Whenever I think of Fiji, I always think of the reality TV show Survivor. I grew up watching many of the seasons that took place in Fiji and knew that one day, I would want to travel there. This post will provide a 5 day Fiji itinerary highlighting some of the best things to do when visiting this turquoise paradise. Although we spent ten days visiting, 5 days in Fiji is the perfect amount of time to see the highlights before or after an Australia or New Zealand trip.
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Table of Contents
History of Fiji
The original settlers in Fiji, the Austronesians, inhabited the area from around 1500 BC. Later, European contacts, such as James Cook, spent time exploring the area in the 1700s. After that, in the 1800s, many Christian missionaries arrived in Fiji and converted many of the Natives to Christianity.
In 1874, the British Empire took over Fiji, which led to a period of colonial rule until 1970. During this period, there was a rise in indentured laborers from India. On October 10, 1970, Fiji became an independent nation.
Throughout the next decades, Fiji faced a lot of political instability and tensions. Present-day Fiji is known as a peaceful and popular tourist destination that has a ton of stunning beauty, beaches, and coral reefs.
Currency in Fiji
The main currency in Fiji is the Fijian Dollar. One Fijian dollar is about $0.46 USD. It is also important to note that many places in Fiji pass on the credit card fee (usually 2-3%) onto the customer, so there will be an extra charge if you use your card.
Language in Fiji
While the official language in Fiji is Fijian, almost everyone speaks English, so it is very easy to communicate.
When to Spend Five Days in Fiji
Throughout the year, Fiji typically has fabulous warm and tropical weather. However, the best time to visit is May to September as that is the dry season where you will encounter less rain and cyclones.
How to Get to Fiji
Fiji has one international airport: Nadi International Airport. There are then several airports across the islands including one in Suva and Savusavu. Visitors can fly into Nadi from all over the world. Flights from the United States normally cost over $1000 but some deals can be found, especially in the off-season.
Transportation in Fiji
While there is some public transportation and taxis to get around Fiji, it is not the easiest to get around. Therefore, if you want to have flexibility in getting around, I recommend renting a car through Autoslash or Economy Bookings, as that is where I always find the best deals.
If you plan on spending time on the islands, stay in Port Denarau, or do not want to go to Suva, it is possible to not get a rental car.
Where to Stay in Fiji
Fiji has no shortage of amazing resorts to stay at. There are resorts to fit every budget, or you can book some amazing stays on points. The following are some of the more popular chain options on the main island of Viti Levu.
- DoubleTree by Hilton Fiji -Sonaisali Island
- Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa
- Sheraton Fiji Beach and Golf Resort
- Sheraton Resort and Spa Tokoriki Island Fiji
- Radisson Blu Resort Fiji
- Club Wyndham Denarau Island
- Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay
- Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa
What to do During A 5 Day Fiji Itinerary
There are many things to keep visitors busy during a 5 day Fiji itinerary. How busy you want to be depends on your vacation style. For this itinerary, I have embedded some relaxation with some of the main sites to promote a chill vibe.
Day 1
Most flights to Fiji arrive early in the morning. To start off this 5 day Fiji itinerary, you will explore some of the main sites in Nadi and the surrounding area.
The Coffee Hub Nadi
Cost: $
Hours: 7am-9pm
After landing in Fiji and heading through customs, head to the Coffee Hub to fuel up on a delicious breakfast for the day. The Coffee Hub is located a short distance from the airport and serves delicious Australian coffee and has many fabulous breakfast options.
Nadi Market
Cost: Free
The Nadi Market is a popular stop for people who want fresh produce. Here you can buy lots of fruits and vegetables so it is a great stop for a snack or if you plan on cooking while in Fiji. You will need to negotiate the prices but everything is super fresh.
Nadi Handicrafts Market
Cost: Free
If you are looking for souvenirs from Fiji, the Nadi Handicrafts Market is the best place to go! They have pretty much everything you can imagine you would want from Fiji. Again, you will need to negotiate the prices so make sure to have cash!
Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami Temple
Cost: Free
The Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami Temple is a Hindu Temple in Nadi, Fiji. It is the largest Hindu temple in the Pacific, as about 28% of Fijians are Hindu. The most recent temple was completed in 1986. Previously the original temple was founded in 1926.
Garden of the Sleeping Giant
Cost: $11
Hours: 9am-5pm
The Garden of Sleeping Giant is the best garden to visit during your 5 day Fiji itinerary. It contains over 2000 different plants and a ton of native plants. You can spend as much time as you would like wandering around and there are several different trails you can follow. The longest hike takes visitors up to a viewpoint of the island.
Once you have finished hiking around, they give you a glass of fresh juice and you can sit and relax under the covered patio. If possible, get there when they open for it to be the least crowded.
Sabeto Hot Springs and Mud Pools
Cost: $14
Hours: 8am-6pm
The Sabeto Hot Springs and Mud Pools is another must visit site for your 5 day Fiji itinerary. Here, visitors get to first coat themselves with mud. Then you wait for it to dry before washing it off in the mud pool. After that, visitors can rotate through the hot springs for a relaxing afternoon.
Visitors can spend as long as they would like in the hot springs, but most spend around an hour. You can also opt to book a massage if you want a completely relaxing experience.
Small Plates Garden Restaurant
Cost: $
Hours: Tues-Sun: 5pm-11pm
To end your first day on your 5 day Fiji itinerary, grab dinner at Small Plates Garden Restaurant. This cute garden restaurant offers a variety of Asian dishes at an affordable price. You can opt to order several things and share them with your group or get your own dishes. Either way, the food is delicious!
Day 2
Snorkeling Tour of the Mamanuca Islands
Today, on this 5 day Fiji itinerary, you will spend exploring the beautiful tropical waters of Fiji around the Mamanuca Islands. The Mamanuca Islands are a volcanic archipelago that lies the closest to the main island of Viti Levu. It consists of about 20 different islands and has some of the best snorkeling around Fiji.
While there are a ton of snorkeling tours that take you around the Mamanuca Islands, I recommend the Sabre by South Sea Sailing tour. This tour includes so much for the price!
In the morning, you will be required to meet at Port Denarau, or you can be picked up at your hotel. You will then check in at the Port for the ship at the South Sea Sailings desk. Then, it will be time to board your gorgeous catamaran.
As you board, you are greeted with a glass of tropical juice or a mimosa. There is then a light continental breakfast served (think pastries and fruit). Enjoy this food and beverage as you sail about 2 hours to your first stop.
The first stop was snorkeling to one of the reefs. Passengers had the option to jump, slide, or climb down into the water. From there, it was a short swim to the reefs. Lifejackets and snorkel gear were provided for those who needed them.
After snorkeling around the reef, you could swim back to the boat or opt to head to a small sand bar in the water. On the sand bar, the employees set up beach chairs and a bar. Passengers could then relax for however long they would like and have the choice of unlimited water, soda, beer, and wine from the bar. There were also paddle boards available for use, and you could swim around the area.
There was an hour or so for free time, and then lunch was served back on the boat. You could opt to swim back or take a small boat back. Lunch was a buffet with various meats, salads, fruit, and other random foods. You could have as much as you would like.
After lunch, there was the option for another snorkel, use of the paddleboards, or you could go back to relaxing on the sand bar. You got about another hour of free time.
Then it took about 2 hours to head back to the port. During this time, you could buy your own cocktails and enjoy the scenery of the islands. Overall, it will be a magical day and you will come back relaxed and refreshed from the water. It was 100% worth the cost.
What to Bring With You
- Swimsuit
- Sunglasses
- Towels
- Hat
- Sunscreen
- Cash or Credit Card
Kanu Gastropub Nadi
Cost: $$
Hours: Varies
Tonight, grab dinner at the Kanu Gastropub Nadi. This place has an extensive menu and some of the best cocktails on the island. They have an assortment of dishes for all types of cuisines.
Day 3
Day Trip to a Private Island
On your third day of this five day Fiji itinerary, take a day trip to Tivua Island. This fantastic island is owned and operated by Captain Cook Cruises. The day will enable you to have a secluded and relaxing day.
The day will start by heading to Port Denarau, where you will check in for your boat to Tivua Island. Once it is time to embark the boat, there is plenty of indoor or outdoor seating. On your hour or two boat ride to the island, you will be entertained by local museums. There will also be some light bites to eat, coffee, and juices for you to enjoy.
After the boat ride, you will arrive at Tivua Island. You will have several hours to relax and enjoy the island and partake in a variety of activities. These activities include snorkeling both with a guide or on your own, paddleboarding, kayaks, beach volleyball and more.
During this time, there is also an open bar with all-you-can-drink beer, wine, soda, water, and juices. Around lunchtime, you will be provided with a barbeque lunch with tons of Fijian foods. Overall, Tivua Island is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the sun and water.
Once the time on this island is up, it will be time to head back to Port Denarau. On the ride back, you will enjoy local music and can enjoy the scenery.
Indigo Indian Asian Restaurant and Bar
Cost: $$
Hours: 11am-10pm
Once back in Port Denarau, grab some dinner at Indigo Indian Asian Restaurant and Bar. This restaurant has amazing and delicious Indian food. The portions are not too large, so order about a dish per person.
Day 4
Explore the Jungle Area of Fiji
While it will make for a very long day, as part of this 5 day Fiji itinerary, explore the jungle area of Fiji. If you plan on visiting Suva, do this tour as a day trip from Suva instead. This Fiji Combo Day Tour -Canoe/Magic Waterfall is the tour we did, and it was amazing!
To start the day, the tour will pick you up at your hotel -either in Nadi or Suva. From Nadi, it is over a 2 hour drive. From Suva, it is just under an hour.
Upon arrival, you will have time to change into your swimsuit if you are not already wearing one. I highly recommend wearing one as you will get wet during your journey and you will have the opportunity to swim at the waterfall.
After a brief orientation, visitors will be given lifejackets (you must wear the entire ride), get divided up into different canoes, and be assigned spots. They do this to ensure the boats are balanced so you do not tip over. It will take at least 30-40 minutes to head down the river. At one point, you may have to get out and hike for a bit if the rapids are too strong.
Eventually, you will get to a landing where you will then take a short hike to the waterfall. Here, you will have time to swim around at the pool at the bottom of the falls, relax, and watch people jump from higher up into the pool.
After the time at the waterfall, you will hike back and load into the canoes to your next stop. After a 10ish minute ride, you will get to an area with log rafts you will then have the chance to ride in. These were the types of rafts people used to get around the river prior to the motorized boats. Some people in my group even chose to swim alongside the raft.
Once you get to a certain point, you will load back into the canoes to get back to the main area you started in. Here, you then get to learn about Fiji Culture, participate in a Kava Ceremony (except they only gave the cava to one male during the ceremony), and watch some demonstrations.
Finally, you get to take part in a traditional Fijian lunch buffet. There is plenty of food and drink to go around. After lunch, there are some more culture demonstrations the opportunity to shop some local handicrafts, and then it will be time to head back to Nadi or Suva.
If you do not want to make the trek to the jungle area, you can opt to spend another day on the Mamanuca Islands or another day enjoying your resort.
Muhammad’s Kitchen
Cost: $
Hours: Varies
To end your fourth of 5 days in Fiji, grab dinner at Muhammad’s Kitchen, which serves a variety of Asian dishes with your choice of meat. It is very small and definitely more of a local place, but you cannot go wrong with whatever you get here!
Day 5
Enjoy the Resort
For your last of 5 days in Fiji, opt to spend the day relaxing at your resort or visit Castaway Island (Modriki Island). This island is where the movie Castaway was filmed. It will take about 2 hours to get to Modriki Island. Once there, visitors have the option to swim and snorkel while relaxing on the island.
Later in the day, a delicious buffet lunch will be served. Beer, wine, and water are included in the cost of the tour. They may also have some snacks for you as well. The use of snorkel gear and life jackets are included.
If you do not want to take another day trip, you can opt to spend the day at your resort.
Tata’s Restaurant
Cost: $
Hours: Varies
Tonight, grab dinner at Tata’s Restaurant, another local joint. I loved their chicken chow mein here. Remember that Fiji’s pace is a lot slower, so it takes a little bit to get your food. No matter what, it is the perfect place to end your 5 day Fiji itinerary.
More Than 5 Day Fiji Itinerary
If you have more time for your 5 day Fiji itinerary, opt to spend several days in Suva and follow this plan. You can also opt to stay at one of the resorts on the Mamanuca Islands, Yasawa Islands, or Vanua Levu.
You could also add these awesome day tours to your 5 day Fiji itinerary.
Day 6
Explore Suva
Suva is the capital city of Fiji and offers a variety of neat things to do and some delicious restaurants! If you have the time, definitely add a day or two in Suva to your 5 day Fiji itinerary. Highlights of Suva include the Fiji Museum, the President’s Palace, Colo-I-Suva Forest Park, and Tikos Seafood Restaurant.
Day 7
Jungle Tour or River Tubing
If you opted not to do the jungle tour on day 4, opt to add it today! It is a much closer trek from Suva. If you did do the jungle tour, you could also go tubing down the river! This Suva Waterfall Tour is a good option.
Final Tips for A 5 Day Fiji Itinerary
There are so many amazing things to see in Fiji that a 5 day Fiji itinerary covers some of the grandeur of this country. If you have more time, opt to visit other islands in Fiji besides Viti Levu or pair it with a trip to Australia or New Zealand.
