Well, I thought it would have been a big gay adventure with underground parties to discover, but that didn’t happen. Was Fiji full of cultural discoveries and island hopping? Hell YES. So even though Fiji was not a gay destination it sure was worth visiting. If you’re thinking; Surfing, Island hopping, Romantic Island getaways and seeing some amazing marine life Fiji should be on you’re list of of places to visit before you kick that bucket baby!

So here is the day-by-day of what myself and Andy did in Fiji, do we recommend you do all of them or the way we did it? No. As we go through this guide of Fiji we will be letting you know what we think we did wrong and what to avoid. Make sure you use the table of contents below to help navigate the page and find what you are looking for.

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Arrival in Fiji – Day 1

We arrived on our flight from Christchurch New Zealand, we flew with Fiji Airways. The flight took 3 hr 50 mins, they had inflight entertainment and provided food and free alcohol which was a surprise. Once landing in the early evening it was a classic immigration, nothing out of the ordinary, some guys playing music at arrivals but nothing special. 

We decided to get a sim card at the airport which went against everything I had learnt traveling in the past. However, after doing research it was the best option price-wise. It included 225 GB of Data and 100 minutes, including international, so Mum will be happy when I call.

We got a Taxi from the Airport to our Hostel, Smugglers Cove Beach Resort. When we arrived it was dark, so I decided to pop to the shop for some food and off to bed ready to explore Nadi the next day.

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Exploring Nadi – Day 2

Woke up this morning and went to explore Nadi! Now I’m not going to recommend you do what we did because let’s just say it was a waste of time. 

We explored Namaka next to the airport, it was dreary and run down. Moving on to Nadi by walking down the main street it’s much of the same. We stopped in a few local supermarkets to see how pricey everything was. There was 1 supermarket, clearly a favourite with locals mainly because of the prices. Imagine a run-down version of Walmart or Lidl, cheap but nasty. On the way back to our hostel, Smugglers Cove Beach Resort we visited Wailoaloa Beach. The beach was covered in rubbish and not suitable for swimming luckily the section outside Smugglers Cove was cleaned regularly where you could swim if you wanted.

We also stopped for a late lunch which was just a casual pizza place, It was good enough but nothing special. Overall we would have done better for ourselves if we had either used this day to do what we did tomorrow or left Nadi and made our way to the next destination.

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Garden of the Sleeping Giant & Sabeto Hot Spring Mud Pools – Day 3

We called Sabeto Hot Spring Mud Pool and Tours this morning and they offered us transfers to both attractions and entry for $120FJDPP. It’s not too bad when looking at the price of everything separately, if you want to do this call the number on Google.

We arrived at the garden of the sleeping giant first. It’s a large ornamental garden, with an orchard, fish pond and viewpoint across Nadi. The highlight for me was the viewpoint, not just the view of Nadi but also the views of the volcanic mountains surrounding the area. Once you have finished your self-guided tour you are given some mango juice which is well worth it after the short hike in the sun up to the viewpoint!

Next, we were taken to the Mud Pools, a ten-minute drive down the road. The welcome was great and we felt straight at home. We got changed in a small hut and were taken to the mud, which was in buckets, I was expecting more of a pool of mud.

The women who worked there took photos of us while we were going through the different pools and yes they are cringy pics, I didn’t choose to do the pose below. 

You then go through the different pools which take water from the hot springs. The first and second pools are similar and have a lot of mud at the bottom. Then the final two are more like small swimming pools with the final one reaching an almost unbearable temperature. Afterwards, we decided on an optional 30-minute massage for $40FJD, the massage was nothing to shout about but was in a great setting and the ladies were great!

If you are spending a day or even an afternoon in Nadi drop in on these two attractions, they are worth it.

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Travelling to the Coral Coast – Day 3

We woke up for an early breakfast and then headed to Nadi’s bus station to catch the Coral Coast bus. The Coral Coast is the southern coast of Fiji’s main island Viti Levu. The bus station was easy to find, it’s not the largest bus station but definitely a slightly disorganised one. Just ask one of the locals and tell them where you are going, they will be more than happy to help. A taxi to the bus station shouldn’t be costing you any more than $10FJD. You can get anywhere on the island from this bus station within a few hours so if your off to Suva, the Coral cost or inland this is the place to start for cheap travel. 

We arrived at The Beachouse within a few hours and enjoyed a great dinner, we explored a little but the sun soon set, If you are a slow traveller and have loads of time on your side definitely take the bus. If you have limited time or just don’t fancy getting the bus you can get a taxi for around $90FJD per hour in the car. Just make sure you barter before you get in the cab otherwise you are going to be paying more than you should.

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The Beachouse on the Coral Coast – Day 4

Beachouse is located on the Coral Coast close to Pacific Harbour so we decided it would be a great place for some surfing as well as enjoying a night out in the capital while leaving most of our large bulky items at the resort. 

The Beachouse is a very basic resort when you think of resorts. It’s aimed towards the budget traveller whether you be a family, couple or single. We opted to stay in the dorm room as this was the cheapest. Some dorm rooms have ensuites, but some don’t, make sure to ask for an ensuite when you arrive because the shower is an outdoor one which was amazing while the sun was shining. 

Unfortunately for us the sun wasn’t shining, it was thunder and lightning so for the rest of the day we chilled in the covered area around the pool, meeting many other travellers. Most were British and some were from mainland Europe, we were drinking this evening and danced the night away. The Beachouse has a wide range of drinks and meals to have throughout the day which are all fairly priced.

HOT TIP: Order your food towards the beginning of dinner service because the popular items would often run out before the kitchen closed.

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Heading to Suva for a Gay night out Fiji-style – Day 5

So after doing some research on a gay night out in Fiji, only 1 bar came up Purple Haze. Known as being LGBTQ+ friendly but I would say they pretty much only cater towards the gays. We were quite far away from Suva but decided to get the afternoon bus and pay for a taxi back late at night. 

The night started at Opium Bar Fiji which I thought was a bar but it turned out to be more like a nightclub, where it was early evening it was dead, Oops. We stayed for a drink and a cheeky dance, no one else was there, how cringe. Never mind, Purple Haze was just next door, so we went earlier than expected. In my opinion, it’s a gay club but I just don’t think the owners want to brand it as such. 

A huge mix of guys came into the club, Daddies, Bears, Twinks and the odd Twunk. I think you are spoilt for choice considering it’s not a gay bar. The music playing was classic gay anthems; Gaga, Madonna, Kylie and the odd Rupaul track. We had great fun I would recommend it, if you are staying in Suva check this place out. We got a taxi back to the Beachhouse, stumbling our way into the dorm and passed out!

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Surfing on the Coral Coast – Day 6

Woke up at Beachouse with a slight hangover but nothing a free breakfast cannot sort out! We packed up our stuff and popped it in the luggage storage room. Yesterday we arranged to hire some surfboards from the resort for only $60FJD an hour but with a hefty deposit of $500FJD in case we broke or lost them. 

The paddle out to the surf was one of the most difficult I had done not because of the white water, but because of the distance. This is because it was a reef break rather than a beach break. It was kinda terrifying knowing that if I fell off there could be a high chance of either the board breaking or me breaking something else. So I decided just to enjoy the waves and stay laid on the board rather than attempt to stand. I enjoyed myself and it was exciting to be in the water with big waves that were warm unlike in New Zealand.

After surfing we collected our stuff and went to just outside the resort for the bus to arrive, it arrived promptly to my surprise and we headed back off to Nadi to stay for the night before getting on the ship to start exploring the Yasawa Islands. 

Again we decided to stay at Smugglers Cove because it was cheap but we also knew what to expect. Another reason to stay here is because it’s popular with tourists going to the Yasawa islands and South Sea Cruises (our ship company) will do complementary transfers from this hostel. 

When we got back to Nadi we went shopping for snacks for the islands and decided to eat at the restaurant at the supermarket, this was not a mistake. It was the cheapest meal we have had so far and good quality. I believe that all of the ‘True Mart’ supermarkets have this restaurant so definitely check it out if you want to save some money.

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Travelling to the Yasawa islands – Day 7

This was the day I had been looking forward to the most, travelling from mainland Fiji to the Yasawa islands. We were picked up from our hostel at 07:15 and taken to the port, it was surprisingly well-organised. We were taken to check-in and gave our large bags over to the crew, everything ran much smoother than expected and we had time for coffee before boarding our ship.

The ship had three decks, the top deck was fully open, with some great views while sailing but was also exposed to the sun. The middle deck was reserved for passengers who had upgraded their tickets, they received free food and non-alcoholic drinks, I would say this is worth it if you are on the ship for more than a few hours. We decided to sit on the bottom deck mainly because it was air-conditioned and had comfy seats, it also had a small viewing area out to the bow of the ship.

The journey took around 2 hours, our bags were then out and put into a smaller boat we boarded and made our way to Naqalia Lodge where we were staying for the next six nights. We were greeted by guitar playing on the beach and pristine sand, it was beautiful. We had dinner with the other guests and went to bed the food was great a mix of Western with Fijian twists.

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Swimming with Reef Sharks – Day 8

At breakfast, we were officially checked in by the staff of Naqalia Lodge which is run by the local village along with two other accommodations that were dotted over the island. We spoke to Gina who is in charge of our accommodation. She asked a few questions such as dietary and what we wanted to do while we were staying with them. She also advised us of the dangerous marine life that was on the doorstep along with photos. Which made me think they must have had a few accidents while tourists were staying here. Dangerous marine life to look out for around this area included; Stingrays, Stonefish, Sea Snakes, Urchins and Giant Clams.

We went swimming in the reef which was right in front of the accommodation, it was the best reef I had ever seen. The reef was colourful, full of life and had a huge ‘drop off’ at the end, it really did look like the drop off from Finding Nemo. 

While we were swimming at the drop off we spotted a reef shark, it was swimming right at us and coming to investigate what we were. I was slightly scared but it wasn’t a full-grown shark, a memory to look back on in the future. The reef was so untouched, not like the reefs I had seen before in South-East Asia which were badly damaged, bleached and had too many tourists swimming in them. Here it was just me and Andy enjoying the reef all to ourselves.

HOT TIP: This was the best reef we saw while traveling Fiji, so if you’re wanting to explore some reefs while in Fiji defiantly book in at Naqalia Lodge.

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Exploring Naqalia Lodge – Day 9

Naqalia Lodge located on Wayasa island was simple but quiet, just what you want from an accommodation on the Fijian islands. As I mentioned earlier it is run by the local village rather than a western company. They have two different types of accommodation a dormitory and ‘Bures’ which are like small bungalows with a bathroom, living area and bedroom, they also include a private balcony which is great for watching the sea in the daytime.

The accommodation runs off solar power during the day and a generator at night, power in the daytime is intermittent so if you want to work or be on social media make sure you have a battery pack ready to go. There isn’t any aircon however the fans do keep the bedroom cool enough at night.

The location of the lodge is in the southeast of Wayasa Island, it is isolated from the other accommodations so you only see other guests and the locals who are running the place. During our whole stay there were only three other guests so we had multiple nights where it was just us, bliss.

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Experiencing Fiji as a Local: Fishing Trip, Lovo and Kava – Day 10

We decided to do the fishing trip with hopes of bagging some good catch, did that happen… No. Akun one of the village elders took us out on his boat, it was a simple fishing boat with no shade and a petrol engine. Jack another local but much younger was the first mate, he sunbathed while listening to some chilled Fijian music. 

The fishing lines we used were simple hand lines with a lead weight and sardines for bait. Over two hours and three fishing sites, we caught a total of 4 fish; two groupers, a suckerfish and a snapper which got away. The fishing trip only cost $40FJD each and the bonus was that we circle navigated the island next door. So we got a great local experience and some sightseeing.

This evening our Fijian hosts had planned for us a cultural feast. Tonight our dinner would be cooked in a ground oven or Lovo as they call it. The men began by setting a fire and placing large granite rocks to heat in the embers. Beside the fire, Manou dug a pit in the earth. Meanwhile, the ladies of the family prepared the parcels of food to be buried. They used banana leaves to wrap chicken, fish and local root crops. One parcel was filled with the island spinach leaf and soaked with coconut milk.

Now very hot, the rocks were rolled into the pit, the parcels of food placed on top and finally the pit filled back in with earth. The ground oven would bake everything into a delicious feast in around ninety minutes. Just as promised a couple of hours later we were tucking into a tender feast of traditional Fijian foods.

After our meal, the table was pushed aside and a rug laid out to sit on Tui our host placed a large four-legged wooden bowl on the centre of the rug and exclaimed “No Fijian feast is complete without Kava”. He explained that the Kava root drink is the local version of sharing an alcoholic drink as we would in Western culture. He filled the bowl with water and poured the ground kava into a cloth, he then massaged the cloth through the water turning it a milky brown.

A coconut shell was filled with the murky liquid and passed to us with a clap and ‘Bula’. The taste was a medicinal bitterness slightly similar to turmeric but very much its own flavour. We shared stories and with each bowl of Kava, its effects began to appear. A numb stoniness washed through the body, now it was clear why we had sat on a rug as we all reclined into more relaxed poses. We shared stories into the night and eventually the sleepy effects of the Kava beckoned us to our beds.

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Kayaking our way to another Resort – Day 11

Today we got up to another fabulous breakfast from Naqalia Lodge, we chilled in the morning as the tide was high and the seas were a little rough. After lunch, we took to a kayak to explore what we couldn’t with just swimming. We headed southwest to Kuata Island, as we were told the coral there was different to what was in front of the lodge. When we got to the island we had to be very careful with the kayak because the water was so shallow you could damage the coral with the paddles.

We disembarked and a local told us where to swim and enjoy the best part of the reef. When swimming we saw a huge array of fish and corals. I have no idea what any of them were called, I just know that a few of them reminded me of the rainbow fish book that everyone read if they were a child of the 90s. 

After swimming in the reef we went to the resort on the island which is run by the same village that ran our accommodation. They didn’t seem to have any qualms with us using the facilities in the resort such as the pools and sunbeds. Now I must admit this resort is not aimed at the budget traveller so it was a treat to enjoy some luxuries for an hour or so. We jumped back on the kayak and once we were around halfway back to our lodge I decided to jump in thinking it would be easy to get back in the Kayak. It wasn’t, but made it in the end. 

We came across some local boys who were fishing off the rocks asking for help. One of their lines was caught in the coral, so as the hero Andy is he jumped in put his goggles on and unhooked it. The young boys were so pleased which was cute. We made it back to Nagalia Loadge after being away for around 4 hours. The kayak cost $10FJD an hour so a total of $40FJD, not bad for an afternoon exploring.

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Hiking the Three Sisters – Day 12

Wayasewa island rises steeply out of the ocean topped by a huge pinnacled cliff face which the locals name the three sisters.

When we found out that it was possible to hike/climb up to the highest point of the cliff face I knew that it was an activity to try whilst at Naqalia lodge. For $40FJD a guide will take you up the mountain at either sunrise or sunset, not being much of a morning person we opted to go at sunset. The journey began with a short boat ride to the village where the track begins.

The first section was the most demanding as the track climbed steeply through the jungle, meandering its way around huge boulders. Manuo our guide led us up barefoot with rests at the best lookouts, stopping to tell us a story of the Island’s local history, myths and legends.

Soon the gradient eased as we left the forest below and began to traverse around the back of the pinnacles, here the path weaved through tall grass and occasionally up large slabs of bedrock. We stopped for a moment at a car-sized boulder that was sitting perched atop another much larger boulder. Manou explained that the boulder had been put there by the Snake God and that it could rock back and forth like a snake. 

We continued up the final section was the most technically challenging as we climbed up and across rock with large drops at times. Finally, we reached the top and enjoyed the spectacular 360-degree views over the other islands. I would recommend that if you do undertake this hike you are comfortable with hikes and feeling fit.

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Travelling to Boathouse – Day 13

After having breakfast at Naqalia Lodge, we packed up and got on the same small boat we went out fishing on. We met the catamaran in the bay, this was great fun because loads of small boats were speeding from various homestays and resorts towards the ship. It felt like we were all pirates heading towards the larger ship!

The sailing time from Naqalia Lodge on Wayasewa Island to The Boathouse on Nanuya Lailai Island was approximately 3 hours. We just had a nap and did some writing while on the ship. The ship skims across the water very fast, so I would recommend that you take sea sickness tablets if you are susceptible to it.

We got off the ship with around 10 other passengers and were welcomed to the island with a song, we settled the bill and went off to explore. This accommodation is more like a resort and is reflected in the cost, they have free use of non-motorised watersports equipment which meant I was straight on a Stand Up Paddleboard, yes I fell in multiple times but I got the hang of it now after a few tries. We had a great dinner which was 3 courses and included in the cost of the accommodation along with all other meals.

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Nanuya Lailai Island Teahouse and Snorkelling – Day 14

We hiked to the other side of Nanuya Lailai Island in the morning to visit Lo’s Tea House. The hike took around 30 minutes, with some great views along the way. The hike went through a small village and a few farms so we bumped into many locals along the way. The food and drinks available at the Tea House were great everything is priced at $5FJD so great value for money. I would recommend you get the fresh lemonade and a doughnut, both were great and the doughnut was made fresh and covered in chocolate sauce.

After hiking back to the boathouse we stopped for lunch which was a simple burger and chips, I was happy with a bit of Western food because everything we ate at Naqalia Lodge was a mixture of local Fijian with a Western twist. 

We then boarded a boat and went for a guided snorkelling tour, it cost $30FJD which again I do think was around the right price for what we received. We saw a lot of marine life we hadn’t seen before however a lot of the coral was badly damaged. Our guide says this is because of a cruise ship that comes into the area once a week and floods the area with tourists. While on the tour we saw a giant clam which was much bigger than I thought they could ever get. We also saw clownfish inside their anemone just like in Finding Nemo alongside a stingray which again was huge. If you do stay at the Boathouse then I would recommend doing this tour as the reef was quite a long way from the resort and not advertised.

In the evening the boathouse did a kava ceremony and where we had already tried it we were not interested in trying it again, however, the people who did get involved seemed to enjoy it. I wonder if they got the Kava hangover like we did.

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Kayaking around Nanuya Lailai Island – Day 15

This morning was a chilled one just on the sunbeds in the morning and another great lunch from the Boathouse. After lunch, we decided to Kyake around Nanuya Lailai Island or at least try! 

We set off from the resort heading south through the stunning Blue Lagoon, we stopped to dive and snorkel, seeing clownfish in their anemone again, along with a huge school of fish that were very inquisitive of us. We got back in the Kayak and carried on passing the point and heading East. The wind was against us and so was the tide which we soon realised was a problem because the tide was so low we would have to drag the kayak through mangroves instead of paddling. 

We decided to explore Turtle Island which was next to Nanuya Lailai Island and is connected by a sandbar which was blocking our way due to how low the tide was. We started walking and were greeted by no trespassing signs, it turns out that a 5* resort owns this island and they don’t want any of the poor people like us coming over. A man told us to return to our island. 

We returned to the Boathouse for dinner and a few drinks before bed, overall a nice chilled-out day with some exploring thrown in.

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SUPing to Matacawa Levu Island – Day 16

SUPing or Stand Up Paddleboarding is a skill that doesn’t come naturally to me, especially because by the end of the day I had fallen off more than just a handful of times. We started crossing the channel between the islands, which is reasonably busy with boat traffic which didn’t help with me staying on the board. 

Once we made it to the island it was great to finally relax on our own private beach and enjoy the surroundings. We explored the area finding some strange slug-like marine life. We also saw a stingray in the shallows, but where I was not so stable on the paddle board I was freaking out about falling in and landing on top of it. Yes, I was screaming but I don’t think anyone could hear me! 

We paddled back to the resort passing some private yachts which were very posh indeed but no one in sight. Shame because I’ve always wanted a sugar daddy with a private yacht. We enjoyed dinner and had an early night because all of that paddling had me ready for bed!

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Travelling to Mantaray Island – Day 17

We chilled out this morning with a nice breakfast and lunch ready to catch the ship to Mantaray Island! I was excited to see the Mantaray Resort as it was the most expensive accommodation and meal plan we booked for this trip. Oh boy if only I knew how bad it was going to be! 

We arrived on Mantaray Island and had the classic welcome of the Bula song a refreshing drink and a cold towel, great for when it’s hot. Not so great when it’s windy and slightly rainy. We checked into the Paradise dorm, hahah was it paradise? Absolutely not, it was damp, dark and cold with no atmosphere at all. The dorm had more than 20 beds which is fine, I’ve stayed in them before they can be great, but this dorm wasn’t.

We went for dinner and it was the biggest letdown so far, the worst food I have had in a long time, I could have cooked better and I’m an awful cook, that’s saying something. I went to bed feeling a bit deflated but optimistic for tomorrow. Hopefully, the weather will be better and the food will improve.

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Exploring Mantaray Island Resort – Day 18

OK, so breakfast… it was the best breakfast we have had in Fiji, it was buffet style with a wide range of unhealthy choices and some healthy ones. I opted for muffins while Andy got all the healthy food as per usual. However, I do feel for the price we paid for this food plan  I was still let down.

We decided to go to another beach located close to the resort, we arrived and no one was there and it wasn’t as windy as the other side of the resort. Great right? Wrong, the reason it was empty is because the resort is expanding and there is construction going on everywhere. I’m talking loud angle grinders all day, now I’m starting to feel my Karen coming out. The weather isn’t great and there are no facilities at the resort, they have a few free activities such as a cooking class, language lesson and Kayaking. However, I’m on holiday, I don’t want to be at school right now right? Plus it’s too windy for Kayaking. 

We had lunch and again it was underwhelming, but this was the moment I decided to just roll with it and enjoy what I could. Dinner was better than the night before and we went swimming in the very rough sea, saw some fish but nothing we hadn’t already seen. This would have been special if we had not already been snorkelling at the other islands. 

Overall this wasn’t a great day, but Andy did win a free cocktail by winning a party game, guess where I came? Last, classic!

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Hiking and Kayaking around Mantaray Island Resort – Day 19

Today was a much better day the sun was shining and the wind was much lighter. Perfect for getting out on the water. First, we went for a snorkel to check out the reef and got lucky enough to see a stingray. Next, we checked out the SUPs and kayaks that are available for free at the resort, we paddled out across the channel in the hope of spotting a manta ray, no luck this time, but it was still fun to be able to explore the adjacent island from the water.

In the afternoon the resort was offering a hike as the free activity for the day. This hike was much easier than the last but no less spectacular. The trail first climbed up and then followed the ridge of the long and narrow island with great views down the steep slopes on either side of us. After a short while we descended steeply and popped out of the forest onto the beach. A stroll along the beach lead us back to the resort. 

Overall today was the best day we had at Mantary Island Resort, the weather was fair and the activities were enjoyable. Would I recommend you to come and stay here? Not at the moment with all this construction, check the Mantaray Island Resort website and email them and enquire if the construction is complete. If it is I’m sure you will have a great stay.

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Travelling back to Nadi – Day 20

Time to hear the Fijian goodbye song for one last time. As usual, the South Sea cruise ship runs smoothly on time and gets us back to Nadi with a free coach transfer to our accommodation at Bamboo Beach in Nadi. 

When we arrived at Bamboo it was more of a classic hostel compared to Smugglers Cove, it wasn’t as nice in some aspects such as the cold showers but it had more of an atmosphere. We chatted with other travellers while drinking offering people who had just arrived in Fiji our advice on what to do and what not to do. There were a few other travellers mentioning how good Blue Lagoon Beach Resort was to stay at, so that might be worth looking into while doing your research on where to stay on the Yasawa Islands.

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Big Bula Waterpark – Day 21

We had breakfast at Bamboo and were ready to start the day, we were heading off to Big Bula Waterpark which is around a 15-minute drive from where we were staying. I saw this waterpark advertised when we were making our way to the Port when leaving the mainland and said to Andy we have to go because I love a good waterpark! 

We were planning to go surfing this day but the surf forecast was crap. If you’re looking into surfing Cloudbreak or other famous surf spots in Fiji check out Brothers Surf Tours. We enquired with them and they quoted a 4-hour surf tour of Cloudbreak, Restaurants and Namotu Lefts with board hire for $400FJD for 2 people. This was the cheapest we found without staying at one of the expensive resorts.

Onto the waterpark and we had 6 hours of sliding to get through, it wasn’t busy so no wait for any of the attractions. The lifeguards were also very relaxed for example sending 2 people down the slides at once. Andy hit his head on the slide because I smashed into the back of him but luckily he was ok. We had food which was surprisingly well priced at only $15FJD for some chicken nuggets and chips! 

After a fun day, I was ready for bed, we returned to Bamboo had some dinner and straight to bed ready to fly to Taiwan the next day!

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Goodbye Fiji, Hello Taiwan – Day 22

Morning Andy! It’s time to go to Asia

It has to be said I think Asia is my favourite continent to travel to, so I’m looking forward to rediscovering destinations I have already visited and discovering some new ones. This morning was a simple taxi ride to the airport. The first flight was a dreadful 10 hours to Hong Kong with Fiji Airways, any flight longer than 5 hours I start to struggle and get very restless. After the flight to Hong Kong, it was just a quick 2-hour flight to Taiwan.

If you are planning any trips to Asia Click Here to check out our Gay Guides to Asia!

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The Good and The Bad: Our recommendations for your gay trip to Fiji

Is Fiji a gay destination? No, if you’re looking for parties and loads of guys either head to Europe or Southeast Asia. If you and your partner want a romantic getaway then Fiji is for you, we met lots of couples honeymooning! 

There were lots of gay tourists in Fiji but they were mostly older, great fun to have a few drinks but I wasn’t going to take my jockstrap off for them. 

The Good

If you’re heading to Fiji get out to the islands on the West Coast, and use South Sea Cruises to get in between your accommodations. South Sea Cruises also offer a hop-on hop-off service but for what we were doing this would have turned out to be more expensive. 

During our travels in Fiji as gay men, we experienced no homophobia. No need to use a VPN in Fiji for Grindr and other apps and in the cities there are plenty of guys to chat with!

If the weather is good it does look like paradise here, the corals that surround the islands are healthy and have a variety of life. The locals are very friendly and hold onto Christian values so do genuinely want to help you, everyone we interacted with was kind apart from the taxi drivers.

The Bad 

Fiji has far to come with its gay rights. Where the country still holds onto its very Christian values I think the rights will come, but it’s going to take a few decades to be at the same level as the UK in terms of equality. 

Taxi drivers will try to rip you off at every opportunity, always negotiate a price before getting into the taxi. Don’t be afraid to haggle your way down!

The resorts on the islands force you to purchase a meal plan, we knew this before arriving at each island so it wasn’t a shock. However, some tourists were not aware and were not happy.

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Accommodation Recommendations

We stayed at all of the accommodations listed below so you can trust the information here! 

Nadi 

Smugglers Cove

Overall, a great place to stay if you want to explore Nadi and the surrounding area, they have a tour desk and cheap rooms. This accommodation is more of a mix of hotel and hostel with beach access from the accommodation. Dorms and private rooms are available here.

Bamboo Backpackers 

Very close to Smugglers Cove, but slightly further away from the beach. This hostel has more of a party atmosphere as well as a large pool. This is the hostel in Nadi I would recommend for solo backpackers wanting to meet other travellers.

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Coral Coast 

The Beachouse

This is a great cheap resort catering to both backpackers and families, do not expect a 5* resort or anything to do in the local area. They have free activities for you to do such as kayaking. If you want to surf this is also a great place to learn as they have a surf school and the break is right in front of the resort.

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Yasawa Islands 

Naqalia Lodge 

This was my favourite accommodation in terms of getting to know the locals. They were welcoming and shared some great stories with us. It has the best coral reef we have seen in Fiji, take your snorkel if you don’t want to pay to use the snorkels they have at the lodge. They have both a dorm and bures (beach huts) available so you can a mix of travellers here from couples to backpackers. Please note the price quoted on Hostelworld includes 3 meals a day!

The Boathouse

This was the best resort we stayed at the food was great, the accommodation was good and most of the activities were free. The staff at the resort were friendly and other travellers at the resort were great to socialise with. Again this accommodation offers private rooms and gendered dorms, my recommendation would be to stay in the male-only dorm as there is no need to worry about girls being around!

Mantaray Island Resort 

This was the most expensive resort we stayed at on the island and was the worst. I do not recommend you stay here unless they have finished their construction. The staff were fantastic but almost everything was being worked on. I’m sure it will be great once they have finished but in its current state, I would recommend you do not stay here!

Blue Lagoon Resort

(Note we did not stay here but it came highly recommended)

This resort is more expensive than the rest of the accommodations we stayed at while on the Yasawa Islands. However, they do have a swimming pool which was something that was missing from all of the island resorts we stayed at. They also offer free activities and seem to be popular with both couples and solo travellers.

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Cost of Fiji

Overall, Fiji has cost around what I thought it would, we travelled using public transport where possible and stayed at either budget to mid-range accommodations. Excluding flights to Fiji, my costs were £1,541($1962USD or $4436FJD) over 22 days. Please note this cost is for May 2024 and may change, it is per person, so if you are a couple expect this cost to double.

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