Fiji is one of the friendliest, most beautiful countries I’ve ever been to. Walk down the street and you’ll likely be met with a cheerful ‘Bula!’ (Hello!) from a Fijian passer by, which makes you feel instantly at home. How should you spend a week in Fiji?
How to spend a week in Fiji
Explore Viti Levu
Viti Levu is the largest island in Fiji, and the only island with an international airport. Viti Levu has two cities, Nadi and Suva, and a number of options for beachside places to stay.
Some people land on Viti Levu and immediately make their way to one of the many smaller islands to stay at an idyllic desert island resort, but I recommend exploring Viti Levu for a few days first to really get a feel for the Fijian culture.
I spent four days of my week in Fiji exploring Viti Levu with Feejee Experience (which is not to be confused with the backbacker bus tours of Australia and New Zealand, Oz Experience and NZ Experience).
Feejee Experience is a four-day trip in a minibus with just a few other people (there were four others on my trip). It aims to give you an idea of the Fijian cities, villages, and culture.
Watch fire dancers on Robinson Crusoe Island
Robinson Crusoe Island (officially Likuri Island) is a tiny island very close to the main island of Viti Levu. The jetty is close to Natadola Beach, a 45 minute drive from Nadi, and you’ll spend 30 minutes on a small boat on calm waters to get to the island.
Robinson Crusoe Island is very small (you can walk around the whole thing in about 30 minutes) and, as the name suggests, feels a world away from civilisation.
The main attraction on the island is the fire dance shows, which are performed on most days. These shows are spectacular and well worth the trip!
You can stay the night on the island in one of the Bures (traditional Fijian accommodation) and there’s also a dorm room. I had one of my most memorable showers on this island – a bucket of water with a shower head tap on a pulley system works surprisingly well!
Experience a Kava Ceremony
If you want to visit any of the small villages in Fiji, you’ll need to partake in a Kava ceremony. This is a traditional way of greeting visitors and accepting them into the village.
You’ll need to present the chief of the village with a gift of a Kava root (which you can buy at any market in Fiji). Then, the village representatives with say some words and give you a Kava drink.
Kava is a mild narcotic made from mixing the powdered root of the pepper plant (piper methysticum) with water. It will make your tongue and lips feel numb for a while, and make you feel relaxed.
I wasn’t a massive fan of kava, but it was ok and I’m glad I tried it. You can’t really join in with the ceremony if you don’t drink it, so best to make your decision before you visit a village.
Relax at the thermal springs
Fiji is a volcanic island, so it has both hot springs and mud pools. You can choose to visit the Sabeto thermal springs, where you can cover yourself in the mineral rich mud before washing it off as you relax in the hot pools.
Visit the Yasawa Islands
Fiji isn’t just one island, but a whole collection of them. There are two larger islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, where the majority of the population live, plus over 300 smaller islands!
The easiest islands to get to are the Yasawa Islands. Make your way to Port Denarau, which is close to Nadi, and hop aboard the Yasawa Flyer. The islands range from ‘backpacker party’ to ‘seriously posh’, so make sure you research where you’re going first!
Spend the rest of your week in Fiji relaxing on the beach, snorkelling and kayaking between islands.
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