Travel: Fiji

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Friday, November 29, 2013

Best Dining Bets

You won't be stuck eating only island-style food cooked in an earth oven, nor will you be limited by New Zealanders' and Australians' traditionally bland tastes, which until recently predominated at many restaurants in Fiji. The Indians brought curries to Fiji, and exciting new restaurants are offering cuisine from around the world.

Here are some of my favorites.

Indigo (Denarau Island; tel. 675 0026): In the Port Denarau shopping and dining complex, Indigo is the second-best Indian restaurant in Fiji, behind Saffron , but it also pulls from Southeast Asian culinary tradition with Thai-style crab and Rendang curry. Most dining is alfresco.

Bullacino (Nadi Town; tel. 672 8638): I've had terrific breakfasts and lunches at this sophisticated coffee shop beside the Nadi River. Unfortunately, it is not open for dinner.

Chefs The Restaurant (Nadi Town; tel. 670 3131): Along with Indigo, this formal restaurant is the creation of Chef Eugene Gomes, who came here from Goa, India. The service is attentive, and the international fare is very good.

Saffron (Nadi Town; tel. 670 1233): Another Eugene Gomes creation, Saffron consistently serves Fiji's best northern Indian cuisine, and it's tops for vegetarians, too.

Nadina Authentic Fijian Restaurant (Queen's Rd., Martintar, Nadi; tel. 672 7313): While most resorts serve native food only on the buffets at their nighttime island feasts, this little restaurant serves great Fijian fare -- such as the luscious ota miti, the tender young shoots of the wood fern served with coconut milk -- round-the-clock.

The Outer Reef Seafood Cafe/Sandbar Restaurant (Queen's Rd., Martintar, Nadi; tel. 672 7201): No other restaurant has as wide an array of seafood as this stylish outdoor cafe. Much of it is flown in fresh from Australia.

Vilisite's Seafood Restaurant (The Coral Coast; tel. 653 0054): This seaside restaurant, owned and operated by a friendly Fijian woman named Vilisite, doesn't look like much from the outside, but it offers a handful of excellent seafood meals to augment a terrific view along the Coral Coast.

Hare Krishna Restaurant (16 Pratt St., Suva; tel. 331 4154): I always have at least one lunch at this clean, casual vegetarian restaurant. Choosing is easy, since everything is presented cafeteria-style.

Maya Dhaba (281 Victoria Parade, Suva; tel. 331 0045): Although inexpensive, Maya Dhaba is Suva's most sophisticated restaurant, offering authentic Indian cuisine at extraordinarily reasonable prices in a hip, urbane environment. Both meat and vegetarian dishes appear here.

Old Mill Cottage (47-49 Carnavon St., Suva; tel. 331 2134): Diplomats and government workers pack this old colonial cottage at breakfast and lunch for some of the region's best and least expensive local fare. Offerings range from English-style roast chicken with mashed potatoes and peas to Fijian-style palusami (fresh fish wrapped in taro leaves and steamed in coconut milk).

Surf 'n' Turf (Copra Shed, Savusavu; tel. 881 0966): A veteran of Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort, Chef Vijendra Kumar is very good with tropical lobsters, and he often accompanies them with ota miti, my favorite Fijian vegetable.

Coconut Grove Restaurant (Matei, Taveuni; tel. 888 0328): I love the fresh banana bread and the Thai fish at Ronna Goldstein's little hotel on Taveuni. Adding to the enjoyment is the view from her veranda of the rocky islets off Taveuni.

Tramontu Bar & Grill (Matei, Taveuni; tel. 888 2224): The pizzas and other fare at this local restaurant aren't that great, but it has a million-dollar view of the Somosomo Strait from its clifftop perch.

Vunibokoi Restaurant (Matei, Taveuni; tel. 888 0560): This plain restaurant on the front porch of the inexpensive Tovu Tovu Resort has one of the best Friday night buffets of Fijian lovo food (cooked in an underground oven).

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

The Best Beaches

Because all but a few islands in Fiji are surrounded by coral reefs, it has no real surf beaches like those so common in, say, Hawaii and Florida. Most islands (and all but a few resorts) have bathtublike lagoons lapping on coral sands draped by coconut palms. Unfortunately, most lagoons in Fiji are shallow at low tide, thus limiting watersports for half the day. This is especially true on the Coral Coast. Fortunately for the environmentalists among us, some of the most spectacular beaches are on remote islands and are protected from development by the islanders' devotion to their cultures and villages' land rights. Needless to say, resort developers have placed their establishments on most of the best. These stand out from the many.

Qalito (Castaway) Island (the Mamanucas): Better known as the home of Castaway Island Resort, hilly Qalito Island ends at a point flanked on both sides by beaches of deep white sand, which helps make Castaway one of Fiji's most popular resorts.

Malolo Island (the Mamanucas): The beach fronting Malolo Island Fiji resort has deep sand, and the lagoon here is deep enough for swimming and snorkeling at most tides. The resort has one of Fiji's best beach bars.

Mana Island (the Mamanucas): Mana Island has beaches on both its sides, but the one on the south coast is worth writing home about. It's so long that it's shared by both Mana Island Resort and bottom-end backpacker hostels.

Matamanoa Island (the Mamanucas): Just enough room exists between Matamanoa's rocky central hill and its beach to shoe-horn in Matamanoa Island Resort. Both the sands and the lagoon here are deep enough to enjoy all the time.

Malololailai Island (the Mamanucas): Connected to the larger Malolo Island by a marshy isthmus, Malololailai is home to three resorts: Musket Cove Island Resort, Lomani Island Resort, and Plantation Island Resort. Although the lagoon is shallow, the beach in front of Lomani and Plantation Island resorts is one of Fiji's most picturesque, with coconut palms hanging over it in places.

Yasawa Island (the Yasawas): Several of Fiji's best beaches are on Yasawa, the northernmost island in the Yasawa chain. One long stretch of sand near the north end is divided by big black rocks flanked by two Fijian villages. Another in front of Yasawa Island Resort and Spa also has rocks plus waves, a rarity among Fijian beaches.

Nanuyalailai Island (the Yasawas): About midway along the Yasawa chain, Nanuya is skirted on its south side by a long beach that wraps around a coconut palm-studded peninsula and keeps on going. Nanuya Island Resort sits on the western end, while Blue Lagoon Cruises uses the sands on the other side of the peninsula.

Nacula Island (the Yasawas): The inexpensive Oarsmans Bay Lodge, on Nacula Island, sits beside one of the top beaches in Fiji, a glorious strip of sand emptying into a lagoon that is deep at all tides.

Natadola Beach (the Coral Coast): Fiji's main island of Viti Levu doesn't have the high-quality beaches found on the country's small islands, but Natadola is the exception. Until recently this long stretch was spared development, but a big resort is coming.

Vatulele Island Resort (Vatulele): The luxury resort on Vatulele Island has new owners and has been undergoing significant changes, but the 1km (1/2 mile) of sand in front of it remains one of the most brilliantly white beaches in Fiji.

Long Beach (Kadavu): Fiji's longest beach runs for several kilometers along the north shore of Kadavu Island, where one resort is under development. In the meantime, visitors have it all to themselves but will have to stay at nearby Papageno Resort or Dive Kadavu/Matana Beach Resort.

Matana Beach (Kadavu): Also on Kadavu's north shore, Matana Beach combines deep white sand with a deep lagoon. Bordered by a Fijian village and Dive Kadavu/Matana Beach Resort, Matana has a fine view westward along Kadavu's shore.

Volivoli Beach (Rakiraki): At the very northern tip of Viti Levu a few kilometers from Rakiraki, lovely Volivoli also has soft white sand, a deep lagoon, and a spectacular view southwestward toward Viti Levu's mountains. You don't have to pay a fortune either, with inexpensive Volivoli Beach Resort just around the corner.

Namenalala Island (off Savusavu): The main beach at the remote little resort known as Moody's Namena is one of the finest I've seen in Fiji, but owners Tom and Joan Moody have marked four other private beaches with OCCUPIED/UNOCCUPIED signs.

Prince Charles Beach (Taveuni): The northern coast of Taveuni has three great beaches within walking distance of each other, the best being Prince Charles Beach, so named because said prince once took a dip in its warm lagoon.

Horseshoe Bay (Matagi Island): Matagi is an extinct volcano whose crater fell away on one side and formed picturesque Horseshoe Bay. The half-moon-shape beach at its head is one of the finest in the islands, but you have to be on a yacht or a guest at Matangi Island Resort to enjoy it.

The Best Buys

Take some extra money along to spend on handicrafts, black pearls, and tropical clothing.

Black Pearls: Long the specialty of French Polynesia and the Cook Islands, black pearls are now being produced in Fiji, and they are reasonably high-quality. The top farm is J. Hunter Pearls (tel. 885 0821; www.pearlsfiji.com) in Savusavu. The peculiarities of the seawater in Savusavu Bay result in unique yellow pearls known as Fiji Gold. The farm shop is the best place to buy them, but they are available in some hotel boutiques and in the Tappoo department stores in Nadi Town and elsewhere.

Handicrafts: Although many of the items you will see in souvenir shops are actually made in Asia, locally produced handicrafts are some of Fiji's best souvenir buys. The most widespread are hats, mats, and baskets woven of pandanus or other fibers, usually by women who have maintained this ancient art. Before the European traders brought printed cotton, Fijians used tapa, the beaten bark of the paper mulberry tree, known here as masi. The resulting cloth is painted with dyes made from natural substances, usually in geometric designs that have ancestries dating back thousands of years. Tapa is an excellent souvenir because it can be folded and brought back in a suitcase. Woodcarvings are also popular. Spears, war clubs, knives made from sharks' teeth, canoe prows, and cannibal forks are some examples. Many carvings, however, tend to be produced for the tourist trade and often lack the imagery of bygone days, and some are now machine-produced.

Tropical Clothing: Colorful hand-screened, hand-blocked, and hand-dyed fabrics are very popular in the islands for making dresses or the wraparound skirt known as a sulu in Fiji. Heat-sensitive dyes are applied by hand to cotton, which is then laid in the sun for several hours. Flowers, leaves, and other designs are placed on the fabric, and, as the heat of the sun darkens and sets the dyes, the shadows from these objects leave their images behind on the finished product.

The Best Cultural Experiences

The Fijians are justly proud of their ancient culture, and they eagerly inform anyone who asks about both their ancient and modern ways. Here are some of the best ways to learn about their lifestyle and explore the environment of their islands.

Fijian Village Visits (nationwide): Many tours from Nadi, the Coral Coast, and most offshore resorts include visits to traditional Fijian villages, whose residents stage welcoming ceremonies (featuring the slightly narcotic drink kava, or yaqona as it's known in Fiji). The hosts then show visitors around and explain how the old and the new combine in today's villages.

Kalevu South Pacific Cultural Centre (the Coral Coast; tel. 652 0200; www.fijiculturalcentre.com): Opposite Shangri-La's Fijian Resort & Spa, this cultural center exhibits handicraft making, cooking, and skills of Fiji, Samoa, and other Pacific islands.

Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park (near Sigatoka, the Coral Coast; tel. 652 0243): Ancient Fijian burial grounds and pieces of pottery dating from 5 B.C. to A.D. 240 have been found among these dunes, which stretch for several miles along Viti Levu's southern coast.

Tavuni Hill Fort (near Sigatoka, the Coral Coast; tel. 650 0818): This best example of a traditional Fijian fort stands atop a hill east of Sigatoka. It renders both a glimpse of what war was like in the old days and a splendid view over the Sigatoka River Valley.

Kula Eco Park (Korotogo, the Coral Coast; tel. 650 0505; www.fijiwild.com): Opposite the Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji, this nature park exhibits most of Fiji's endemic species of birds, reptiles, and mammals. Children are given a chance to handle some of the creatures in a petting zoo.

Waterfall and Cave Tours (the Coral Coast): On walking tours offered by Adventures in Paradise Fiji (tel. 652 0833; www.adventuresinparadisefiji.com), you will be welcomed into a Fijian village plus see a cave and one of the country's many waterfalls.

Arts Village Cultural Centre (Pacific Harbour; tel. 345 0065; www.artsvillage.com): A reconstructed traditional Fijian village built of thatch and other local materials is the centerpiece of this cultural center, which has fire-walking shows in addition to demonstrations of old-time Fijian skills.

Rafting on the Navua River (Pacific Harbour): The Navua River begins in the highlands and ends on the southern coast of Viti Levu, on the way cutting two gorges, one of them dubbed the "Grand Canyon of Fiji." Rafting on the river -- either by inflatable raft through the white-water gorge with Rivers Fiji (tel. 800/446-2411 in the U.S., or 345 0147; www.riversfiji.com) or while riding lashed-together bamboo poles (a bilibili raft) through the lazy lowlands with Discover Fiji Tours (tel. 345 0180; www.discoverfijitours.com) -- is one of Fiji's top outdoor experiences.

Fiji Museum (Thurston Park, Suva; tel. 331 5944; www.fijimuseum.org.fj): The small but very good Fiji Museum has a terrific collection of war clubs, cannibal forks, and other ancient artifacts, plus the rudder of HMS Bounty.

Suva Municipal Market (Usher St. at Rodwell Rd., Suva; no phone): You'll see an enormous amount of tropical produce for sale at Suva's main supplier of food. The market is especially active on Saturday morning.

Rainforest Walks (Savusavu): No wires are in place to allow exploration of the canopy, but earthly gravel pathways lead to a waterfall in Waisali Rainforest Reserve (no phone), a 116-hectare (290-acre) national forest up in the central mountains of Vanua Levu.

Adventure Cruises on the Tui Tai (Savusavu; tel. 885 3032; www.tuitai.com): Passengers on the small but luxurious sailing ship Tui Tai spend much of their time snorkeling, diving, and mountain biking, but they also get to visit Fijian villages on remote islands such as Kioa.

Bouma Falls and Lavena Coastal Walk (Taveuni): Although Taveuni is best known for world-class scuba diving, it's also one of the best places in Fiji to explore the mountainous interior. Bouma Falls National Heritage Park (tel. 888 0390) has three waterfalls, and the Lavena Coastal Walk (tel. 923 9080) leads along the island's nearly deserted east coast to yet another falls -- though you'll need to swim to reach it.

The Best Dive Sites

With nutrient-rich waters welling up from the Tonga Trench offshore and being carried by strong currents funneling through narrow passages, Fiji is famous for some of the world's most colorful soft corals.

All the islands have excellent scuba diving and snorkeling, and all but a few of the resorts either have their own dive operations or can easily make arrangements with a local company. Many dive operators will take snorkelers along; that's my favorite way to go snorkeling in Fiji.

Shark Diving (Pacific Harbour): The dive masters lure tiger, bull, and other sharks by feeding them in these exciting dives off southern Viti Levu. It's not for novices.

Beqa Lagoon (off Beqa Island): Beqa Lagoon has soft corals, especially at Frigate Passage, where they seem to fall over one another.

Great Astrolabe Reef (off Kadavu): Skirting the eastern and southern sides of Kadavu, the Great Astrolabe Reef has lost much of its reef-top soft corals but still has plenty over the sides. It also attracts Fiji's largest concentration of manta rays.

Namena Marine Protected Reserve (off Savusavu): This magnificent barrier reef that nearly surrounds Moody's Namena resort is now a protected marine reserve populated by both soft and hard corals.

Somosomo Strait (off Taveuni): The narrow passage between Vanua Levu and Taveuni is Fiji's most famous site for soft corals, especially its Great White Wall and Rainbow Reef. The snorkeling is very good here, too, but watch out for strong currents and sharks.

The Best of the Old South Seas

Fiji is developing rapidly, with modern, fast-paced towns replacing what were once small villages and sleepy backwater ports. However, a few places still harken back to the old South Sea days of coconut planters, beach bums, and missionaries.

Lautoka: Fiji's second-largest city is still small enough to walk around, and it's genteel citizens normally won't hassle you to "come in, take a look" at their shops. The town was laid out by the British, with broad streets, shady sidewalks, and pleasant parks.

Sigatoka: The riverfront town of Sigatoka, on the Coral Coast, isn't as pleasing to the eye as Lautoka, but it still makes its living not from tourists but from trading with the farmers in the picturesque Sigatoka River Valley. It's the only place in Fiji where I've seen Muslim women wearing head-to-toe burkas.

Kadavu: The long, skinny island of Kadavu, some 100km (60 miles) south of Viti Levu, has a road on one end, but you must take a boat to reach all its best spots. That's one bit of evidence of how little Kadavu has changed. Unlike Fiji's other large islands, it has no sugar-cane farms, no mongooses, no iguanas, no myna birds, and few if any Fiji Indians. The result: It's like the rest of Fiji used to be.

Suva: The British are long gone, and Suva today is the largest, most vibrant city in the South Pacific islands. But among its new high-rise office towers are grand colonial buildings, orderly parks, and a mixed population that dates back to the days of the Raj.

Rakiraki: On the northern tip of Viti Levu, the Fijian village of Rakiraki and its surrounding countryside seem caught in a time warp, provided you don't notice the few small real-estate developments creeping into the hills (will we Westerners ever stop wanting to buy our own piece of paradise?).

Levuka (Ovalau Island): No other town has remained the same after a century as much as has Levuka, Fiji's first European-style town and its original colonial capital in the 1870s. The dramatic cliffs of Ovalau Island hemmed in the town and prevented growth, so the government moved to Suva in 1882. Levuka looks very much as it did then, with a row of clapboard general stores along picturesque Beach Street.

Savusavu: You're apt to see more Americans strolling the streets of picturesque Savusavu than anywhere else in Fiji, since so many of them have purchased land near there, but the town still has the feel of the days when schooners would pick up cargo at places like the Copra Shed.

Taveuni: Fiji's lush "Garden Island" has changed little since Europeans bought land holdings and started coconut plantations in the 19th century. You can stay with descendants of one of those early planters at Vatuwiri Farm Resort (tel. 888 0316; www.vatuwirifiji.com). With a large population of indigenous plants and animals, Taveuni is a nature lover's delight and the best place to go hiking in Fiji.

The Best Offbeat Travel Experiences

Some cynics might say that a visit to Fiji itself is an offbeat experience, but these five really are.

Getting Asked to Dance (nationwide): I've seen so many traditional Fijian meke dance shows that I now stand by the rear door, ready to beat a quick escape before those lovely young women can grab my hand and force me to make a fool of myself by joining them on stage. It's part of the tourist experience at all resorts, and it's all in good fun.

Rise of the Balolo (nationwide): Dawn after the full moon in October sees thousands of Fijians out on the reefs with buckets to snare the wiggling balolo, a coral worm that comes out to mate only then. Actually, the rear ends of the worms break off and swim to the surface, spewing eggs and sperm in a reproductive frenzy lasting only a few hours. Fijians consider the slimy balolo to be their caviar.

Sliding Through a Jungle Canopy (Pacific Harbour): Those of you who have been to Costa Rica or the Amazon may think it's an ordinary thing to do, but sliding along cables strung across a rainforest canopy in Fiji strikes me as offbeat. You can do just that with ZIP Fiji (tel. 930 0545; www.zip-fiji.com) in Pacific Harbour.

Jet-Skiing to Your Hotel (Taveuni): You can get to your Fiji hotel by taxi, ferry, boat, plane, seaplane, helicopter, even on foot, but only at Paradise Taveuni (tel./fax 888 0125; www.paradiseinfiji.com) will you have the option of riding a jet ski.

Living on a Copra Plantation (Taveuni): The first successful industry in Fiji was extracting the meat from coconuts and drying it into copra, from which the oil is extracted for cooking, cosmetics, and other products. In the 19th century, Europeans created large copra plantations, many of which are still operational. You can actually share one of them with the descendants of the original English planter at Vatuwiri Farm Resort (tel. 888 0316; www.vatuwirifiji.com).

The Best Places to Get Away from It All

Some of Fiji's offshore resorts are better at getting away from it all than others. The ones I list below are small enough that you won't have a lot of company, and -- since they are on islands all by themselves -- you won't have people from another property walking along your stretch of private beach.

Wadigi Island Resort (Wadigi Island, the Mamanucas; tel. 672 0901; www.wadigi.com): On a tiny islet, Wadigi Island Resort has just three units, all on top of a peak with a glorious view of nearby Malolo Island and the surrounding Mamanucas. It's expensive and very private, so no one will care if you run around naked.

Matamanoa Island Resort (Matamanoa Island, the Mamanucas; tel. 666 0511; www.matamanoa.com): In the westernmost of the Mamanucas, this remote little resort is one of Fiji's most reasonably priced romantic resorts, and its beach is superb.

Yasawa Island Resort and Spa (Yasawa Island, the Yasawas; tel. 672 2266; www.yasawa.com): Another great honeymoon choice, Yasawa Island Resort and Spa has no neighbors and is therefore very private. Its secluded honeymoon bure (bungalow) has its own private beach and pool.

Lalati Resort & Spa (Beqa Island; tel. 347 2033; www.lalati-fiji.com): Beside picturesque Malumu Bay and enjoying a fine view of the Beqa Lagoon and Viti Levu's southern shore, Lalati appeals to couples looking to dive, or to just get away. The full-service spa is augmented by an air-conditioned lounge with TV and DVD player, and the outdoor pool helps compensate for a poor beach.

Royal Davui Island Fiji (in Beqa Lagoon; tel. 330 7090; www.royaldavui.com): On a tiny, rocky islet in Beqa Lagoon, this luxury resort is set above a small beach. Bungalows are built in an old-growth hillside, but guests are compensated by marvelous views from each unit's plunge pool-equipped veranda.

Dive Kadavu/Matana Beach Resort (Kadavu Island; tel. 368 3502; www.divekadavu.com): Only a 10-minute boat ride from Kadavu's airstrip, this little resort has been a top dive base since 1983, but it has begun using the name Matana Beach Resort to take advantage of its location on one of Fiji's most beautiful beaches.

Matava -- The Astrolabe Hideaway (Kadavu Island; tel. 333 6222; www.matava.com): Much farther than Dive Kadavu from the airstrip -- at least 45 minutes by small boat -- Matava is so eco-friendly it has no air-conditioners and turns on the solar-powered lights only at night. Made primarily of thatch and other natural materials, its bungalows are both basic and charming. It's close to many Great Astrolabe Reef dive sights, but it also specializes in kayaking trips and bird-watching.

The Wakaya Club (Wakaya Island; tel. 344 0128; www.wakaya.com): Except for a few private villas owned by Hollywooders and other well-heeled types, Fiji's top resort has all of Wakaya Island to itself. Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, and other Aussie celebs have been known to take a break at Wakaya on their way home.

Moody's Namena (Namenalala Island, off Savusavu; tel. 881 3764; www.moodysnamenafiji.com): You either take a seaplane or ride a boat for more than an hour to reach Joan and Tom Moody's little resort. Not only is Namenalala surrounded by the fabulous Namea Reef, but the island also has five beaches, four of them so private the pathways leading to them have OCCUPIED/UNOCCUPIED signs to prevent your fellow guests from disturbing you.

Matangi Island Resort (Matagi Island, off Taveuni; tel. 888/628-2644 or 888 0260; www.matangiisland.com): This couples-only resort's honeymoon bungalow up in a Pacific almond tree is both charming and private, and you can walk over the hill and have the gorgeous beach in Horseshoe Bay all to yourselves.

Qamea Resort and Spa (Qamea Island, off Taveuni; tel. 866/867-2632 or 888 0220; www.qamea.com): Qamea's two luxurious honeymoon bungalows are situated on one end of the resort, although I prefer the two other villas with their own plunge pools.

The Best Family Hotels & Resorts

There are no Disney Worlds or other such attractions in Fiji. That's not to say that children won't have a fine time here, for Fiji draws many Australians and New Zealanders on family holidays. It has one of the South Pacific's finest family resorts, and others make provisions for families as well as honeymooners. Kids who like being around and in the water will enjoy themselves most.

With their innate love of children, Fijians are very good at babysitting and staffing the kids' programs at the major resorts.

On the other hand, many of Fiji's small resorts do not accept young children. I point these out in my hotel reviews.

Obvious family choices are the large hotels on Denarau Island. The Fiji Beach Resort & Spa Managed by Hilton, the Sheraton Fiji Resort, the Sheraton Denarau Villas, the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa, the Radisson Resort Fiji Denarau Island, and the Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa are all equipped for families with children. Of them, the Radisson, has Fiji's best swimming-pool complex.

Likewise, the Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji, the Warwick Fiji Resort & Spa, and the Naviti Resort on the Coral Coast all have plenty to keep the kids occupied.

Here are my recommendations among the smaller resorts.

Treasure Island Resort (Luvuka Island, the Mamanucas; tel. 666 6999; www.fiji-treasure.com): Modest but comfortable Treasure Island occupies a tiny, beach-fringed islet, the middle of which has a children's program, a miniature golf course, and baby sea turtles swimming in a breeding pool.

Castaway Island Resort (Qalito Island, the Mamanucas; tel. 800/888-0120 or 666 1233; www.castawayfiji.com): One of Fiji's oldest resorts but thoroughly refurbished, Castaway has plenty to keep both adults and children occupied, from a wide array of watersports to a kids' playroom and a nursery.

Malolo Island Fiji (Malolo Island, the Mamanucas; tel. 666 9192; www.maloloisland.com): This sister of the adults-only Likuliku Lagoon Resort has a fine beach, as well as a shaded swimming pool designed with children in mind.

Mana Island Resort (Mana Island, the Mamanucas; tel. 665 0423; www.manafiji.com): Relatively large Mana Island Resort caters to everyone and gets many day-trippers from Nadi; but the beach is safe, and it has one of the better children's programs in the Mamanuca Islands.

Plantation Island Resort (Malololailai Island, the Mamanucas; tel. 666 9333; www.plantationisland.com): The largest resort in the Mamanucas has long appealed to Australian families, offering a wide range of accommodations and activities, including a children's program with a full-time babysitter.

Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji (Coral Coast; tel. 800/688-7444 or 650 0044; www.outrigger.com): The beach and shallow lagoon at the Outrigger leave much to be desired, but it has an exceptional swimming pool.

Shangri-La's Fijian Resort & Spa (Yanuca Island, the Coral Coast; tel. 866/565-5050 or 652 0155; www.shangri-la.com): The country's largest resort with 442 units, "The Fijian" has a better beach and lagoon than its big rivals on Denarau Island and the Coral Coast. You may exhaust yourself chasing the youngsters around its sprawling grounds, but the hotel has plenty of activities for all ages.

Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort (Savusavu; tel. 800/246-3454 or 885 0188; www.fijiresort.com): Although it appeals equally to couples, Fiji's finest family resort encourages parents to enroll their kids in its exceptional Bula Club, thus keeping the youngsters educated, entertained, and out of sight from breakfast to bedtime.

The Best Romantic Hotels & Resorts

Fiji is a marvelous place for honeymoons and other romantic escapes. I've never stayed anywhere as love-enhancing as a thatched-roof bungalow on the beach. You'll find lots of these in Fiji. A few are built on stilts out over the lagoon, while others have their own swimming pools and hot tubs.

Fiji's numerous small, relatively remote offshore resorts offer as much privacy as you are likely to desire. Many of these establishments have less than 20 bungalows each, instead of the 40 or more found in French Polynesia and elsewhere, which means they are usually widely spaced. Many are even on islands all by themselves.

They are so romantic that a friend of mine says her ideal wedding would be to rent an entire small resort, take her wedding party with her, get married in Fijian costume beside the beach, and make the rest of her honeymoon a diving vacation.

Every offshore resort in Fiji qualifies as a very good romantic retreat, but I'm headed to one of the following when Cupid strikes. Most have full-service spas for your pampering pleasure.

Likuliku Lagoon Resort (Malolo Island, the Mamanucas; tel. 672 4275 or 666 3344; www.likulikulagoon.com). This exquisitely designed resort is tops in the Mamanuca Islands, primarily because it's the first in Fiji with overwater bungalows.

Tokoriki Island Resort (Tokoriki Island, the Mamanucas; tel. 666 1999; www.tokoriki.com): The beach at Tokoriki has erosion problems, but it has five bungalows with their own plunge pools.

Matamanoa Island Resort (Matamanoa Island, the Mamanucas; tel. 666 0511; www.matamanoa.com): It's less luxurious than Tokoriki, but Matamanoa is a good choice for cost-conscious honeymooners, and it has one of Fiji's best beaches.

Turtle Island (Nanuya Levu Island, the Yasawas; tel. 877/288-7853 or 672 2921; www.turtlefiji.com): Fiji's first top-end resort continues to offer romance beside its seemingly landlocked "Blue Lagoon." Its most private bungalow lacks a whirlpool but has a 360-degree view of the lagoon and surrounding islands.

Yasawa Island Resort and Spa (Yasawa Island, the Yasawas; tel. 672 2266; www.yasawa.com): Sitting on one of the prettiest beaches in Fiji, Yasawa Island Resort and Spa has a very low-key, friendly ambience to go with its very large bungalows, the choicest being the secluded honeymoon unit with its own beach (it even has a private pool).

Navutu Stars Resort (Yaqueta Island, the Yasawas; tel. 664 0553; www.navutustarsfiji.com): Also in the Yasawa Islands, Navutu Stars Resort has a spa and yoga sessions in addition to fine food brought to you by its Italian owners.

The Wakaya Club (Wakaya Island; tel. 344 0128; www.wakaya.com): In central Fiji near Ovalau Island, the Wakaya Club is generally considered Fiji's top resort. It has some of the country's largest bungalows, plus a palatial mansion with its own pool, perched high atop a ridge. The staff leaves the guests to their own devices, and you might see a movie star or two relaxing here.

Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort (Savusavu; tel. 800/246-3454 or 885 0188; www.fijiresort.com): "Cousteau" is Fiji's best family hotel. It expertly herds the kids away in the award-winning Bula Club, and young ones are seldom if ever seen in a beautiful honeymoon villa with its own swimming pool.

Namale - The Fiji Islands Resort & Spa (Savusavu; tel. 800/727-3454 or 885 0435; www.namalefiji.com): Motivational speaker Anthony Robbins's luxurious resort also has private, pool-equipped villas plus a bowling alley, golf simulator, and a ton of other toys.

Coconut Grove Beachfront Cottages (Taveuni; tel./fax 888 0328; www.coconutgrovefiji.com): Ronna Goldstein's charming three-unit, bed-and-breakfast-like hotel is one of Fiji's best bargains for anyone, including honeymooners on a budget.

Maravu Plantation Beach Resort & Spa (Taveuni; tel. 866/528-3864 or 888 0555; www.maravu.net): Maravu is not directly on the beach (a picturesque one is just across the road); but bungalows come equipped with hot tubs, and the honeymoon unit is built up in a tree.

Matangi Island Resort (Matagi Island, off Taveuni; tel. 888/628-2644 or 888 0260; www.matangiisland.com): One of the widely spaced bungalows at Matangi Island Resort is built up in a Pacific almond tree, while two others are carved in the side of a cliff. They all have outdoor bathrooms.

Qamea Resort and Spa (Qamea Island, off Taveuni; tel. 866/867-2632 or 888 0220; www.qamea.com): Among my favorite places to stay are the charming, old South Seas-style bungalows at Qamea Island Resort and Spa. More luxurious still are the two units specifically designed for honeymooners and two more with their own plunge pools. Kerosene lanterns romantically light the 16m-high (52-ft.) thatched roof of Qamea's main building at night.

The Most Beautiful Islands

"In the South Seas," Rupert Brooke wrote in 1914, "the Creator seems to have laid himself out to show what He can do." How right the poet was, for all across the South Pacific lie some of the world's most dramatically beautiful islands. In my opinion, the best of the lot have jagged mountain peaks plunging into aquamarine lagoons. All these islands are beautiful, but I think the following stand out from the pack.

Monuriki: Tom Hanks spent a lot time filming Castaway on lovely Monuriki, one of the westernmost of the Mamanuca Islands. A rocky central mountain drops down to the beach where Hanks figured out how to pry open a coconut.

Yasawa: This long, narrow island off the northwest coast of Viti Levu has several of Fiji's best beaches scattered among its rolling hills. It's also home to Yasawa Island Resort and Spa, one of Fiji's best offshore hotels.

Waya: Near the southern end of the Yasawa chain, Waya Island is one of the few in Fiji with the combination of cliffs and sheer basaltic peaks I find so appealing in the Pacific islands.

Beqa: Off Viti Levu's southern coast, Beqa has no roads cutting through its hills. Lovely Malumu Bay, one of Fiji's more scenic spots, nearly bisects Beqa, and it's all surrounded by the magnificent Beqa Lagoon.

Kadavu: About 60km (37 miles) long and just 14km (8 1/2 miles) across at its widest point, Kadavu is Fiji's unspoiled nature preserve. Native birds and other wildlife live in abundance on Kadavu, given the absence of mongooses, iguanas, myna birds, and other introduced predators. The Great Astrolabe Reef provides great diving off the eastern and southern shores.

Ovalau: The sheer cliffs of Ovalau kept the town of Levuka from becoming Fiji's modern capital, but they create a dramatic backdrop to an old South Seas town little changed in the past century. Ovalau has no good beaches, which means no resorts alter its landscape.

Savusavu: Savusavu isn't an island but almost seems like it, since it sits on a peninsula separated from the main part of Vanua Levu by spectacular, mountain-surrounded Savusavu Bay, which is so large the U.S. Navy considered hiding the Pacific fleet there during World War II.

Qamea and Matagi: These little jewels off the northern coast of Taveuni are lushly beautiful, with their shorelines either dropping precipitously into the calm surrounding waters or forming little bays with idyllic beaches.

Introduction

More than just a source of pristine bottled water and an idyllic honeymoon destination in the South Pacific, Fiji is a friendly place whose residents welcome travelers with a heartfelt "bula!" (health). Its cultural mix shows up in its traditional fire walking ceremonies, Indian restaurants, Chinese supermarkets, and the European influence of Christianity. More than 100 of Fiji's 300-plus islands are inhabited. Seek out Robinson Crusoe-like isolation on tiny Monuriki or pampered indulgences in resort-heavy Nadi or Denarau.

Sightseeing

Suva, the capital city on the largest island (Viti Levu) is home to half of Fiji's population and the Fiji Museum, which tells the country's story through musical instruments, cooking tools, and war clubs. It's miles and miles of windswept, undulating sand, some dunes as high as 60 feet, at the island's Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park. Hop over to Nadi on the west coast for the colorful Hindu Sri Siva Subrahmaniya Swami Temple, the largest in the southern hemisphere.

Eating and Drinking

If asked, say yes to a drink of pungent yaqona, a relaxing traditional drink made from kava root. For a no-frills lunch in Nadi tuck into a filling pumpkin curry. Fijians love their lashings of coconut milk, served with ota miti, the tender young shoots of the wood fern, or in palusami to steam fresh fish wrapped in taro leaves. Juicy pineapples and mangos from Suva Municipal Market will satisfy any sweet cravings.

Active Pursuits

On the island of Viti Levu, hike the Koroyanitu National Heritage Park and explore the ecotourism village of Abaca -- from here you can reach forests of the protected native Dakua tree, sacred to Fijians. Sea kayaking is popular among many of Fiji's small islands, especially the shores of Kadavu. Divers love the narrow passage between Vanua Levu and Taveuni, Fiji's most famous site for soft corals, especially its Great White Wall and Rainbow Reef.

Relaxation

Complete escape is what the sunny, secluded beaches of Monuriki are all about, and this is also where Castaway with Tom Hanks was filmed. Halfway between Nadi and Lautoka and off the beaten track, you'll find Sabeto Hot Springs, home to therapeutic yet refreshing muddy waters. Swim in the warm bays on the Yasawa Islands, or enjoy the deep white sand and turquoise lagoons of Matana Beach on Kadavu.

Planning a Trip

Drawn by Fiji's beauty and charm -- as well as its reputation as a safe haven in this time of international terrorism -- record numbers of visitors are discovering this vast and varied paradise. Although many of them stayed away in the months following the December 2006 coup, Australians and New Zealanders -- for whom Fiji is as convenient as the Caribbean is to Americans and Canadians, or the Greek Isles are to Europeans -- are especially prevalent in Fiji.

A pre-coup tourism boom brought numerous new resorts and other facilities, but the country's overall tourism business dropped off significantly immediately following the coup. With fewer tourists and more competition from the new properties, the local travel industry has been luring visitors with reduced prices for hotel rooms, cruises, and airfares. As a result, this is an excellent time to visit Fiji -- and save money while you're at it.

No single clearinghouse markets specials, but many show up on the Australian-oriented www.etravelblackboard.com. Also check with the Fiji Visitors Bureau and contact travel agents who specialize in package tours and independent travel to Fiji.

With Australian and New Zealand business down significantly, it has been easier to find a hotel room on the dates you want to travel. That was not always the case during Fiji's recent tourism boom.

In Depth

You'll see why I like Fiji so much as soon as you get off the plane, clear Customs and Immigration, and are greeted by a procession of smiling faces, all of them exclaiming an enthusiastic "Bula!" That one word -- "health" in Fijian -- expresses the warmest and most heartfelt welcome I have ever received anywhere.

Fiji's great diversity will also be immediately evident, for the taxi drivers who whisk you to your hotel will not be Fijians of Melanesian heritage, but Indians whose ancestors migrated to Fiji from places like Calcutta and Madras. Now about 38% of the population, these Fiji Indians have played major roles in making their country the most prosperous of the independent South Pacific island nations.

Fiji has a lot to offer in terms of raw material for building the region's largest tourism industry. In the most-visited areas -- and especially on Fiji's marvelous offshore islets -- you'll find gorgeous white-sand beaches bordered by curving coconut palms, azure lagoons, and colorful reefs offering world-class scuba diving and snorkeling, green mountains sweeping to the sea, and a tropical climate in which to enjoy it all.

Fiji has something for every budget. Its wide variety of accommodations ranges from deluxe resorts nestled in tropical gardens beside the beach to down-to-basics hostels that cater to the young and young-at-heart. Out on its 300-plus islands is one of the largest and finest collections of small, Robinson Crusoe-like offshore resorts I have ever seen.

Although it has been in the news because of its military coups (four of them, most recently in Dec 2006), visitors have not directly been affected by the political tensions. The 2006 coup was completely peaceful and not completely unwelcomed by many in Fiji. I recently spent the better part of 2 months traveling throughout the country, and I saw no evidence that there had even been a coup. From a traveler's point of view, everything was working normally. Travel advisories by the New Zealand government notwithstanding, politics in Fiji, to my mind, should not determine whether you visit these marvelous islands and their extraordinarily friendly inhabitants.

Before you start making your plans, let's see what Fiji is like today, review the fascinating story of how it got to this point, take a look at its mix of cultures and languages, and get a glimpse of its natural environment.

"Fiji Time" -- There's an old story about a 19th-century planter who promised a South Pacific islander a weekly wage and a pension if he would come to work on his copra plantation. Copra is dried coconut meat, from which oil is pressed for use in soaps, cosmetics, and other products. Hours of backbreaking labor are required to chop open the coconuts and extract the meat by hand.

The islander was sitting by the lagoon, eating fruit he had picked from nearby trees while hauling in one fish after another. "Let me make sure I understand you," said the islander. "You want me to break my back working for you for 30 years. Then you'll pay me a pension so I can come back here and spend the rest of my life sitting by the lagoon, eating fruit from my trees and the fish I catch? I may not be sophisticated, but I am not stupid."

The islander's response reflects an attitude still prevalent in Fiji, where many people don't have to work in the Western sense. Here life moves at a slow pace, which the locals call "Fiji Time."

Consequently, do not expect the same level of service rendered in most hotels and restaurants back home. The slowness is not slothful inattention; it's just the way things are done here. Your drink will come in due course. If you must have it immediately, order it at the bar. Otherwise, relax with your friendly hosts and enjoy their charming company.

Active Pursuits

Fiji is a dream for active travelers who are into diving, snorkeling, swimming, boating, and other watersports. You can also play golf and tennis, or hike into the jungle-clad mountainous interiors of the islands. Kayaking is popular everywhere, and Fiji has river rafting. Good biking can be had along the many roads skirting colorful lagoons. Here's a brief rundown of my favorite active pursuits.

Some travel companies have tours combing several outdoor activities in one trip. For example, Colorado-based the World Outdoors (tel. 800/488-8483; www.theworldoutdoors.com) includes mountain biking, hiking, river rafting, sea kayaking, snorkeling, and sailing in its "Fiji Multi-Sport" tour. Travelwizard (tel. 800/330-8820; www.travelwizard.com) sells diving and surfing packages to Fiji and French Polynesia. Likewise Fiji Adventures tel. 866/755-3453; www.fijiadventures.com) has diving, surfing, river rafting, and windsurfing expeditions to Fiji.

On the Web, Gordon's Guide (www.gordonsguide.com) compiles adventure tours from around the world. It's a good place to search for Fiji-specific adventure trips in a variety of categories.

Suggested Itineraries

People often ask me where they should go and what they should do in Fiji. While I cannot plan their vacations for them, I can in this chapter give some recommendations to help you personalize your own visit to Fiji. The end result will depend on what you want to see and do, how much time you have, and how much money you want to spend.

For a majority of its visitors, especially those from nearby Australia and New Zealand, Fiji is one of those "3-S" tropical destinations -- as in, sun, sea, and sand. For those relaxing diversions, I think you should choose one resort in your price range and stay there for the better part of your vacation.

You could spend your entire vacation in Nadi or one of the nearby islands, but you will miss what I consider to be the best parts of Fiji. This is a country of more than 300 gorgeous islands, and -- in order to get a sense of this diversity -- I would try to experience more than one.

By that I do not mean island hopping in the Mamanuca or Yasawa islands off Nadi. Those islands and their resorts are variations on the same theme, and you would waste valuable time jumping from one similar environment to another.

While Aussies and Kiwis can fly up here for a weekend, the long flights coming and going mean the rest of us burn a whole day getting to Fiji and another day returning home. Consequently, we Northern Hemisphere folk should certainly spend at least 1 week here, or more if we can.

When planning your trip, first find out both the international and domestic airlines' schedules, and try to book all domestic inter-island flights at the same time as your international flights. Do not wait until you arrive in Fiji to take care of this important chore.

And remember the travel agent's classic advice: Never stay at the most luxurious property first. Anything after that will seem inferior, and you will likely come home disappointed.

Maps

Customize your trip planning experience by plotting selected points of interest using our interactive map of Fiji.
Plan your trip around all of Fiji, or focus in on specific Fiji neighborhood maps if you prefer.

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