Fiji travel guide

An amazing 5 km walk which first follows some of Fiji's most beautiful coastline for then goes through a lush valley before ending at a gushing waterfall with a cool natural pool. A second hidden waterfall can be reached if you swim between the sheer walls to the last pool right below the big waterfall. You can jump from both waterfalls, but let a local show you first. The trail is well beaten and pass villages, white sandy beaches, black sandy beaches, and across rivers. About halfway are some black rock "mushrooms" where the coral base has been eroded. You have to come back the same way, making it a 10 km hike, which normally takes about three hours for the return journey, but you could easily spend more time swimming.

Nacula is another very beautiful island among the Yasawas. The beach at Blue Lagoon is postcard perfect with fine sand and fringed by coconut palms. There is a reef right at the shore and though it's pretty with plenty of fish, it's not as good as the coral garden at Nanuya Balavu Island. But as Nacula Island is volcanic the inland hilly with several soft peaks. A trail follows the rugged ridge and offes amazing panoramic views of the island and some of the rest of the Yasawas. The trail ends high above the Nacula village, so you have to backtrack the same way you came.

No traveller likes Nadi. It's not because it's horrible, far from, but it's just a place you eventually will spend way more time in than anticipated while travelling in Fiji. Downtown Nadi is small. The main street is full of souvenir shops and touts, but the nice covered market has a bustle with friendly vendors. However, most budget travellers stay down at New Town Beach, where there are plenty of hostels. The sparkling new area of Denarau, where the ferry terminal is, tries to be posh with many upscale resorts, but it's beyond us why anyone who goes to Fiji will stay for longer periods at one of Fiji's most crap beaches, when paradisaic Mamanuca and Yasawa islands are literally right at the doorstep.

Nanuya Balavu Island is just one among the many Yasawa Islands. There are of course picture-postcard palm fringed sandy beaches, which the Yasawa Islands are so famous for, but the snorkeling here is some of the best. Amazing coral garden, colourful reef fish and even reef sharks, all accessible right from the shore of the resort, no boat ride is necessary. The channel between Nanuya Balavu and neighbouring Drawaqa islands is famous for manta rays, which can be spotted between late May and early October. For something to do inbetween snorkelling, there is a narrow trail which follows the ridge of the hill. It's a short but steep hike. At low tide you can just walk back along the shore, else you have to hike back.

A lovely long, but narrow, stretch of golden sand with plenty of shady trees. The snorkelling should also be good here. The picture is taken right after a cyclone -
normally, the beach isn't littered with trash.

Limestone Sawa-i-Lau Island stands out amid the other Yasawa Islands, which are volcanic. Sawa-i-Lau houses two caves, both with coldish sea water. The first cave is easy accessible from a set of stairs. The cave roof is 15 m high and shafts of sunlight shines through a hole. You can swin in the cold water natural pool. The second cave is adjoined and accessible through a short dive through an underwater passage. It’s totally dark, so a torch is necessary. You have to swim the whole time, but there are rocks here and there to stand on. A scene of the movie The Blue Lagoon was apparently shot inside the first cave. The is cave owned by the village across the channel and these days it’s locked, so you need to go on a tour, but you will need the guide’s knowledge and waterproof torch anyway. In high season it can gets really crowded with several groups in the caves at the same time.

With a "soaring" population of almost 170,000, Suva is not only Fiji's capital, but also the largest city in the South Pacific. It's a real port town with a busy harbour and bustling downtown. But it doesn't feel big as few buildings over five floors and spread out over lush hills with lots of shady trees. There are still a handful of gracious colonial buildings, but there is nothing Pacific beauty over Suva, but nevertheless it's a pleasant encounter. There are plenty of markets, parks and great eateries to keep any visitor busy for a day.

Three dramatic waterfalls which plunge out from the green jungle into refreshing chilled pools. With a 24 m drop the first waterfall is the talles and lies just an easy stroll from the simple visitor centre. The second waterfall is about another 30 minutes hike along the well marked trail through the jungle (two options; bush walk or river crossing). The third waterfall (pictured) is another 20 minutes hike from the second. The last part can be seriously slippery and muddy when wet, so be careful. The jungle trail is easy to follow as there are steps, rails and even ropes. A rushed return trip can be done in two hours, though the information board states three hours.