Testimonial:

Bula! (You'll say it a thousand times if you go to Fiji)

We spent 15 days there in July and it cost us a little over $5,000, including airfare, food, etc. For us, this was an amazing deal, considering the length of time we wanted for our honeymoon!! Only after we got there did we realize how easy it is to do Fiji on a tight budget, esp. compared to other tropical locales like Tahiti. We met SO many wonderful people who were either backpacking or on their honeymoons, and everyone agreed that Fiji was one of the last "pristine" places on earth that wasn't outrageously expensive or overrun with tourists.

I should say up front that what was most important to US was to be in gorgeous surroundings. Since we wanted a longer stay we skipped super-luxe accommodations, and that obviously cut down on our costs.

The travel agent we used -- after a ton of research -- was Renee Duane of Unforgettable Honeymoons. She was very helpful in giving us ideas for meeting our budget, and she's been to most of the resorts, both upmarket and budget. I think she's a diver, as well, so she was able to recommend resorts with fantastic swimming/snorkeling.

We stayed 6 nights at a small, rustic resort called Oarsman Bay Lodge, in the Yasawa Islands, and 8 nights at Malolo Island Resort in the Mamanucas. We loved both so much -- and for very different reasons! Simply put, the Yasawas are known for having the most picturesque, calm, and swimmable white-sand beaches in Fiji, and that's exactly what we got! Oarsman is slim on the amenities but there is something so special about the remoteness of the place. We felt like we were on our own huge romantic deserted island! It didn't bother us at all that the food and bures were simple. In fact, it made us appreciate even more the lush surroundings and the fact that we could walk 20 steps from our door to the crystal blue ocean, or listen to the waves all night long. We met a travel writer who had just reviewed the nearby chi-chi Turtle Island Resort, and she said the beach and snorkeling at Oarsman were just as good, if not better!

Malolo was very much a resort, like Castaway, Tokoriki, Matamanoa, and the other nearby islands. Definitely more upscale and "western" than Oarsman, with great service and all the resort-like amenities. I'll be happy to give more details later.

The weather while we were there was EXCELLENT - between 75 and 85, sunny. The island groups we were in get much less rain than some of the other chains, though we heard from fellow travelers that the rainy island of Taveuni is breathtaking. We had one morning of rain (and it was lovely), the rest of the time it was perfect swimming, hiking, and sunbathing weather!

Mosquitos were a bit of a problem, but just be sure to bring good repellent and remember that it'll take off a manicure. Most resorts sell blue bottles of "Aerogard" (I think), which we bought and used also. "Off" seemed to work well, though officials confiscated it at the Fiji airport when we left -- don't bring flammable aerosol cans!

Bring lots of sunscreen. We used 30 and 45.

In general most things in Fiji are cheap, like souvenirs in Nadi and food. When we were there it was about F$2 to US$1.

The Fijian people are SO friendly and welcoming and modest. Be sure to bring a couple outfits that cover shoulders and knees, if you plan to visit any villages (which we did).

Okay, it's late, I'll stop my mini-review there. Feel free to ask any questions! I'm still trying to get my life organized after our wedding, so it might take awhile to respond but I'll try! To be continued...