Fiji backpackers guide from island hopping for beach bum's to exploring the naturqal environment and culture. Beautiful Pacific provides an efficient booking service for many fiji backpacker resorts and offers unbeatable knowledge with discounted hostel rates.
Fiji backpackers arrive at Nadi Airport on the west coast of Viti Levu, the main island in Fiji. The following guide provides a basic understanding of what each region offers and what accommodation options there are.
Nadi and around
Nadi is a rather nondescript suburban sprawl set slightly inland from a mangrove coastline. There is a pleasant beach area at Nadi Bay (Wailoaloa Beach) and little commercial development except a handful of backpacker hostels where most budget travellers base themselves. The ocean here is too murky for snorkelling but the views looking out to the offshore islands and along the coast towards majestic mountains that surround Nadi. If you need shopping, Nadi Town has an excellent selection of Internet cafes, boutique shops, lots of department stores offering cheap clothes and several great restaurants. Bars and nightclubs are hard to find and can be on the rough side - the exception being Ed's Bar in Martintar. If you like exploring, Nadi makes a good base and offers the most affordable rooms and dorm beds in Fiji.
Travellers Beach Resort, Nadi Bay F$ 82 - 123 per couple / F$ 34 dorm
Travellers Beach Resort fronts Wailoaloa Beach with a restaurant, small swimming pool and pool table and offers rather tired but very affordable rooms in the main building and dorm beds across the road. This is a good choice for those looking for a quiet "no thrills" beachfront property.
Nadi Bay Resort, Nadi Airport F$ 91 - 190 per couple / F$ 36 dorm
Nadi Bay Hotel is a popular and lively backpacker hostel with two swimming pools, mini theatre and games room, five houses with dorms and an excellent restaurant. Walking distance to Nadi's best bars and clubs, this is a good choice for those wanting to sample Fiji's nightlife before exploring the islands.
Aquarius Beach Resort, Nadi Bay F$ 126 - 138 per couple / F$ 32 dorm
Aquarius Fiji is a converted beach house offering budget travellers a friendly and intimate place to stay beside Nadi's best beachfront location overlooking the offshore islands. Aquarius has just a handful of double rooms with private bathrooms plus dorm rooms, a communal lounge, small restaurant and swimming pool.
Horizon Backpackers, Nadi Bay F$ 55 - 85 per couple / F$ 15 dorm
Horizon Backpackers is the cheapest backpacker accommodation in Nadi Beach. Long established, less than a minute walk to the ocean, this small hostel has affordable rooms, internet room and baggage storage. The hostel is adjacent to Smugglers Resort with its lively bar.
Around Viti Levu (the main island) You can explore the offshore islands of day and sailing cruises or venture into the interior on 4WD tours or along the Coral Coast on historical and sightseeing tours. There is also excellent rainforest along this coast which you can explore on rafting trips or on hiking trails.
The Beach House is a small friendly family run backpacker hang-out attracting travellers of all ages. With a pretty beach side location, tall coconut trees and mature landscaped gardens, the Beachouse is a long-established stopover on the route between Nadi and Suva, or a great base for chilling.
Feejee Experience, Viti Levu F$ 390 per couple for 1 Night
The Feejee Experience is the only sightseeing tour that explores the main island of Viti Levu and gets you to some wonderful beach locations, historical sites, traditional villages, tropical rainforests, to the capital city of Suva and along the remote Sunshine Coast. Hop-on and -off along the way.
Robinson Crusoe Island, Nadi Rural F$ 150 - 189 per couple / $ 39 dorm - includes meals
Robinson Crusoe island is a lively backpacker party island on a small private island about a ten minute boat ride off Natadola Beach. With theme evenings. large dorm rooms and plenty of activities centred around its white sand beachfront, this is a good choice for those looking to have fun and meet other party-minded travellers.
The Mamanuca & Yasawa Islands Fiji's most popular beach destination is the Mamanuca Islands and Yasawa Islands off the west coast of Nadi Airport. These islands enjoy Fiji's sunniest weather but the islands lack dense tropical vegetation and have instead rolling grassy hills. They are easy to get around and explore and are blessed with gorgeous white sandy beaches sandwiched by swaying coconut trees and turquoise lagoons. This is the stuff of dreams.
The Mamanuca Islands, being closest to Nadi, are a lot more commercialized and most islands have up market beach resorts. However, there are a couple of small islands with lively budget beach resorts which appeal to the party style backpacker market. The closest of the Mamanuca Islands takes just 30 minutes by fast catamaran ferry.
Beachcomber Island, Mamanucas F$ 274 per couple / F$ 72 dorm
Beachcomber Island Resort is an all night party style island aimed at backpackers and the young at heart. The island is tiny taking just 5 minutes to walk around but with plenty of water sports and beach activities to keep guests occupied during the day. Large dorm rooms plus private ensuite rooms.
Ratu Kini Backpackers, Mamanucas F$ 76 - 94 per couple / F$ 12 dorm
Ratu Kini's is a budget backpackers on the beautiful whiter sandy south beach of Mana Island. With easy access from the backpacker hostels along Wailoaloa Beach in Nadi, this is a beach lovers paradise where there's little more to do than lounge in the sun and swim or snorkel in the lagoon. Ideal for those not wanting to travel far.
Funky Fish Resort, Mamanucas F$ 108 - 169 per couple / F$ 36 dorm
Funky Fish Resort is a small backpacker property on Malolo Island, with fabulous ocean views from the hillside restaurant. The beach is tidal and the lagoon too shallow for swimming but a swimming pool makes up for this and there are daily surfing trips to Malolo Barrier Reef and pleasant walks in the hills.
Yasawa Islands
Extending north is a chain of 15 islands with budget beach resorts aimed at the backpacker market. Most of these resorts are owned and operated by locals and are built on customary village land. Some are very basic with poor standards of hygiene and sewerage systems whilst others are well managed and offer activities and day trips. Accommodation typically consists of one or two thatch bungalows (bures) with ensuite bathrooms, a handful of private bungalows with shared bathrooms and a couple of mixed dormitories sleeping around 8 people. Electricity is powered by diesel run generators and water is cold and usually drinkable. Meals are served as a set menu and are included in the price. Standards of quality and the services provided differ from one place to another and tend to change over short periods. The Yasawa Travel Pass enables transfers along the chain including accommodation stops at our recommended resorts at the time of travel. Snorkelling is generally excellent in both the Yasawa and Mamanuca islands, although sometimes the best spots are on outer reefs reached by short boat trips. There are hiking trails throughout the hills offering fine coastal views over the lagoons.
Manta Ray Island Resort, Yasawas F$ 138 per couple / F$ 50 dorm
Manta Ray is a modern, Australian owned backpacker resort with basic yet comfortable accommodation and lots of organized activities. Set alongside a gorgeous turquoise lagoon, close to the Manta Ray lagoon (May-Oct), the focus here is on keeping guests active and happy.
The Outer Islands
For adventurers and diving enthusiasts, the Northern Islands is the best destination, particularly Taveuni. This rain forest clad island has some fantastic walking trails in national Parks with waterfalls and lush rain forest. This is also Fiji's finest dive destination with the fantastic soft corals of the Rainbow Reef a major attraction. Flights connect Nadi and Taveuni twice a day and take 1 hour 10 minutes. Alternatively, Kadavu in the south offers off the beaten track adventures or the Ovalau Region offers great beaches and snorkeling lagoon and is less commercial than the popular backpacker trail of the Yasawa Islands.
