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Nadi Travel Guide
Viti Levu, Fiji Islands
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Nadi Airport is labelled as the Jet Set Town for this is the main tourist hub where all international flights arrive and depart. The town itself has little to offer the tourist but it does make a good base for exploring the surrounding countryside and offshore islands. For those heading to the outer islands, or on early morning or late evening flights, it's likely you'll spend a night here before moving on to your holiday destination. Unfortunately for Fiji, he beach area at Nadi Bay is rather shabby so doesn't give visitors a good first hand impression of the country. Nadi Town itself has lots of bustling handicraft boutiques, clothes shops, several good restaurants and internet cafes. Its a functional town although here the tourism touts are on the streets trying to befriend you and sell their tours.
Nadi Town is the place to arrange your travel plans and to organise day tours to the beautiful Mamanuca and Yasawa Group. Most travellers find themselves hanging around for a few days getting themselves organized to explore the offshore islands or countryside.
Nadi Accommodation Search
Nadi Airport has a disappointing beach for Fiji's standards, often littered, with murky seas and attracting dubious characters - robbery here is unfortunately a problem. However, with lots of affordable airport hotels and other accommodation, independent restaurants, good shops and a variety of sightseeing tours, Nadi is an excellent base. There are lots of tour companies offering day trips from BBQ's on uninhabited islands to sailing trips, dolphin tours and 4-wheel drive excursions into remote mountains.
Nadi Town centre is set a mile inland from the coast and most accommodation sits alongside the busy road connecting the town and nadi international airport, a distance of about 10km. Taxis are always available at nadi international airport (about F$10 to town) and there is an excellent network of buses (just F$1 to town). Most of the hotels and resorts are located along the main highway at Namaka or Martintar. These include the delightful Tanoa International Hotel and the Novotel Nadi Hotel (with a 9-hole pitch and putt golf course) both set on a prominent hill overlooking the airport. Directly opposite the airport is the convenient Tokatoka Resort with its lovely swimming pool and Raffles Gateway, with a more sedate atmosphere. Nearer down in the suburb of Martintar is the Mercure Hotel and Nadi Bay Hotel which are close to several good restaurants, bars and nightclubs.
The beach areas of Wailoaloa and New Town are located about a mile from Martintar (infrequent buses mean you can feel cut off here) and offer several lovely small resorts and backpacker hostels with views of the offshore islands. The pick of the bunch are Club Fiji Resort and Aquarius Resort, both aimed at the budget market. Also worth considering is Beachside Resort, with simple yet clean budget rooms and bungalows although the resort is set a good 500 yards inland from a mangrove coastline - it's at least five minute walk to a rather ordinary beach.
Just offshore (connected by small bridge, 25 minutes by road from the international airport) is Denarau Island and the lifestyle resort complex with three Sheraton Resorts, a Sofitel and Hilton. These offer the most upmarket resorts in the Nadi Area. Of the Sheraton Resorts, the Sheraton Fiji is the most contemporary. Next door are the Sheraton Villas which offer 2- and 3-bedroom suites ideal for families. Adjacent to the Villas is the newly renovated traditional style Westin Denarau, the most upmarket of the Sheratons. Next comes the Sofitel, opened in December 2008 and finally the Hilton which offers owner occupied apartments. You'll also find private residential homes, boutique shops, restaurants and golf and tennis centre although the golf course is very flat. Overlooking the golf course is the Golf Terraces which offer 1 to 3 bed apartments ideal for golf lovers and families. The beach on Denarau stretches for a couple of miles and makes for great beach walking - however, the sand is brownish from the nearby mangrove swamps and the sea is usually too murky for snorkelling. Most of the day cruises to the offshore islands as well as island resort transfers leave from Denarau Marina. Also based here is shotover jet, a thrill speed boat ride through the nearby mangrove channels with 360 degree spins.
Nadi's greatest attractions are the surrounding mountains which can be explored on day tours.
About twenty minutes north of the airport is Vuda Point with its stunning views over the bay and of the surrounding mountains. Vuda has an picturesque sandy beach although the lagoon is too shallow for swimming or snorkelling. There are two resorts here which make pleasant bases - First Landing Resort is next to the marina and has the convenience of both day cruises and dive excursions to the offshore islands on its doorstep, and Anchorage Beach Resort lies between Veseisei Village and the Oil terminals - it has exquisite mountain views but the sugar train track cuts right infront of the villas beside the beach and can be a nuisance at night during the harvesting season of June to December. There are several attractions in this region including the spectacular Garden of the Sleeping Giant with its wonderful orchid gardens, the slightly grubby natural hot springs of Sabeto River Valley and further north, inland from Lautoka, Koroyanitu National Park with its hiking trails and overnight accommodation.
As soon as you leave Nadi Town, the rural countryside of sugar cane farms takes over. There are pleasant views along the roadside of the Nadi Highlands and just 10-minutes south of town is Sonaisali Island Resort, a two minute boat ride from the mangrove forests along the coast. This is another popular resort with easy access to both the offshore islands and the sightseeing around Nadi and the Coral Coast.
Next Stop - Coral Coast
Readers may also be interested in the following destinations:
Cook Islands Travel Guide
Samoa Travel Guide
Tonga Travel Guide
Tahiti Travel Guide
Hawaii Travel Guide
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