OUR thoughts on FIJI

What can we say about Fiji that hasn’t been said a thousand times before?  Probably not too much, but what we can say, is that in Fiji, we have absolutely no doubt that we can find you the perfect place for a perfect holiday.  Fiji provides an enormous variety of destinations, activities and experiences and we know we can give you the best possible fit for your vacationing needs.  Whether your style is five star luxury in a big international brand mainland resort with a complete range of facilities, a family-friendly island resort with wonderful children’s programs, a secluded executive island retreat, a property with plenty of keep-fit and sporting activities, a place for an unforgettable wedding or honeymoon, or a world-class small ship cruise around really idyllic tropical islands, we offer all this and more in Fiji.  Fiji is a place that really gets under your skin; people go back year after year.  The big broad smiles of the Fiji people and the greeting of “BULA” everywhere you go together with the world-class tourist facilities there, make Fiji very special indeed.  Beware though; one trip to Fiji is never enough!

OUR NADI AND DENARAU AREA
OUR OFF-SHORE ISLANDS
OUR SOUTH COAST VITI LEVU
OUR NORTHERN VITI LEVU
OUR FIJI SMALL SHIP CRUISES
OUR NORTHERN ISLANDS
OUR SOUTHERN ISLANDS

OUR NADI AND DENARAU AREA
Normally, there are over 20 flights each week between Auckland and Nadi, so we are bound to find one that suits your schedule and if you need to stay a night or two in Nadi there is a cluster of hotels close to Nadi International airport which we can book for you. 

The wonderful resort centre - Denarau Island is only twenty minutes by car or coach from the airport and 8 minutes from Nadi town.  From the moment you pass through the main gate security post you can’t help but be impressed by the sheer size of the place and the facilities on offer.   On the left hand side you will see the Denarau Golf & Racquets Club’s 18 hole golf course and on the right the Residential Neighbourhoods. Next, on the right you come to the road down to the Port Denarau Retail & Commercial Centre where you will find the departure and arrival point for the boats out to the Mamanuca and Yasawa Island Resorts, a range of well-priced restaurants and a good range of shops, banks etc.  At the end of the entrance road, turn right for access to The Sofitel Hilton Fiji Beach Resort & Spa.  In the other direction, turning left at the end of the entrance road takes you to The Westin Fiji, next come the Sheraton Denarau Villas, the Sheraton Fiji and the Radisson Blu Resort Fiji.  You will also find a small “village” on the roadside between The Sheraton and the Sheraton Denarau Villas which is also an easy, shaded walk from the Radisson Blu Resort. The little village has a café (good coffee) and a convenience store/liquor outlet and carries a good range of snack food. 

No matter where you stay all of Denarau is accessible to everyone by hopping on the “Bula Bus” which does a circuit of Denarau attractions once every 15 minutes 6:30am to 6:30pm every day and a day pass with unlimited travel for a day costs F$8.00 per adult. Guests staying at the Starwood Resorts have free use of their own Bula Bus which runs between the various Starwood properties and includes a stop at the Denarau Golf Course.  Taxis are readily available for a quick trip down to the Marina restaurants at a set charge of F$7.00 each way.  Public transport in the form of the yellow Westbus runs a frequent service within the Denarau confines and to and from Nadi Town for a fare of F$1.00 each way.

The resorts all hug the coast with the Denarau Golf and Racquets Club in the interior of the island across the road from the resorts.  The facilities based around the Golf Club across the road continue to expand and improve.  These include a Medispar, Mini-putt golf course, a kids’ bungy trampoline service, tennis courts and most recently added an amazing inflatable water park known as “Big Bula”.  Big Bula has an enormous range of water park slides etc with separate sections for adults and kids, a café and boutique.

Denarau is also a perfect venue for a conference and we have experience organising perfect weddings too. 

It's like one big resort, but the sheer size and the many options can be a bit daunting, so let us advise you – we know Denarau intimately.

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OUR OFF-SHORE ISLANDS
There are over 330 islands in Fiji and some of the most breathtakingly beautiful ones are found west and north-west of Nadi.  These are the Mamanuca and the Yasawa Islands and, as with the rest of Fiji, there is a diverse range of island resorts and standards of accommodation found out there - we know them all.  Getting out to the islands adds to the holiday experience and we have all the options available – fast, stable catamaran scheduled resort transfers, faster speedboats and water taxis, helicopters, seaplanes or scheduled flights.  We particularly enjoy the South Seas Cruises scheduled fast catamaran ferry services from Port Denarau which run 3 times a day on a circle around most of the Mamanuca Group and the “Yasawa Flyer” which does a daily cruise around the resorts in the Yasawa Islands, as not only do you get a resort transfer, you normally get an islands cruise too.  For a little extra comfort we suggest the “Captain’s Lounge” upgrade, especially on the longer trip out to the Yasawa Islands. The view from a helicopter transfer is spectacular so an idea to enhance your holiday is to take the scheduled boat transfer one way and a helicopter the other.

 Some Island Resorts are big, some are tiny. Some specialise in family holidays, others in superior breaks for romantic couples, some offer diving and many other activities, some have “barefoot” style ambience, others offer an Eco experience while many provide Fiji-style luxury and the best of everything. Some are “adults only”, some take kids year –round or only during restricted periods during the year. Most, but not all, island resorts are best accessed through Nadi, but those off the eastern side of Viti Levu can also be accessed by Air Pacific’s twice-weekly service between Auckland and Fiji’s Capital – Suva.

 We like nothing better than finding the right island for your perfect holiday, honeymoon, wedding or reunion.  Because we’re dealing with Fiji constantly, we are always right up to date on what would best suit your particular requirements.

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OUR SOUTH COAST VITI LEVU
Natadola and Fiji’s Coral Coast
The road trip from Nadi Airport to Suva via the Queens Road (South Coast) is a comfortable 3 hours non-stop.  To give an idea of distances, here is a rough guide of travel times from Nadi to various resort areas along the route.  The Intercontinental Fiji Golf & Spa at Natadola Beach – 45/50 minutes.  Shangri La’s Fijian Resort at Yanuca Island – 45 Minutes.  Outrigger On The Lagoon near Sigatoka on The Coral Coast – 70 minutes. These are only a few of the many great places to stay along this route which starts and ends with world-class golf course resorts.  In addition to the major international-brand resorts there are boutique properties offering a wide range of accommodation types and standards.   Once you settle in to your chosen resort you will probably be content to stay put.  However, if you choose to holiday on this part of the  “mainland” we like the opportunity this provides to explore a little outside the resort; maybe just a trip into Sigatoka Town or a day trip into Suva or Nadi or a trip up the Sigatoka Valley to the famous Fiji Pottery village, a day trip to Pacific Harbour to play the golf course there, etc. There are plenty of extra things to see and do from the Natadola and Coral Coast areas when you get slightly off the beaten tourist track. This area of Fiji is well known for being rich in Fijian Culture, indeed there is a Cultural Centre at Pacific Harbour (which is closer to the Suva end of the Coral Coast) and all along the Coral Coast there are many cultural experiences to be enjoyed.

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OUR NORTHERN VITI LEVU
The north of Fiji’s main island Viti Levu offers another, different, side of Fiji to visit.  The north is sheltered from the south-eastern trade winds by towering interior mountains and enjoys a drier climate which is ideal for agriculture.  The Kings Road is the northern road and travelling along the Kings Road from Nadi takes you through Lautoka, Fiji’s second biggest city, then the towns of Tavua and Ba before arriving in the village of Raki Raki which is around 2.5 hours by car from Nadi.  From this area the views out to the northern islands are spectacular, the scuba diving is really great and it’s up here that we offer 2 delightful resorts as part of our Boutique Collection, the Volivoli Beach Resort and Wananavu - "The Real Fiji".  Don’t overlook northern Viti Levu.  It’s off the beaten track and a super area to unwind and enjoy something of old Fiji while staying at a either of the good quality resort properties we offer.

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OUR FIJI SMALL SHIP CRUISES
A cruise on a small ship is the perfect accompaniment to a Fiji Holiday.  Of course, there are wonderful day and evening (Sunset and Dinner) cruises from Denarau on a range of vessels from fast catamarans to lazy sailing sloops and these are a great addition to any holiday in Fiji.  If you have the time, what Fiji offers which is even better than a day cruise, is a range of 3, 4 and 7 day cruises from a variety of departure points to picture-perfect tropical islands with amazing beaches and marine life, real Fijian villages and wonderful natural features.  Coupled with this, you get the real cruise ship experience on a small cruise ship which retains many big ship features and all this delivered in the unique Fiji style. 

On these small ships you get to know the other passengers and the crew and lasting friendships are often made.   Days are usually spent ashore on some perfect island and perfect nights are spent around a beach campfire or dining-in-style on board.  The view of the night sky seen from the deck of a small cruise ship anchored in a sheltered bay somewhere in the middle of the Fiji Island group is an awesome experience.  Your ship will usually move off overnight and the next morning will drop anchor at another perfect spot. 

Blue Lagoon Cruises 
Blue Lagoon Cruises have been an icon of Fiji Tourism for over 60 years. Their cruises operate from Port Denarau and offer 4 day/3 night cruises, 5 day/4 night cruises and 8 day/7 night cruises through the Yasawa Islands.

Blue Lagoon Cruises cruise itineraries include The Sacred Isles, remote beaches, remote villages etc., as well as more active options like guided summit and bush walks, Scuba diving and swimming with the manta rays, evening reef talks and guided snorkelling safaris with a qualified dive instructor.  Cultural experiences abound, such as a church service visit on Sunday, basket weaving, and Fijian cooking lessons, wood carving and kava ceremony and evening entertainment such as movies under-the-stars, Fijian board games, coconut bowls, fire dancing and the opportunity to visit the fabled Sawa-i-Lau Caves on the 4 Night and 7 Night Cruises.  

Kids' Policy:
Blue Lagoon Cruises are for adults only and only guests aged 14 years and over are accepted with the exception of "Family Cruise Departure Dates" when children of all ages are welcome.
There are only a total of 4 cabins which will accommodate a child, using an existing daybed, in addition to the 2 other passengers.

Captain Cook Cruises
Departing from Denarau Marina, experience a 3 night Mamanuca & Southern Yasawa Cruise or a 4 night Northern Yasawa Islands Cruise onboard the MS Caledonian Sky. By joining them up you can experience a wonderful 7 night Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands Cruise.

7 night Remote North Discovery Cruise, designed to offer you an authentic & personal experience of the South Pacific. Cruise beyond the Yasawa Islands to Levuka on the island of Ovalau.

7  night Ultimate Lau and Kadavu Cruise, The remote Lau and Kadavu island groups. Highlights: Exploring old ruins, the lagoons of Qilaqila renowned for itsmushroom-shaped islands, and the central lake on the uninhabitedVuaqava island.

7  night Northern Lau Expedition Cruise, The northern Lau islands of Fiji including Makogai, Vatu Vara,Wailagi Lala, Qilqila Bay of Islands Vanua Balavu, Cicia and Nananu I Ra.

7  night Southern Lau Expedition Cruise, Exploring the remote southern Lau and Kadavu island groups,you will swim on the great sea reef, visiting islands includingDravuni, Moala, Fulaga, Mutuku, Beqa and Vatulele.

11 night Lau and Kadavu Odyssey Cruise, The full 7 night Lau itinerary plus Oneata and Taveuni. Highlights: The mystical caves and mushroom shaped islands of QilaQila, the pristine waters of the flooded volcanic crater of Fulaga.

14 night Southern Lau and Tonga Whale Migration Cruise, Exploring the southern Lau island groups of Fiji and thenembarking on an expedition to the outer islands of Tonga. Highlights: Exploring the Lau islands, swimming with whales duringthe whale migration in Tonga. Mutiny on the Bounty - follow Bligh's journey from Tonga to the Northern Yasawas.

14 night Northern Fiji and Samoa Voyage Cruise, Venturing to the northern Lau island groups of Fiji and thenfurther cruising to the outer islands of Samoa. Highlights: The extraordinary blow holes of Samoa's Alofaaga.

Families & Kids
Children 5 years or older who can swim unaided are welcome aboard MS Caledonian Sky.
Children aged under 5 years are not accepted as passengers on Captain Cook Cruises’ Fiji cruises.

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OUR NORTHERN ISLANDS
Now, for something extra special for those who have “done the main resorts in Fiji” or are seeking the ultimate in natural relaxation and pampering without having to travel for hours to another hemisphere, look no further.  Fiji’s Northern Islands are known world-wide for luxurious, award-winning, naturally stunning, eco-friendly holiday places with the highest standards. We know several resorts which are perfect for a relaxing break far away from the crowds, a wonderful honeymoon or intimate wedding. There is also the opportunity to dive on world-class dive spots and luxuriate in superb spas, explore virgin rainforest and more.  If you would enjoy the exclusivity of knowing that only relatively few people had experienced these places before you – look no further than this part of Fiji – Vanua Levu, Taveuni, Matangi and Qamea.

Vanua Levu
The second biggest island in Fiji, the main town is Savusavu. Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort, with its 25 bures is a 5 star exclusive resort located on the south-western tip of Vanua Levu from which there is a wonderful view over Savusavu Harbour.  This is one of only a few intimate island resorts in Fiji that caters for families year round and with their dedicated nanny service, kids Bula Club and special Family Bures families have a wonderful time.  This resort handles the mixing of families and singles/couples very well indeed - Our Specialists have complete details. The Namale Fiji Islands Resort & Spa (also accessed via Savusavu) has only 16 bures even though it’s set in over 300 acres of superb tropical forests and gardens.  This high quality resort has an all-inclusive tariff which includes excellent meals, fine wines and a great list of activities including a great gym, a superb cliff-top spa and even a basketball court, bowling alley and exclusive golf course. All this is set in wonderful natural surroundings.  Namale rates very highly and does not accept children as guests under the age of 13 years. 

Taveuni - known as 'The Garden Isle'.
The Matangi Private Island Resort is a 50 minute combined land and fast boat transfer from Matei Airport Taveuni.  This horseshoe-shaped island has wonderful beaches, top-line facilities and some of the best snorkelling in the South Pacific.  Matangi is known as the ultimate resort for couples.  On another island just a boat ride from Taveuni you’ll find Qamea Resort & Spa, another Adults-only, high quality remote island resort. Qamea has a fabulous beach and stunning snorkelling, matched with a range of premium bure and villa accommodations and an excellent restaurant. 

Our Specialists have visited these wonderful Northern Fiji Islands Resorts and we know that they offer an entirely different Fiji off-shore island holiday experience.  

OUR SOUTHERN ISLANDS
Kadavu Island is located 100 kms south of Viti Levu and is easily accessed by air from Nadi or Suva.  The Matava Resort is an eco-adventure resort which only has 9 bures and can accommodate a maximum of 22 guests.   Diving, surfing, sea kayaks, all types of line and game fishing, bird watching, trekking, whale and dolphin viewing (June to October), are regular activities.  It’s a great spot for weddings and honeymoons.  It’s also a great spot to relax and unwind.  There are magnificent views of the ocean from the veranda of the Honeymoon Bures which are scattered up the rise.

So, there you have it.  We have only just scratched the surface with these few “Thoughts on Fiji” there is a lot more we could have included.  Fiji really has something for everyone.  We have been visiting Fiji for years and we are still surprised and delighted every time.  Our Fiji Specialists would love to help you to enjoy a perfect holiday break in OUR Fiji..

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