Fiji just in four nights

Hi !!

We are going to Fiji for just four nights after a longer trip in New Zealand, and we don´t Know how to spend our time there. In fact, we don´t Know how to fit this in just 4 nights..

After some researching, we will want to do this :

1. at least visiting in a day trip an offshore island (better staying 1 or 2 nights there)
2. visiting Viti Levu, at least a half a day, or better, a full day (maybe Naurori highlands in a half or one day tour, maybe renting a car and spending a full day going southeast and visiting Namosi Highlands ...really we would prefer to drive by ourselves, but with so limited time we aren´t sure of it)
3. flying over the islands : for the pleasure of doing it, and also to save time on transfers

Arriving in the evening of day 1, and departing in the morning of day 5,... is this too much?

Day 1 : arriving in the evening. hotel in Nadi / close to Nadi
Day 2 : day tour or renting a car to explore Viti Levu -as much is possible in just one day..-
Day 3 : going to an offshore island for one night, a place not expensive, with good beaches, snorkelling, .. and a photogenic island it possible (any recommendations for just one night?)
Day 4 : going back to Nadi
day 5 : in the morning flight out

Or is it better to stay in mainland Viti Levu with so limited time and do day trips from there? Any recommendations for that place to stay? (we don´t need the name of a hotel, just the best area to stay with good beaches and well located to do day trips from there)

and .. last question : does air transfers to islands work in the afternoon / early evening or just in the mornings?

Thanks a lot and greetings from Spain

If you want to fly to one of the Mamanuca islands by plane you are limited to Mana and Malololailai. The flights are only during daylight and although they have a schedule it seems they fly if there are passengers but you may end up waiting until there are enough to make it economic to fly.
We usually take the helicopter, you can do scenic flights over the Mamanucas and the mountains by Nadi in the helicopter.
Air New Zealand offer cheap helicopter flights to the Mamanucas if you book a land package through them but 3 nights is perhaps a bit short to qualify.
You could fly out to Amanuca Island Resort for a one night stay as its the furtherest island out that is serviced by the helicopter and if you are lucky you get to visit another island on the way if there are other transfers to be done.
The best beaches are on the islands and travel does take a lot of time on the main island.

We are staying at the Nadi Bay Hotel (and hostel) which is a nice place, good price, varied room options, rooms include breakfast, dorms don't. It's close to an ATM, restaurants and supermarket, 2km further down, on the beach (not white sand crystal water though) are a few hostels to choose from, Smugglers Cove, Aquarius, Travellers Beach, (if you want to check hotelworld reviews) most of them have tour desks and will do airport transfers and free luggage storage if staying on the islands.

We got a taxi today to take us to the Garden of the Sleeping Giant then onto a mud pool and hot springs, F$20 each for the taxi, F$10 for the mud and springs, $12 each for the gardens. left at 10.30 and back by 3pm and spent the rest of the afternoon chilling by the pool, it was a great day despite the rain! A guy on a day trip the other day says it takes about 3 hours to get to Suva on the other side of the island from Nadi, roads aren't great.

There are loads of day trip options available to the Mamanuca's and around for about F$110-185 pp depending on which island (Castaway, Bounty, Beachcomber etc). Either that or a 3 day 2 night trip to one of the islands and spend the whole time there, those come in around F$350 pp but you'd need to book it as soon as you arrive the first night and not sure if they include transfers or not.

From what other people have said the island transfers tend to be in the morning, a bula pass is about F$330ish pp but doesn't include accommodation. (sorry that's boat not air)

I'd be tempted to say, do the garden, mud springs, town and/or pool first day. Chill out/day trip/overnight 2nd day, chill/day trip last day or in whatever order. You could have a white sand beach snorkelling day and village visit day to vary it a bit and see a bit of the local lifestyle. Really, though depends on your budget and whether you want hectic or chilled.

Buen Viaje!

Edited by: genuschelonia