2 Sept: One week in Fiji on low budget - NO PLANS!

Hi fellow travelers! I am new to this forum, and will just trust the knowledge of you people and trust you with my only holiday for the last couple of years. Me and my girlfriend are going from Australia and back to Norway, as poor students with low budget. We manged to get a good deal from Air Pacific to stay over one week in Fiji, and a travel to Fiji has always been my girlfriends biggest dream.

Here is the trick; we are both photographers and need cheap accommodation where it is safe to keep our equipment. And since we are busy arranging to move from Australia, we don't have the time to read too much and what we should do and where we should go.

We like;
- To take pictures
- Nice beaches
- A mix of quiet and populated areas
- To see something different
- Not to stay in Nadi
- Swimming

We need;
- Cheap accommodation
- Safe accommodation

We will be in Fiji for one week. We would really appreciate tip on both where to go (islands/places) and where to stay.

Can't wait for answers.
Ray

I read of your requirements and needs for your trip to Fiji.

These can be meet at Danny's Village Homestay 2 hrs drive from Nadi Airport.

reviews at this link

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g1552721-d1550691-Reviews-Danny_s_Village_Homestay-Namatakula_Coral_Coast_Viti_Levu.html

Are you advertising for this business, or is it a genuine suggestion?

When I read about Viti Levu in forums, it doesn't seem to be where you should stay? I am considering Mamanuca og Yasawa islands most at the moment. But I am comfused and afraid to get caught up in the business of getting tourist to anywhere at Fiji.

But I don't even know if that is where I should go. And I don't know if those are the expensive places to go, so that I will be forced to sit on the beach every day in Fiji, since I can't afford anything else.

Danny's is a good and legitimate place to stay, especially if you want to see some Fijian village life.
If you stay on the main island (viti Levu) where a lot of people do spend their holidays head south for the coral coast (1 to 1 1/2 hours taxi drive, but very cheap local buses do the trip for a bit longer, get the express ones). The Coral coast has some nice beaches and snorkelling, but they're not as spectacular as the islands. There are some very cheap options there amongst the expensive 4 & 5 star resorts - have a look at the Beachouse or Tubakula bungalows near Sigatoka (see their websites or Fiji4less) where you can have cheap selfcontained accommodation and self cater if you wish. There are lots of deals on Wotif etc (we go a bargain one for Bedarra inn half price at A$47 a night) so worth looking. The other accommodations on the beach at Nadi are either super 4 & 5 star $$$$$ (Denarau, with a very grey beach) or backpacker places on the beach (with poor beaches) but are jump off points for day trips.
The islands are your best bet. For budget accommodation look at the Awesome Adventures site. The provide the really only viable transport out to the islands, especially the Yasawas. You can buy a ticket and jump around islands or you can buy a trip to each individually with them. You can also get a pass that includes accommodation, but many people just pre book/pay accommodation online (if you know where and how long you want to stay). A few resorts like Octopus have their own transport out (Octopus twice a day) but you will be restricted to one Yasawa Flyer trip out at 8.30am (arrives back at Denarau 6 pm) so you may have to overnight before and after. The Flyer is also not cheap if you are watching your budget.
There are a range of budget resorts across the islands, some very basic some more "flashpacker" (like Octopus and Blue Lagoon) with a range of dorms, small bungalows with shared facilities, all the way up to more luxurious accom. You will need to do some homework on this, check websites and read reviews on Tripadvisor. Many of the better ones are booked out ahead of time.Look too at what the islands have to offer with photography in mind. Also these resorts have compulsary meal plans either included or additional, there is no where else to eat and they don't allow you to self cater. At Octopus it's US$35 a day (a dorm room US$21,
private bungalow for 2 with shared facilities US$72 a night) Blue Lagoon is similar in FJD$, other more basic resorts are cheaper.
Remember that a week may involve one or two nights in Nadi, the best part of 2 days travelling (2 1/2 hours to Octopus, 4 1/2 hours to Blue lagoon), so you may want to maximise your time in one place.
Good luck!

it is a genuine suggestion to stay at Danny's

you said you are poor students with low budget and asked for cheap safe accommodation so I suggested Danny's

it is only FJD$130.00 per night (US$67.00) for a cabin on the beach, all meals in a real Fijian village.

I understand you are from Norway and I can assure you you won't get a better experience in Fiji for this price and you dont have to pay lots of money to catch a ferry out to the islands and if you don't like it in the village you can move onto somewhere else ...you are correct when you say

"But I don't even know if that is where I should go. And I don't know if those are the expensive places to go, so that I will be forced to sit on the beach every day in Fiji, since I can't afford anything else."

I thought because you asked for cheap safe accommodation this would be the best place for you.

happy to suggest other places in Fiji if you want to spend more money.

I am so sorry if I did not make myself clear; I greatly appreciate any suggestion, it's just that I've seen some suggestions on the forum that reminds me more of a commercial than a tip. For instance something needtribes.com or something like that.

Now I do have a couple of good suggestions to evaluate, but any new suggestions are welcome! :)

What I concider;
- Awsome adventure. They got a "special" now with a stay in Nadi included, and with the "A great pair" package +1 day, we seem to get a good experience at both island groups, with all meals and accommodation included. It is not dirt cheap, but it is okay, and it should be easy to stick to a budget. Am I right? (If anyone know any better deals that is similar it would be nice to know also)
- I will also concider the cheap alternative. Price is important indeed, but we are also trying to get as much as possible from our money. Since we are from Norway and will move back there now, I think it might be a lot of years until we see Fiji again. So we are concidering the experience/expence ratio. That being said, the Awsome pack is very much on the edge of what we can afford.

So far the tips has been very helpful! Keep 'em coming. I will also let you know what I chose and how it was afterwards :)

there are cheaper options for "poor students"
google for Leleuvia Island or Caqalai Island" tehy cost half that and are stunning coral islands

it does get very tiresome the way nztourist is ALWAYS plugging dannys homestay.

Had lunch here last Sunday.
http://www.volivoli.com/
Get there by local bus from Nadi plus a short taxi ride - maybe F$30 tops each way.
Spotless dorms @ F$35/night.

Cheers,
Peter

We have decided to go with the "A grait pair" (w/ Welcome pack special) package from Awesome Adventures.

Which contains;
- Transport from airport to accommodation in Nadi
- Breakfast
- Accommodation (we pay extra to upgrade from dorm to double room)
- Transport to marina
- Boat to islands
- Stay at Mamanuca with meals
- Stay at Yasawa with meals
- One extra night at one of the islands with meals
- Transport back to the airport

Price:
540 AUD for package
?? AUD for upgrading first night accommodation
52-65 AUD for extra night on the islands

In total it will be around around 620 AUD.
That includes everything except "pocket money", but I have been
told that that is next to nothing, around 15 AUD a day.

Little bit over budget, but with fixed cost and a trip that seems to make the
most out of a week we decided to go with that. If we had several weeks for planning
we might follow the other tips with more natural experiences - and cheaper.

Will get back to you people and tell you how it wendt. Since we are photographers
you might expect some pictures as well :)

Awesome Adventures is exactly what you don't want-you don't know it yet but will find out soon enough.

You should stay at volivoli! Near RakiRaki http://www.volivoli.com/ They offfer cheap, beautiful scuba diving which I did twice. There is a hostel-like room option which makes it very cheap to stay there. The staff is super friendly and calls you by your first name whenever they see you. The food is delicious (I recommend the bowl of fruit & the volivoli burger) It's a very relaxed place, and suprisingly off the beaten path as well. A hidden paradise, 3 hours from Nadi

i think islanderatheart is another operator/plugger like nztourist

No...I'm actually a teenager who volunteered abroad for a month in Fiji this summer and stayed at the place mentioned above for a about a week and thought it was great..thanks