This is the start of DouDou’s travelogue from her 2009 trip to Fiji. Back then, Fiji Airways—called Air Pacific when I flew—had just launched its maiden flight to Hong Kong. I remember there were special deals, and flying to Nadi during Christmas cost less than 4,000 HKD. Now that it's become more popular, you'd probably only find such prices during the off-season.
The departure date was Boxing Day, and we returned on New Year’s Eve. We stayed at the Novotel near the airport, sharing a room with a friend. It was only 200 HKD per person per night, breakfast included. The location wasn’t very convenient—it was on the edge of Nadi—but if you joined local tours every day, it wasn’t a big issue. The hotel transfer could pick us up here.
Nadi is Fiji’s main tourist hub, while the capital Suva is more focused on business. As a result, most hotels on the main island of Viti Levu are located around Nadi, Denarau Port, and Pacific Harbour. There are also hotels in Suva, but local tours rarely pick up passengers there, so it’s a bit harder to arrange tours.
Coming to Fiji was an impulse decision—I didn’t plan anything and just flew here. But truthfully, there’s no need to worry too much once you’re here. The hotel service desks definitely provide ample information. Seven years ago, the internet was already widespread in Hong Kong, but not so in Fiji back then, so there was no online info available. However, when I returned to Fiji six years later, local tour information around Nadi was already quite comprehensive. The previous World Heritage site I visited, Levuka, had very limited information when I went, but a year after writing the travelogue, it had improved considerably.
Local tours in Fiji can generally be divided into three types: sea-based, mountain-based, and cultural. During my four-day stay, I experienced all three. Since transportation in Fiji remains quite inconvenient (as of the end of 2016), independent travel or self-driving can be a bit challenging. The deep mountains aren’t for the faint-hearted, and exploring the sea requires relying on local boat operators. Therefore, joining local tours is actually simpler and more relaxing. (In fact, joining local tours is quite common across the South Pacific.)
On the first day, my friend and I joined the Navua River Inland Tour. Typically, inland tours in Fiji pass through two main rivers: the Sigatoka River, which is closer to Nadi, and the Navua River, which is closer to Suva. The two tours are quite similar, so you can choose either one.
I can’t remember why I chose the more distant Navua River. Many inland tours don’t operate on Sundays, so keep that in mind. The drive from Nadi took quite a long time. Although the scenery along the way was beautiful, my friend fell asleep.
I don’t quite remember anymore, but I think there were no stops along the way, except for a small village before getting on the boat.
The layout of the village—we wandered around leisurely for a while.
The tour group members were very interested in the goods from this southern island nation.
But I was more interested in the supermarket—the most famous product there is Fiji Water, haha.
Afterward, we took a small boat to go inland. It was sunny when we arrived by car, but it started raining as soon as we reached the Navua River dock.
We all got wet. Even though it was summer, I still remember shivering from the cold.
Navua River.
Along the river, there were small villages where locals lived—some fishing, some washing clothes—and they greeted us warmly when they saw us.
It’s these kinds of scenes that made me feel this place was still amazing when I returned here six years later.
Finally, we arrived at the village. As for the name of the village, well, I’ve completely forgotten, haha.
Some villagers acted as greeters (?) or something, wearing traditional formal attire to welcome us as we disembarked.
Then we entered the house where we were received—it felt like the village council hall (I called it the common house), where many activities take place.
Kava Ceremony. In Fiji, besides drinking Fiji Water, the most likely drink you’ll try is Kava. Almost every local tour includes this ceremony. Kava has a numbing taste, and drinking too much can give you a drunk-like feeling. I only dared to have a little, but for the locals, Kava is believed to strengthen the body if consumed regularly, and can cure all ailments if drunk when you’re feeling weak.
Next came the welcome dance, where we were invited to join in the dancing.
After the dance, while waiting for the next part of the itinerary to begin, I took photos with the local kids. They were really adorable and playful.
Then came the village tour. The guide took us around the village, explaining their culture and local way of life.
Writing this travelogue now, I see that the village I visited six years later hasn’t changed much compared to back then. It seems rapid development only happens in cities.
The village school.
Inside the classrooms, the children sat on the floor while listening to the teacher.
After walking around the village, we returned to the common house, where lunch was waiting for us.
There were fresh fruits, grilled meats—all quite tasty, and it seemed tailored to Western tastes.
After lunch, it’s shopping time. The villagers bring their handmade crafts here to sell. Personally, I’d recommend the fabrics—they’re quite unique. As for the necklaces, you can find similar ones at shopping malls back home.
Happy times always fly by—it was already time to head back. In fact, we had left at around 7 a.m. in the morning, and the ride to the Navua River took four hours. You can imagine that our time in the village wasn’t very long, and the return trip would also take four hours, with the added task of getting everyone back to their hotels before dark.
The children were all adorable, running out to see us off.
Before boarding the small boat, we also got the chance to ride on a local bamboo raft. I remember my friend was scared, thinking it might sink—after all, when you step onto the raft, water comes splashing up. So I’d suggest wearing sandals.
Then we returned to the Navua River dock and took another four-hour ride back to the hotel.
Navua River Inland Tour?http://www.touristtransportfiji.com/navua-river-inland-tour
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Having traveled to over 30 countries and regions, I once lived in Taiwan for a year and a half, spent several months traveling in Japan, and completed a two-month work-exchange experience in Canada to see the Northern Lights. My travel writings have been published on U blog, DC fever, likeJapan, now.com, and Travel Bar. Welcome to discuss various forms of collaboration.