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 22 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: Nanuya Island Resort

Nanuya Island Resort 5 nights from 1,965 Per Person

Nanuya Island Resort is located on the Northern tip of Nanuya Lai Lai Island in the beautiful pristine Yasawa Group, offering 4 Deluxe Villas close to the beachfront and 8 Traditional Bures nestled along the hillside overlooking the Lagoon.

All are fan cooled with private facilities, cold & hot solar running water, mini fridge & safe plus tea & coffee making facilities. The Restaurant and Bar offers panoramic views of the beach, a delicious a-la-carte all day menu and evening menu with tempting dishes using as much of the local produce as possible. Enjoy a sunset cocktail to end your perfect day.

Learn more about Nanuya Island Resort

1 x interconnecting villa
Bedding Configuration – 1 x King Bed and 1 Couch converted to single bed for child (will not fit any person over 155cm (5 foot tall)
Self-contained Outdoor bathroom with Rain Tree Shower – solar hot water system & Separate Toilet
Outdoor above ground Spa (Hot Tub)
Air Conditioned
Ceiling Fan
Personal Safe
Tea & Coffee making facilities & bar fridge
Complimentary mini bar 1st night

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: First Landing Beach Resort

Orchid Package From $1,800 USD

Our first guests arrived 3,500 years ago and liked the place so much, they stayed.

According to local legend, the first Fijians arrived around 1500 BC, landing on the beach at First Landing.

Today, you too can discover and enjoy this intimate, authentic Fijian resort, ideally located only 25 minutes away from Nadi and 35 minutes from Denarau Island, for your Fiji holiday. The resort has easy access to the nearby Mamanuca Islands, by boat from the resort's new jetty or adjacent Vuda Yacht Marina.

Learn more about First Landing Beach Resort

We have a package to suit every occasion. And if we don't, we can build you a custom wedding package to make your day even more special.

Orchid Package Includes:
- Personal Wedding Co-ordinator
- Decorated Ceremony Venue
- Tropical Flower Arrangement
- Fijian Serenaders
- Minister or Marriage Celebrant
- Commemorative Wedding Certificate
- Bottle of Champagne for Celebration Toast
- Local Wedding Licence
- Flower Girls (to scatter petals)
- Fijian Warriors in Traditional Dress
- Fijian Village Choir
- Basic Photography
- Single Layer Wedding Cake
- Private Dinner for 2 on Beach Deck

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: Musket Cove Resort

"An Intimate Affair" Ceremony from $867 USD

Musket Cove reflects the rustic style and relaxed spirit of Fiji, with spacious, open-plan design. Arriving guests find a secluded and uncrowded island hideaway that captures the essence of Fiji. Tucked among coconut palms and tropical gardens or along our lagoon and beachfront, all accommodation offers a rich sense of privacy and tranquility.

Upon arrival, guests are enveloped into the islands spacious surroundings, with 400 acres of tropical gardens, secluded walking trails and palm fringed beaches to explore.

Learn more about Musket Cove Resort

Looking for that special place to forge your inseparable bond of marriage, but without the fanfare? Celebration for two or up to 19 family and friends. Plus catering, select a catering package, or dine off our a la carte menu.

Package Includes:
- Guided visit to mainland registry office
- Upgraded WIFI access for Bride & Groom
- Bottle of premium sparkling wine & exotic tropical fruit platter on arrival
- Choice of venue for ceremony – chapel, beach, or island
- Ceremonial table for signing the certificate decorated in palm leaves & tropical flowers
- Tropical bridal bouquet
- Boutonniere for the groom
- Ceremony by minister or celebrant
- Decorated private jetty or beach hut for wedding banquet
- Romantic turndown in bure on wedding night
- Choice of venue for ceremony – chapel, beach, island, set with café chairs & tropical flowers

*Personalize your day with Bespoke accessories

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: Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort

5 nights with air from 2,917 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

Check In: 3: 00 PM
Check Out: 11: 00 AM

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: Lalati Resort

RENEWAL OF VOWS – $590 USD

The magic and mystery of Beqa Island and Beqa Lagoon is captured at Lalati Resort and Spa. Romantic, all inclusive, and poised on a cobalt bay, Lalati Resort is your getaway for an all inclusive honeymoon, Fiji beach wedding, or intimate Fiji dive vacation. Throw open the front door of your private retreat each morning, to the spectacular colors of a Fijian sunrise. Dip into the warm tropical waters of Malumu Bay. Delight in the opportunity to explore every nook and cranny of Beqa's mystical island and surrounding seas. Chase the sunset, swim with seahorses. Prepare to be totally enchanted.

Learn more about Lalati Resort

Picture a beachfront wedding, all blues of the ocean and greens of the lush hillsides. The bride walks barefoot down a golden sand beach, escorted by fierce, traditionally clad Fijian warriors.

Vows are said under a bloom enshrouded arch, to the gentle lapping of the waves on the shore. With the final “I Do’s” the joyful strains of a Fijian choir serenade with traditional wedding songs. This is a wedding in paradise, Lalati-style.

Package includes:
- Choice of Venues – Beach, Dock, Garden
- Minister
- Floral bouquet for bride, salusalu for groom
- Floral Arch or draped canopy
- Celebration Cake
- Celebration dinner on pier
- Celebration Coordinator

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.