Devin and I were very excited to confirm Fiji as an ABAD shoot location for the first time, but were taken by surprise by how breathtaking and exciting the islands were. Of course, we knew it would be beautiful, but horseback riding on the beach, exploring the caves from “Blue Lagoon” and dining on a beach under the stars were just a few of the unforgettable moments we did not expect to experience.
With nine days to spare, we chose to visit Savusavu Island and The Yasawa Island chains; highly recommended destinations which definitely did not disappoint!
Fiji not only makes for an amazing back drop in photos, it is a truly special and magnificent part of the world and is definitely a bikini destination we recommend visiting. We hope you find our guide to Fiji helpful in planning your next tropical vacation.
(See all of our favorite moments from our trip in video at end of article)
Essentials for packing
No need for high heels and fancy going out dresses here. Pack for ultimate relaxation and comfort!
Hiking or running shoes
Sandals or flip flops
Sarong
Beach cover up/jumpsuit
Multiple bikinis
Workout clothes (we enjoyed playing tennis!)
Shorts
Tank top/T-shirt
Casual dinner dress/kaftan
Transport
Fiji is made up of more than 332 islands, 110 of which are permanently inhabited. The two we chose to visit were Savusavu Island and The Yasawa Island chains. Both are accessible through private plane transfers or for Savusavu transfers are available with Fiji Airways/ FIJI Link from one of the main islands, Nadi. The flight from Nadi to Namale is around 1 1/2 hrs, Nadi to Yasawa is around 30 minutes. Both flights have beautiful views and the plane in Yasawa lands on a grass runway, which we loved! Hotels will provide transportation and airport transfers so no need to rent your own car.
Flight times to Fiji are around:
LA > FIJI 10hrs / SYD > FIJI 4hrs / LND > FIJI 20hrs
Fijian culture
Fiji has three official languages: Fijian, Fiji Hindi and English. This is due to the fact that Fiji has been influenced greatly by Indian, Chinese and European cultures. Fiji has evolved to have a very unique multicultural national identity which makes for a lot of fun at Bollywood dance nights, Kava Bowl ceremonies and musical performances! The local people are extremely kind and always helpful; they make you feel like family no matter who you are.
Food
Our resorts included all inclusive offers with all-you-can-eat meals, which was great because there weren’t many, or even sometimes any, restaurant options.
Nightlife
It’s all about the day time in Fiji. We were in bed by 8 or 9 p.m. every night, exhausted from the fun-filled days. At night, we would join the other resort guests to watch cultural performances, or enjoy a beachside dinner before heading back to our villa.
Activities
Savusavu:
Beach Day- Lined with palm trees, have lunch and cocktails delivered to your beach chair and enjoy the white sand and turquoise water until sunset (usually completely alone)!
Snorkeling/Diving- Explore the Kora Sea on a snorkeling or diving sea adventure.
Horseback riding- We absolutely loved that the Namale has horse riding as an activity. We took a ride on the beach in our bikini tops. Heaven!
Reef Walks- The resorts water front is surrounded by reefs which are filled with wildlife, and they even have a blowhole that will go up to 6-8 meters!
“Dine out”- Dinner on the beach. The resort has many remote locations that they will organize a sunset/evening dine out for you and your friend or lover. Eating on the beach, candle lit, was a very special experience!
Bowling/Games- The Namale has its own bowling alley, we repeat, the Namale has its own bowling alley! We were jumping like kids with excitement about this: the game room features virtual golf, ice hockey, a two lane bowling alley and pool.
Visit to town/shopping- A visit to the local town to see the markets and shop for some souvenirs was a great little outing.
Spa- Not just your ordinary spa. Apart from the ocean front treatment rooms, the Namale spa features a hydro-aromatherapy area with hot tubs, steam room, plunge pool and waterfall massage pool, all which over look the ocean… yeah, we loved it.
Tennis/golf- We opted for a few games of tennis; it was like bikram tennis so if you can’t handle the heat, you may want to opt for the ice cold air conditioned gym! Golf is also available.
Yasawa:
Private Beach Day- The Yasawa Resort boasts 11 private beaches, all accessible by boat. The resort offers day trips for couples or groups and provides ready to go picnic baskets for a day of complete privacy on your own private beach. How cool is that!?
Basket Weaving- Learn how to weave in the traditional Fijian way. We loved this; it’s always good to get involved with some culturally enriching activities!
Cave exploration- We had no idea that Yasawa was where part of the movie Blue Lagoon was filmed until the resort manager, James, asked us if we wanted to go on the cave exploration trip! A half an hour boat ride leads you to a mountain with amazing hidden caves. Once you are inside, you swim from one cave underwater to a pitch black cave lit only by the tour guides flash light; scary but seriously amazing!
Spa- As if this resort isn’t relaxing enough already, they also have a heavenly full service spa.
Scuba diving- exploring the crystal clear waters and marine life on a scuba diving day trip!
Accommodation
Savusavu Island:
This all inclusive resort is arguably the best in Savusavu. From the minute you arrive at the tiny airport and are greeted by your driver you feel at home and the minute you leave you definitely feel like you are leaving a new found family behind! Great for a couple wanting a romantic and relaxing getaway or groups of couples, The Namale has 1,2 and 3 bedrooms villas/”bure” options complete with their own pools/jacuzzis, ocean front views, in door and outdoor showers and much more. Our favorite part of the hotel was the beautiful beach which was lined with palm trees but another favorite of the guests is the Bowling Alley and game room!
All inclusive room rates range from $900- 2000 per night.
The Yasawas:
Arriving at the Yasawa resort is a very cool experience, (but possibly scary for the light hearted) the pilot lands on a narrow grass runway which has a grass hut and that’s it… probably our new favorite airport! Yasawa Resort is best known for its 11 private beaches and get this: no wifi or tv for the ultimate getaway and relaxation zone! Our villa/bure fronted a semi private beach lined with palm trees and had its own private infinity pool, absolute perfection!
Weather
The climate in Fiji is tropical marine and warm year round with minimal extremes. Warm season is from November to April and the cooler season lasts from May to October. Temperature in the cool season still averages 22 °C (72 °F) so there is really isn’t a bad time to visit!
Lingo
Bula! (buh- la) means Hello or Goodbye in Fijian! Don’t be afraid to use this one, you will hear it A LOT!
Vinaka (Vin-aka) means thank you, or you’re welcome!
Final Travel Tips
The Fijian sun is very strong! Make sure you wear sunscreen and sun protection at all times. We got burned even under an umbrella with sunscreen on, so please be careful and limit your time in the sun!
We loved flying Fiji Airways and felt the welcoming spirit of Fiji from the minute we stepped onto the plane in Los Angeles! We would highly recommend flying with them!
Fiji is amazing for couples, families and groups of friends. There is truly something for everyone!
We think 1 week-10 days is the perfect amount of time to spend in Fiji.
Bon Voyage
There are so many beautiful tropical destinations to choose from but we definitely recommend Fiji to couples located in Australia, NZ or the US West Coast. It’s an easy plane ride, has stunning scenery and is very relaxing and romantic. What stood out the most about Fiji were the Fijian people, they were so friendly and welcoming, as well as and the turquoise waters, white sand beaches and warm nights!
(Special thank you to Fiji airways for making it possible for one of our followers to win a trip to Fiji with the person of their choice. Congratulations to Carly Chambers for winning, we hope you and your boyfriend love your trip to Fiji as much as Devin and I did!)
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