Fiji is an amazing tropical destination for all travelers, and visitors can easily spend five or more days enjoying what Fiji has to offer. Best of all, it is very easy to visit Fiji using points and stay at amazing hotels like the Hilton DoubleTree Resort Fiji. If you base yourself in the Nadi area, there are tons of amazing day trips from Nadi.
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Where to Stay in Fiji
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best Fiji hotels here!
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
Amazing Day Trips from Nadi
Garden of the Sleeping Giant and the Sabeto Hot Springs
By Lanie of Make More Adventures
In less than 15 minutes, you can get from Nadi to the Garden of the Sleeping Giant. Keep going just a few minutes more, and you will get to the Sabeto Hot Springs. The total miles from Nadi to the hot springs are just 5.5, making this an easy day trip with plenty of time to spend at the locations. Combined, the Garden of the Sleeping Giant and a visit to the Sabeto Hot Springs make for one of the best day trips from Nadi.
If you do not have a car, you can take a taxi from Nadi to the gardens and hot springs. There are also public buses and tour groups that visit both locations. Note that while most roads in Nadi are paved, the road leading to the gardens and hot springs is not.
You can walk around the Garden of the Sleeping Giant and view the beautiful flowers and landscape. They have a rainforest walk, water features, and places to picnic. After visiting the gardens, they provide a fruit drink, which you can enjoy in the shaded seats before heading out for the rest of your day trip.
Just a few more minutes down the road are the Sabeto Hot Springs and Mud Pools. You can enter on a tour or pay directly once there. Towels are available to rent at Sabeto Hot Springs, and they have changing areas.
Once you are in your swimwear, there is a certain order to enjoy the mud pools and hot springs, which vary in temperature. Spa treatments, including massages, are also available at Sabeto Hot Springs.
A hotel option in Nadi close to the airport is the Fiji Gateway Hotel. The Fiji Gateway Hotel is a great place to stay for those who are looking to save time with a short commute to the airport, and it is just minutes away from a beautiful and relaxing day trip from Nadi.
Malamala Beach Club
By Taylor from Taytrum Travels
Malamala Beach Club is an easy day trip from Nadi. It is a private island with cabanas, a dining area, a bar, and an infinity pool. The island is a very short boat ride from Port Denarau, at only about 25 minutes one way. The sand on the island is a brighter white than most of Nadi’s beaches, and the water is crystal blue. You can find blue starfish and other marine life just off the shore.
The area around the pool, open-air dining room, and bar plays different genres of music; sometimes more upbeat like a club, and other times more relaxing, depending on the time of day. If you prefer quiet, there are other sides of the island where you can find peaceful refuge in a cabana. Families might be interested in knowing that kids are welcome at the beach club.
Typically, visitors to Fiji can book a trip to the club through their hotel or hostel’s front desk. A day pass will provide transport to and from the island, towel service, Wi-Fi, and access to the general facilities. Food, drinks, and motorized equipment rentals are usually an extra fee, although some tour packages include a meal voucher that can be used for food or drink. The Malamala Beach Club is one of the best day trips from Nadi.
If you are visiting Fiji on a budget, you’ll be interested to know that of all day trips I did in Fiji, Malamala Beach Club was by far my favorite. As of 2023, prices for a day pass are about $75 USD.
Tivua Island
By Andy of Explore With Finesse
One of the best day trips from Nadi is to Tivua Island. This small island is located about 25 kilometers from Nadi. This private island can only be accessed via a 90-minute boat ride from the Port Denarau Marina. Its close proximity to Nadi makes it a great reason to visit for a day trip.
Once you reach Tivua Island, you will be impressed with its stunning blue water, coral reefs, and white sand beaches. You can take advantage of the clear water and marine life by snorkeling or scuba diving around the island. There is a rich diversity of marine life here, and you will be able to see starfish, sharks, stingrays, and countless species of fish! If you would prefer to stay dry, you can also take a tour on a glass bottom boat and see the marine life that way.
On the island, there are several things you can do. You can sit and relax by the ocean on one of the many chairs by the water. You can also get a massage from one of the local staff. There is a volleyball net if you and your friends are feeling competitive.
No matter how you choose to spend your time on Tivua Island, you will leave with a great appreciation for the island.
Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park
By Kate of Bags-Always-Packed
Located just a 1-hour drive (37 miles) south of Nadi is the amazing Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park. This hidden gem is not as popular as some of the other day trips from Nadi, but it is certainly not to be underestimated.
The lack of popularity means that you’re likely to have the dunes and expansive beach all to yourself during the visit, and with over 650 acres to explore, you might even feel as though you’ve landed on your own island.
Sigatoka Sand Dunes was actually Fiji’s first-ever national park and is home to not only the huge and impressive dunes but also large sections of forest and even a handful of important archaeological sites dating back to over 2,600 years ago.
The easiest way to get to the park is by taking a taxi from town to the visitor center. Here, you will need to pay a small entrance fee before you will be allowed to head out and explore. To protect the landscape, there are just two trails that lead you through forests, dunes, and beaches (~1 or 2 hours long) where you can enjoy this incredibly unique landscape and a bit of solitude.
Note that it’s not a good idea to visit during the middle of the day, and you should always bring walking shoes regardless of what time you arrive, as the sand gets extremely hot!
Snorkel Cruises
One of the best day trips from Nadi is the Sabre by South Sea Sailing snorkeling island cruise. The snorkel cruises take visitors about 1.5 hours from Nadi for some of the best snorkeling in Fiji. These tours leave from Port Denarau on various types of boats, such as a catamaran.
It is well worth a day trip from Nadi as you will get way better snorkeling than off the main island. Plus, many of the tours only take out a small group of people, so you will have the reef with tons of sea life all to yourself. Best of all, you will see so many different fish while out snorkeling! Included as part of the snorkel tour is a light breakfast, lunch, unlimited water and soda, and for a period of time, bottomless beer and wine. You can even enjoy a beverage out on the sand bar once you arrive at the snorkel reef.
If snorkeling really is not your thing, you also have the option to just relax onboard the ship, paddleboard, swim around in the water or take a small boat out to the sand bar. Make sure to bring plenty of sunscreen, sunglasses, and your own towels. The boat will take cash or a card if you want to buy any extra drinks or snacks. You will not be sorry checking out the reefs of Fiji on a snorkel cruise.
Pacific Harbor
By Allison of Eternal Arrival
One of the coolest day trips from Nadi is to Pacific Harbour, Fiji — the gateway to Beqa Lagoon and its famous coral and shark dives. Pacific Harbour is only about 90 miles from Nadi; however, due to the poorly maintained road conditions on a lot of this southern stretch of highway, it’s more common for this route to take about 2.5 hours, even without traffic.
That said, it’s worth the extra bit of time to get there because this is one special place in Fiji, especially if you like diving! You can drive like we did (just remember that Fiji drives on the left side of the road, just like the UK, Ireland, or Australia… this can make driving in Fiji a little tricky!). You can also hire a driver. I don’t recommend trying to navigate public transportation for just a day trip.
Pacific Harbour itself is a small town on the outskirts of the capital of Suva, but you don’t really visit for the town itself but rather for its access to Beqa Lagoon. There are a handful of dive shops in the area that offer the famous Fiji shark dive, where you can dive with bull sharks and up to 7 other shark species! However, to do the shark dive as a day trip, you would have to arrive in Pacific Harbour quite early, as check-in for the dive starts at around 8 AM.
If that’s not an option, you can always do the afternoon dives, which focus on soft corals and other beautiful creatures. The dive shop I dove with, Beqa Adventure Divers, does afternoon dives starting around 1 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
Definitely book with a reputable dive company — you want to be safe, and the conditions in Beqa are quite challenging. Whether it’s being around rather aggressive shark species or the strong currents that this area sometimes experiences, prioritize your safety and go with a trusted company. If you can’t dive, you can also snorkel in Beqa Lagoon, but really Pacific Harbour is known for its diving.
Where to Stay in Nadi
Nadi 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 in the Nadi Area.
- DoubleTree by Hilton Fiji -Sonaisali Island
- Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa
- Sheraton Fiji Beach and Golf Resort
- Radisson Blu Resort Fiji
- Club Wyndham Denarau Island
The Best Day Trips from Nadi
As you can see, there are a ton of amazing day trips from Nadi to take during your Fiji trip. Other fun day trips from Nadi include Modriki Island, exploring Port Denarau, South Sea Island, Serenity Island, and Mamanuca Island. When basing yourself in Fiji, make sure to check out these amazing places to eat. If you have more time, also head to Suva to check out what the capital city has to offer.
