Fiji = Paradise

Stephen and I have taken two trips to Fiji now, and I haven’t posted about either of them. Both times we stayed at the Radisson resort on Denarau island, which is about a 20 minute drive from Nadi airport. Denarau is really more of a peninsula than an island, but they have dug a canal and built a bridge so that it technically qualifies as an island. It is home to half a dozen large fancy resorts which are along the ocean front on the west and north sides of the island. In order, they are the Worldmark timeshare resort, Radisson, Sheraton, Sheraton Villas, Westin, Sofitel & Hilton. You can walk from resort to resort around the beachfront or via the road. There is also a bus (the Bula bus) that runs around all the resorts and to the marina on the eastern side of the island. From the marina, you can get transfers out to the Mamanuca & Yasawa island (e.g. Mana Island, Plantation Island, Treasure Island etc). You can either stay at the resorts out there (more beautiful and more pricy), or you can just go for a day trip.

The weather was perfect both times we were there (end of June 2010 & beginning of June 2011). I think it rained once on the first trip (while we were having dinner in the swimming pool), and I think it was a little bit cloudy one day on the second trip. The temperature is around 30 degrees most days, and is fairly humid. When you get hot, you just take a dip in the pools (or the ocean), and then lie in the sun until you dry off again. Everything is unbelievably beautiful and everyone there is just so friendly. Basically, if you stay at a resort, you get to use their pools, but you can go to restaurants and bars at any of the resorts. I’ll post about the food and drink separately.

This is the resort from the balcony of the room we stayed at on the first trip. The second trip we were on the ground floor, so didn't have as much of a view but could walk straight out of the front door to the adults pool just a few steps away. We were literally only 20m from the restaurants and pool bar too.

Here is our hotel room (note the hibiscuses strewn around). This photo was taken on the second trip, but the rooms were the same both times.

This is the adults only pool, where we spent most of our time. This was taken late in the afternoon when Stephen was enjoying a drink from the Pool Bar’s happy hour. You can either walk across the waterfall to the pool bar in the main pool to buy a drink, or just wait for one of the staff to come around and take your order and bring it to you.

Here is stephen in his sulu and bula shirt with his pina colada and iPhone in hand on his lounger at the adults pool. The pools at the Radisson are made to look kind of natural, set in gardens with rocks and little artificial beaches all around them.

I think next time, I might try visiting another part of Fiji, but honestly, for a friendly, relaxing tropical getaway that is pretty affordable and less than 4 hours from Auckland, I don’t think you can beat Denarau.