep in mind that you might be without power and/ or cell phone reception for a few days - make the most of it and just relax and enjoy your time in pure paradise!
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xx
Nina
Hi, this is a great blog and i always look forward to the information you post here. Thanks again
Thank you so much! Happy to hear you enjoy it 🥰