8 Nights in Fiji: The Ultimate Fiji Island Hopping Guide
Includes Crown Plaza, Malamala Island, Oarsman Bay and Paradise Cove
When I think back on Fiji, I picture turquoise water, tropical cocktails before noon, slow mornings with nowhere to be, and warm evenings watching the sunset from a beach somewhere in the Yasawa Islands.
We visited Fiji from April 5th–13th, right at the tail end of their summer season. I did this trip with two girlfriends before we headed off on a completely different adventure: a two week campervan road trip around New Zealand’s South Island. Going from bikinis and beach coverups to puffer jackets and hiking boots was chaotic packing-wise, but it ended up being the perfect combination of trips. Fiji gave us a full week to slow down, drink cocktails, island hop, and recharge before jumping into nonstop hiking, glaciers, waterfalls, and mountain adventures in New Zealand.
This guide includes our full 8 night Fiji itinerary, honest thoughts on each resort, transportation tips, costs and activities.
Why You Should Island Hop in Fiji
One of the best parts about Fiji is that it’s incredibly easy to island hop, especially around the Yasawa Islands. The ferry system is simple to navigate, resorts help coordinate transportation, and the islands all have completely different personalities.
Some islands felt relaxed and rustic with hammocks and outdoor showers, while others felt luxurious with infinity pools, fancy cocktails, and sunset champagne experiences.
The only thing I’d recommend is planning ahead. Ferry rides can be long depending on how far north you go in the Yasawas, so organizing your accommodations and ferry schedule in advance makes the trip way smoother.
The Fiji Bula Pass
If you plan on visiting two or more islands, I highly recommend purchasing the Bula Pass.
The Bula Pass allows unlimited ferry transfers within a set number of days and makes island hopping much more affordable than booking individual ferry tickets every time.
We paid around $260 USD per person for a 5 day Bula Pass, which worked perfectly for our itinerary. There are different pass options depending on how many days you plan to island hop.
The ferries themselves were better than expected. Most had indoor seating with air conditioning, snacks, drinks, and bars downstairs, plus outdoor seating upstairs where you could sit in the sun and watch the islands pass by.
The ferry rides are long though. Our ride from Port Denarau to Nacula Island took about four hours, so definitely pack sunscreen, headphones, water, and something to do.
Best Time to Visit Fiji
Fiji stays warm year round with temperatures usually ranging between 66–88°F, making it a great tropical destination no matter when you go.
Dry Season: May to October
This is considered the best weather in Fiji with:
- Lower humidity
- Less rain
- Sunny skies
- Cooler evenings
- Better conditions for snorkeling and diving
It’s also peak tourist season, meaning higher prices and more crowds.
Wet Season: November to April
This is technically Fiji’s off season and includes monsoon season. You’ll usually find:
- Cheaper hotels
- Fewer crowds
- More tropical humidity
- Higher chances of rain
The rain often comes in short bursts rather than lasting all day, which is why many travelers still love visiting during these months.
We visited April 5th–13th and had perfect weather the entire trip. Blue skies, sunshine, and hot beach weather every single day. April ended up being a really great sweet spot because prices were lower than peak season, but the heavy cyclone season was mostly ending.
The one time I probably would avoid Fiji is January through March, since that’s peak cyclone and wet season.
Fiji Highlights From Our Trip
Nadi Main Island
- Crowne Plaza Fiji with multiple pools and swim up bar
- Waioaloa Beach
- Malamala Beach Club day trip
Best Relaxed Island Stay
- Oarsman’s Bay Lodge on Nacula Island
- Rustic island vibes
- Outdoor showers
- Private bungalows (AKA bures)
- Paddleboarding and cave excursions
Best Luxury Island Stay
- Paradise Cove Resort on Naukacuvu Island
- Multiple pools with wrap around bar
- Also has outdoor showers
- Sunset tubing with champagne
- Beautiful beaches and upscale dining
- Cabanas and other lounging areas
Our 8 Night Fiji Itinerary
Days 1–3: Nadi, Fiji
After landing in Nadi, we took about a 15 minute taxi ride to the Crowne Plaza Fiji, where we stayed for our first three nights.
The hotel was still partially under construction during our stay, which actually worked out in our favor because prices were discounted. Even with construction happening, the resort was beautiful and easily the nicest property we saw in the area.
The resort had:
- Multiple pools
- A swim up bar (our favorite part)
- Beach access
- Lounge chairs and cabanas
- Drink and food service directly to the pool-side lounge chairs
- A nice gym
- Great buffet breakfast included daily
- Day excursions that could be booked with hotel
These first few days were exactly what we needed. We spent most of our time laying by the pool, ordering frozen cocktails, walking along the beach, and slowly adjusting into vacation mode.
One thing we kept doing was walking to neighboring resorts for drinks and dinners, but every time we came back to Crowne Plaza we were happy we booked it because it really did feel newer and nicer than most nearby hotels.
Malamala Beach Club Day Trip
One of our favorite mainland activities was taking a day trip to Malamala Beach Club, which is located on its own tiny private island.
The experience felt very “luxury tropical vacation”.
The trip included:
- Bus transfer to Port Denarau
- 30 minute ferry ride
- Full day access to the island
We spent the day swimming in the infinity pools overlooking the ocean, hanging out near the beach club bar, and relaxing in lounge chairs surrounded by palm trees and tropical landscaping.
The atmosphere felt upscale but still relaxed and fun.
The excursion cost around $90 per person and lasted roughly from 9:30 AM to 5 PM.
Days 4–5: Nacula Island – Oarsman’s Bay Lodge
On April 8th, we left mainland Fiji and officially started our island hopping adventure.
We had a 7:20 AM pickup to Port Denarau and boarded the 8:45 AM ferry toward Nacula Island in the Yasawas. The ferry ride took about four hours, and once we got close to Oarsman’s Bay Lodge, a small boat picked us up directly from the ferry and brought us to shore.
Immediately the vibe changed.
Oarsman’s Bay felt much more remote, peaceful, and rustic compared to mainland Fiji. It felt more like tropical glamping than a traditional resort.
Our beachfront bure included:
- One queen bed
- One twin bed
- Outdoor shower
- Small cute porch
- Ocean views
- Private hammock right on the sand
- Daily meals for breakfast lunch and dinner
What We Did at Oarsman’s Bay
This part of the trip was very slow paced and relaxed.
We spent time:
- Paddleboarding
- Swimming in the ocean
- Swimming to the water trampoline and slide that is nearby
- Watching sunsets from the beach
- Drinking tropical drinks from the small bar
There’s no pool here, but it didn’t matter because the ocean completely became the activity.
Sawa-I-Lau Cave Excursion
The highlight of our stay at Oarsman’s Bay was definitely the Sawa-I-Lau caves excursion.
A small jet boat took us and a few other people to the caves, where we climbed down into dark limestone caverns.
The most thrilling part was swimming underwater through a narrow cave opening while holding our breath to reach another hidden cave chamber on the other side.
It was slightly terrifying at first. Once you’re underwater you can’t really see where you’re going, and you just trust the guides. But once we surfaced into the hidden cave area it was a very cool experience.
The excursion lasted about 2.5 hours and cost around $45 per person.
The cost for Oarsman’s Bay Lodge, including meal plans, was approximately $290 per person for two nights.
Days 6–7: Paradise Cove Resort, Naukacuvu Island
On April 10th, we took the afternoon ferry from Oarsman’s Bay to Paradise Cove Resort on Naukacuvu Island.
This resort immediately felt completely different from Oarsman’s Bay.
Where Oarsman’s was rustic and quiet, Paradise Cove felt polished, upscale, and luxurious while still maintaining that laid back island atmosphere.
It ended up being our favorite stay of the entire Fiji trip.
Why We Loved Paradise Cove
The resort had:
- Multiple pools
- Beautiful beaches
- Large open air restaurant
- Wraparound cocktail bar
- More upscale dining
- Better drink selection
- Plenty of lounging areas
- Introduction to scuba diving in the pool
This was the kind of place where you could spend an entire day doing absolutely nothing and still feel like you had the best day ever.
We spent our time:
- Paddleboarding
- Swimming in the pools
- Ordering tropical drinks
- Watching sunsets
- Reading on beach chairs
- Eating way too much food
- Sunset Point hike
- Morning yoga
- Champagne tubing excursion
Sunset Point Hike
One evening we hiked to Sunset Point, where the resort staff brought everyone champagne and snacks up to the viewpoint during sunset.
Champagne Tubing Excursion
This was probably the most fun activity of the trip.
The resort took everyone out on a boat, tied a bunch of inner tubes together in the ocean, anchored nearby, and then came around pouring champagne while everyone floated together watching the sunset.
It was chaotic, hilarious, and somehow incredibly relaxing all at once.
Sunrise Yoga
We also tried one of the sunrise yoga sessions which was definitely the most relaxed yoga class I’ve ever done. Nobody was taking it too seriously, but doing yoga outside overlooking the ocean during sunrise was still a pretty great way to start the day.
Paradise Cove cost us around $460 per person for two nights including meal plans.
Day 8: Return to Nadi
On April 12th, we took the ferry back to Port Denarau, which took about 2 hours and 45 minutes.
For our final night before flying to New Zealand, we stayed at Fiji Gateway Hotel near the airport since it was affordable, convenient and had a free airport shuttle for our early departure.
The hotel itself was simple but worked perfectly for one night. It had a pool, restaurant, and everything we needed before heading off to the next adventure.
Looking Back on Fiji
Fiji ended up being exactly what I hoped it would be.
Beautiful turquoise water, tropical drinks at any hour of the day, island hopping adventures, slow mornings, full course resort dinners, paddleboarding straight from the beach, and days where the biggest decision was whether to sit by the pool or the ocean.
What I loved most was how different each island felt. You could stay somewhere rustic and quiet one night, then transition to a luxury resort experience the next.
This trip was also a reminder that not every vacation needs to be packed with nonstop activities. Normally when I travel, I’m constantly hiking, road tripping, or chasing adventures in the mountains. Fiji forced me to slow down a little which was a great change of pace.
After eight nights of relaxing island life, we boarded our flight to New Zealand and jumped right back into my usual style of travel: campervans, glaciers, waterfalls, onsens, hiking trails, and mountain views.
But Fiji was the perfect reset before all of that. And if you’re looking for a tropical trip that combines relaxation, island hopping, beautiful resorts, and just enough adventure mixed in, Fiji is absolutely worth it.
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