If you’ve got to choose just one place, it may as well be paradise, right? But it’s the locals that really make Fiji, excelling themselves at being friendly. Plus, it can be pretty cheap once you get there, and the sun is usually shining. Sounds awful…
From the moment you arrive in Fiji, you’re made to feel at home. The traditional Fijian welcome song, Bula Maleya, is likely to welcome you everywhere you go, and you may find yourself invited to a traditional welcome ceremony. The ceremony centres around sharing the local drink, kava – just take it easy, it’s potent!
Having travelled so far, it might seem a shame not to live like island royalty and splash out on, say… a villa on a private island? There’s no need, though. Poolside studio apartments only 10 minutes’ walk from the beach go for as little as £29 per night on the main island. A bit more seclusion comes even cheaper, with cottages by the ocean on stunning Matacawalevu Island starting at £26 per night.
Hostelling and home stays cost next to nothing, and then you have the added bonus that your hosts might also offer you home-cooked meals. As a general rule, it’s cheapest to eat in larger towns as opposed to resort areas. What you might not have guessed is that the local catch of the day might catch you off guard when you get the bill, while eating at an Indian restaurant can set you back less than £5.
Every little helps when you’ve got to save those pennies for a sunset coconut and local rum…