Best Time of Year to Visit Fiji

About the author, Michael Cottam Founder of Visual Itineraries, Michael lives in Bend, Oregon. He's an avid traveler, scuba diver, photographer, and a private pilot, and also the founder of Bright Yonder, which offers marketing tools to travel agents. He's been to Fiji, Thailand, Vietnam, Seychelles, Kenya, France, England, New Zealand, Jamaica, Belize, Costa Rica, Turks & Caicos, British Virgin Islands, Mexico, and the major islands in French Polynesia. He's been in Rotary for 23 years, currently on the board of the Greater Bend Rotary Club. Here's his LinkedIn and Pinterest.

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• Compare islands
• Airfare by month
• Travel specials
• See all resorts in Fiji
• Temperature by month
• Precipitation by month
• What's a "bure"?
• Storms in Fiji
• Scuba diving & snorkeling
• Map of all resorts & islands

Fiji is a tropical paradise...with weather to match! This luscious country is blessed with natural beauty both on the land and under the water.

Fiji wholesalers--and many of the resorts themselves--are very active when it comes to special offers, discounts, extra inclusions, etc., and so these kinds of deals are changing all the time. Most websites aren't able to keep those specials up to date--there's just too many of them, and they're changing and expiring all the time. At Visual Itineraries, we track the offers from the major wholesalers daily, and our specialists have tools that show them all the available offers and discounts for a particular property instantly.

TRAVEL SPECIAL: Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort

Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort 5 nights from 649 per person

This Fiji hotel's signature Talai service, traditional butler service with a South Pacific twist, is available to guest staying in Deluxe Ocean View rooms, suites and bures. Talai service includes complimentary arrival drinks, and champagne with canapés delivered to your room every afternoon. Talai butlers are available to unpack and press your clothing, recommend tours and activities, and schedule restaurant reservations.

This Fiji accommodation is well suited for a family vacation with an impressive tropical swimming pool, supervised children's activities, Meimei nanny service, and kids-eat-free program.

Learn more about Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort

Advisory
The hotel will be commencing a renovation of the resort in mid-October 2022. The resort will remain open and operational during the uplift with a phased approach implemented to minimize any guest disruption. Vale Ni Kana (Main Buffet Restaurant) – 10 January 2023 – 16 May 2023 During this period, Vale Ni Kana will be closed and Vahavu will be used for buffet dining. Reception, Lobby and Porte Cochere – 20 June 2023 – 5 September 2023
General Policies & Fine Print
Check In: 3: 00 PM
Check Out: 11: 00 AM
General Policies: Check-in Policy - Hotel requires a credit/debit card authorization or cash deposit upon check-in for incidentals; this will place a hold on your funds.

Convention Policy - Individuals attending a convention cannot book this property for their stay. If found attending a convention, guests may be subject to higher room rates upon arrival.

Hotel Spring Break Policy:
This hotel cannot guarantee a spring-break-free environment

General Information - Room taxes are included in vacation price. Minimum night stay restrictions may apply. Reservation changes may not be permitted unless authorized by the hotel.

There is a $60 fee for extra bedding.

See our complete list of travel specials for the islands of Fiji.

See & compare all resorts in the Fiji islands

If you're trying to decide where to stay in the Mamanucas, Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, the Yasawas, or any of the other islands, we can help! For the 80 resorts there, we've got over 1,000 high-resolution photos, 62 videos, and even some virtual tours to help you find your perfect Fijian bure. Click here to use our Visual Explorer to check out all of them.

You're going to fly into Nadi (pronounced "Nandi"), which is one of the two main cities in Fiji (the other being Suva). Both of these cities are on the main island of Viti Levu. The tourist areas on this island where the hotels are are the Coral Coast, and Denarau Island. Here, you'll mostly find traditional multi-room hotels, which are less expensive in general than the island resorts, and tend not to have separate bures.

The Mamanucas (pronounced "Mamanoothas") are the chain of islands that starts just off the west coast at Nadi, and curves around to the northwest. This is where you'll find many islands resorts with beach bures (including Liku Liku, which has overwater bures). Some of these islands have just one resort on the entire island; some have 2 or 3. These islands are easy (and inexpensive) to get to via a quick boat shuttle from Nadi, and tend to be moderately priced. Great snorkeling and scuba diving is very close by on the Malolo Barrier Reef.

Just north of the Mamanucas is the Yasawa island chain. These islands have just a few resorts, very high-end, with lots of privacy, stunning beaches, and very small numbers of guests per resort. One of my favorites there is Yasawa Island Resort.

Fiji's second largest island is Vanua Levu, which sits to the northeast of Viti Levu. It's far enough away that you'll need to take an island hopper flight out to your resort. It's very popular with scuba divers, and in fact Jacques Cousteau's son Jean-Michel Cousteau has a fantastic resort there, called Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort. The Somosomo Strait, which separates Vanua Levu and the smaller island Taveuni, has many world-class dive sites. Namale and Koro Sun are two of the other more notable resorts on Vanua Levu.

Taveuni is popular with divers for the same reason Vanua Levu is--proximity to the fantastic soft coral gardens and walls in the Somosomo Strait. Here, be sure to check out Laucala, Matangi, and Qamea.

Beqa (pronounced "Benga") Lagoon is well known for shark diving--but, you don't have to be a diver to enjoy this area, as the islands nearby (including Beqa Island itself) are home to some fantastic 5-star resorts, such as Lalati and Royal Davui.

Namale Resort & Spa has this cool list of interesting facts about Fiji.

TRAVEL SPECIAL: DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Hotel Fiji - Sonaisali Island

DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Fiji - Sonaisali Island 5 nights with air from 3,323 per person

DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Fiji – Sonaisali Island is surrounded by the warm waters of the South Pacific Ocean, just a three-minute boat ride from the main island of Viti Levu, and a short 25-minute drive from Nadi International Airport. The resort offers a wealth of amenities, beautiful accommodation and an authentic, warm Fijian welcome.

Guests staying at our hotel can choose from an array of activities, including paintballing, horseback riding and pampering spa treatments. Those looking to enjoy the natural beauty of the area while adopting the relaxed island pace of Fiji can swim in the freeform pool on the edge of the beach, or explore the beautiful coral reefs of the nearby Mamanuca Islands.

Learn more about DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Hotel Fiji - Sonaisali Island

Prices include: Items selected, government taxes and fees and Pleasant Holidays' service fees. Unless specified otherwise, rates are quoted in USD.

Typical airfares from LAX to Nadi, Fiji

Airfares vary by season, but also day of week, and are definitely affected by holidays. The chart above shows the typical minimum and maximum fares for a economy class ticket from Los Angeles (LAX) to Nadi International Airport, by month. We gathered this data in June 2016 from FareCompare.com.

TRAVEL SPECIAL: Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort

5 nights from $2,929 per person

Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort is our award-winning luxurious island vacation destination in the South Pacific. Guests discover the truly amazing resort experience — focusing on rest and relaxation, authentic cuisine and culture, and exploring the incredible secrets of nature and the local environment. Our great variety of unique interactive activities, lifestyle-enriching experiences and attractions make this Fiji’s Best Family Resort in addition to a Romantic Luxury vacation for couples. Anyone with a sense of adventure and the desire to experience one of the most beautiful places on the planet will love Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort.

Learn more about Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort

- Tank dives with guide
- Two 1-hour massages
- Meet and greet at Nadi and Savusavu domestic airport and roundtrip transfers
- All a la carte meals: a la carte breakfast, gourmet lunch, and gourmet dinner daily
- Breakfast: a la carte and buffet
- Lunch: a la carte
- Dinner: a la carte
- Complimentary beverages
- Casual dining menu
- Most resort activities including 5 off-site excursions
- Daily family and adult boat snorkel trips
- Snorkel equipment, yoga, and Wi-Fi
- Daily laundry service
- Daily evening entertainment
- Daily Bula Club for children
- Gardenview Bure

Best time of year to go to Fiji

If you're coming from North America, you should try to set out between late April to early June, or late July through August, due to decreased fares on Air Pacific and Air New Zealand. June to October are the coldest and driest months in Fiji. Cyclone season runs from November to April. Hotels and resorts offer low prices in February and March as most are vacant.

Average temperatures in Fiji

From May through November, Fiji's winter, temperatures are warm during the day--around 80 degrees Fahrenheit--and cooler at night and in the early mornings. During the summer rainy season from November through April, temperatures can reach 95 degrees Fahrenheit with late afternoon showers. Fiji offers a tropical climate with higher humidity and rain during the summer and lower temperatures with dry air in the winter. However, the winds cause climate variances from island to island. Speak with your travel specialist about weather around your resorts.

TRAVEL SPECIAL: Likuliku Lagoon Resort

Likuliku Lagoon Resort 5 nights from 4,510 per person

Likuliku Lagoon Resort is a haven of subtle luxury for adults only and reserved exclusively for guests in-residence at the resort. A wilderness island retreat, it is the first and only resort in Fiji with authentic over water-bures, in a natural ocean lagoon, surrounded by a protected marine sanctuary. It is a unique and special place amidst a pristine environment, designed with integrity to Fijian cultural values, traditional designs and architecture, and is embraced by the renowned warmth of the Fijian people.

Learn more about Likuliku Lagoon Resort

All meals including breakfast, lunch and dinner (food only – alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks not included)
Welcome refreshment and exclusive Likuliku Lei on arrival
Likuliku Sulu (sarong/wrap)
Complimentary bottled water
Likuliku special amenities
Complimentary use of non-motorised water sports and activities including snorkeling equipment
Free WiFi (in all bures and in limited public areas – note: video streaming limited)
Weekly Management Cocktail Party (Fridays only) with traditional Fijian “Meke” entertainment

What's a Bure?

A bure is technically the Fijian word for a wood and straw hut. In traditional Fijian culture, there was a vale, which was the "family house", and then separate bures for the men to meet, eat and sleep.

Today, you'll find any kind of detached bungalow referred to as a bure. With the exception of the main island of Viti Levu, you'll find that nearly all resort accommodations in Fiji are bures (the main island has a number of more traditional multi-room hotels).

Bures come in a number of "flavors": beachfront, garden, and even overwater bures (at Likuliku). And Matangi has a romantic Treehouse Bure, as does Koro Sun Resort.

TRAVEL SPECIAL: Qamea Resort and Spa

Qamea Resort and Spa 5 nights from 3,530 per person

The jewel of Fiji's northern islands, Qamea is a breathtakingly beautiful island of dramatic lush, green, tropical jungle clad hills and white sand beaches.

Qamea Resort and Spa is an exclusive tropical destination for discerning travelers seeking a truly unique and authentic Fijian experience without sacrificing luxury or service. From the moment you step onto the island, you will feel as if you have entered a Fijian village set in a South Pacific tropical paradise.

Learn more about Qamea Resort and Spa

Qamea Resort & Spa is an intimate boutique resort catering to a maximum of 34 adults, with only seventeen luxuriously appointed and air conditioned beachfront Bures and exquisite Royal Beach Houses with private pools and Jacuzzi spas, nestled among swaying coconut palms and verdant tropical gardens.

Storms in Fiji

During the winter rainy season, afternoon showers occur with frequency. In the case of a tropical storm or cyclone, residents and travelers are relocated to safe areas. Tropical storms during the rainy season are not uncommon: the last major cyclones to hit Fiji occurred in December of 2012, March of 2010, December of 2009, December of 2007 and December of 2003.

If it rains while you're there--then it's a perfect time to sit down with the locals and try kava, a traditional drink made from the kava root. It's got a mild calming effect, and there's a little ceremony that goes with each sip you take--the locals will be sure to teach you. It tastes a bit like dirty water, with a bit of a sparkling edge to it...but it's an experience you really should try while you're there.

A little inclement weather might encourage you to forgo a snorkel trip and experience a Lovo: it's a traditional Fijian feast, a bit like the Hawaiian luau, complete with a pig roasted in an underground oven, wrapped in banana leaves. Often this will be combined with the Meke, which is a traditional story-telling dance performance, with an orchestra performing on percussion instruments.

Water temperature, SCUBA diving in Fiji

Fiji has warm water temperatures year-round although thin wetsuits are recommended for deeper dives. In the northern islands of Vanua Levu and Taveuni, the rainy season (November through April) has a much greater effect and if you really want to dive that area, you'd be advised to stick to the dry season. In the Mamanucas, Beqa, and on Viti Levu it's not nearly as much of a concern, and diving and weather in general is pretty nice all year round.

Popular dive areas:

• the Black Forest--ancient black coral trees, diverse assortment of fish and marine life, near Wananavu Beach Resort
• near Taveuni you'll find The Ledge, The Great White Wall, Jerry's Jelly, and Annie's Bommie; nearby resorts include Qamea, Laucala, Matangi, Taveuni Palms, Paradise Taveuni, Maravu, and Taveuni Island Resort
• the Great Astrolabe Reef is near Kadavu Island, and this is considered to be the largest living organism in Fiji, with tons of varieties of hard and soft corals and diverse marine life; it's about 40 miles from the major resorts at Beqa Lagoon
• Naiqoro Passage has both a wide variety of coral plus schools of sharks and barracuda
• Beqa Lagoon, near Beqa Lagoon Resort, Lalati, Royal Davui, and Shangri La, is known for shark encounters as well as brightly colored coral, and is considered one of the best lagoons for diving in the South Pacific
• in the Mamanucas, you'll find gorgeous corals, some sharks, and plenty of colorful fish and marine life, especially around the Malolo Barrier Reef; popular sites include Supermarket, Salamander shipwreck, Plantation Pinnacles, and Magic Island; there are many resorts in the Mamanucas to choose from

How we work with you to plan the perfect trip:

• We'll talk with you to find out what you're looking for, what you like/don't like, etc.
• We'll use our first-hand knowledge of the destination to pick out a handful of resorts we think you'd like
• We'll create a custom mini website for you, with photos, videos, maps, etc. of the resorts we are recommending
• We'll follow up with you to help you make your decision
• We'll go to work with our suppliers to get you the best deal available on what you've decided on.