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at the end of may, first time, for 2 weeks with my daughter of 12 years old, i am getting to nadi at 11pm and i need a place to go for the night and then move on. Any suggestions? we want to travel on a budjet maybe getting bungalows? not sure! thanx for the help
Silvana
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Robert F. Kay on -
Hi Silvana....if you check the Nadi section of the site there's a bunch of inexpensive hotels I recommend. As far as where after...consider the Yasawa Group. The Octopus Club gets a lot of rave reviews. I'd consider that.
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Permalink Reply by Diane Money on -
I absolutely agree with Rob....go to the Yasawa Island group and Octopus sounds perfect. I took one of my daughters when she was 10 and it has been the highlight of her life so far. The Fijian people adore children. Have a wonderful time.
Diane
Robert F. Kay said:Hi Silvana....if you check the Nadi section of the site there's a bunch of inexpensive hotels I recommend. As far as where after...consider the Yasawa Group. The Octopus Club gets a lot of rave reviews. I'd consider that.
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Permalink Reply by Diane Money on
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I should add that she's twenty now. Another suggestion....don't stay at the Sonaisali. It looks great in pictures but I have stayed there and would never go back.
Diane
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Permalink Reply by silvana alfonso on -
thanx Robert, Guido told me abuot you, i tried to look for the nadi page but i cannot find it, i would like to live u my phone number and i would like to talk to you if you are available, or i can meet you at kaimana in the weekend, giudo told me you always go there and so do i, anyway my number is 2242642, thanks a lot
Silvana
Robert F. Kay said:Hi Silvana....if you check the Nadi section of the site there's a bunch of inexpensive hotels I recommend. As far as where after...consider the Yasawa Group. The Octopus Club gets a lot of rave reviews. I'd consider that.
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Permalink Reply by Robert F. Kay on
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silvana alfonso said:thanx Robert, Guido told me abuot you, i tried to look for the nadi page but i cannot find it, i would like to live u my phone number and i would like to talk to you if you are available, or i can meet you at kaimana in the weekend, giudo told me you always go there and so do i, anyway my number is 2242642, thanks a lot
Silvana
Robert F. Kay said:Hi Silvana....if you check the Nadi section of the site there's a bunch of inexpensive hotels I recommend. As far as where after...consider the Yasawa Group. The Octopus Club gets a lot of rave reviews. I'd consider that.
Here's the page
http://www.fijiguide.com/page/nadi-accomodations-dining
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Permalink Reply by Cindy Edge on -
Hi Silvana,
For the first night, I would recommend that you stay at Raffles Gateway if you can afford it. They have free airport transportation and it's right by the airport with clean, recently renovated rooms. It has two pools: one is very large with a great slide that your daughter will love. I think checkout is normally 10 a.m. but if you request a late checkout, they'll usually allow you to stay until noon if you want to at no charge. Late checkout may not be an option, depending on transportation schedules.
Where you should go is best answered by what activities you and your daughter enjoy but Octopus is an excellent suggestion. They have a wide range of accommodations and prices, everything from dorm rooms to individual bungalows (bures). They have a small swimming pool and are on a very nice beach which has good snorkeling. They have many scheduled activities each day (crab races, volleyball, even a movie night by the pool), good food, and a very large lending library. You can easily catch the Yasawa Flyer to go to other resorts in the Yasawas so you might want to consider doing that. Octopus is a fairly large resort for Fiji and I recommend you also consider staying at a smaller resort to get a quieter, more authentic Fiji feel. If you do this, start at Octopus and then go to your second resort.
Because you will be on remote islands, be sure to bring any medications you might need. We always make sure to take lots of mosquito repellent, sunscreen, cold remedies, Immodium, pain relievers, an antibiotic ointment, etc. If you are prone to seasickness, be sure to bring remedies for this too.
We also usually bring some snacks. You can't bring dairy or meat into the country, but we've had no problem bringing granola bars, cashews, almonds, crackers, etc. (We always declare the food and you should too.) Be sure to bring ziploc baggies to keep any opened food in so it will stay crispy and ants don't get into them. Also, we often take things for the local village children like crayons, coloring books, school supplies, etc. The resorts you are visiting can tell you what they could use but this might be a wonderful lesson for your daughter.
You will find the Fijians (especially on the outer islands) to be a warm, friendly and very happy people. I hope this helps. Enjoy your trip. I am sure you will have a wonderful time!
Cindy
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Permalink Reply by silvana alfonso on
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thanx Cindy, i will definitely go to the Octopus since everyone is suggesting it, i would like to know if i should stay in nadi a couple of days if there is anything interesting or i should go right away. My flight gets in nadi at 11.30 at night and i am not intending beeing in an hotel, my purpose of this trip is to learn about the colture the ocean the people, we live in hawaii and we have plenty of hotels and that kind of stories. We are also in a budjet so i thought maybe stay in a hostel or something like that just for the night in nadi and the morning go to the octopus, unless there something else to do in nadi area. Also i have 2 weeks so i was wandering wherelse i could go from the octopus, perhaps anothere island? 2 weeks are long to stay in one place, and is not like i am coming from New york and i just want to chill by the beach, i love doing that but i also do it at home on a daily basis, i think i would like to discover fiji as the locals do. I was planning bringing an extra bag with clothes and donation, i will reach out to my friends before i live and see what can everyone donate for the villages, staff that people will donate to the goodwill or such. Also i heard the internal flight have restriction on the luggages so i am not sure they will allow me to take the extra bag from nadi to octopus, unless i will donate it in nadi area. So many questions??? its my first time and i am trying to plan ahead a little since i will be all bymiself with a child and i try to minimize surprises, thanx so much for all the info i really appreciate,
Silvana
Cindy Edge said:Hi Silvana,
For the first night, I would recommend that you stay at Raffles Gateway if you can afford it. They have free airport transportation and it's right by the airport with clean, recently renovated rooms. It has two pools: one is very large with a great slide that your daughter will love. I think checkout is normally 10 a.m. but if you request a late checkout, they'll usually allow you to stay until noon if you want to at no charge. Late checkout may not be an option, depending on transportation schedules.
Where you should go is best answered by what activities you and your daughter enjoy but Octopus is an excellent suggestion. They have a wide range of accommodations and prices, everything from dorm rooms to individual bungalows (bures). They have a small swimming pool and are on a very nice beach which has good snorkeling. They have many scheduled activities each day (crab races, volleyball, even a movie night by the pool), good food, and a very large lending library. You can easily catch the Yasawa Flyer to go to other resorts in the Yasawas so you might want to consider doing that. Octopus is a fairly large resort for Fiji and I recommend you also consider staying at a smaller resort to get a quieter, more authentic Fiji feel. If you do this, start at Octopus and then go to your second resort.
Because you will be on remote islands, be sure to bring any medications you might need. We always make sure to take lots of mosquito repellent, sunscreen, cold remedies, Immodium, pain relievers, an antibiotic ointment, etc. If you are prone to seasickness, be sure to bring remedies for this too.
We also usually bring some snacks. You can't bring dairy or meat into the country, but we've had no problem bringing granola bars, cashews, almonds, crackers, etc. (We always declare the food and you should too.) Be sure to bring ziploc baggies to keep any opened food in so it will stay crispy and ants don't get into them. Also, we often take things for the local village children like crayons, coloring books, school supplies, etc. The resorts you are visiting can tell you what they could use but this might be a wonderful lesson for your daughter.
You will find the Fijians (especially on the outer islands) to be a warm, friendly and very happy people. I hope this helps. Enjoy your trip. I am sure you will have a wonderful time!
Cindy
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Permalink Reply by Robert F. Kay on
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Hi Silvana,
I agree with the advice Cindy has offered. Raffles is fine.
My only suggestion would be not to spend a lot of time in Nadi. There are a few things to see but frankly not a lot and you'll need transportation to get around.
A day or two at the most is fine then go directly to Octopus. Once you get there you'll appreciate why. I agree that two weeks is a long time to stay in one place. I don't know what your budget is, but you might consider heading over to Taveuni. There's a place called Makaira that's inexpensive and really nice. It's run by a Hawaiian woman. There's a lot written about it on Fijiguide.com if you look at past blogs or visit the Taveuni page. It would be perfect for you and your child. Just do a search for Makaira on Fijiguide.com and you'll find it.
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Permalink Reply by silvana alfonso on
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thanx, i will definitely check that out, i think i will not stay in nadi, my question is how do you get from octopus to taveuni? Guido was telling me that if you want to go to other islands you always have o go back to nadi.
ciao
Robert F. Kay said:Hi Silvana,
I agree with the advice Cindy has offered. Raffles is fine.
My only suggestion would be not to spend a lot of time in Nadi. There are a few things to see but frankly not a lot and you'll need transportation to get around.
A day or two at the most is fine then go directly to Octopus. Once you get there you'll appreciate why. I agree that two weeks is a long time to stay in one place. I don't know what your budget is, but you might consider heading over to Taveuni. There's a place called Makaira that's inexpensive and really nice. It's run by a Hawaiian woman. There's a lot written about it on Fijiguide.com if you look at past blogs or visit the Taveuni page. It would be perfect for you and your child. Just do a search for Makaira on Fijiguide.com and you'll find it.
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Permalink Reply by silvana alfonso on
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i just checked out makaira the small room is $120 a night, it says perfect for honeymoners, which is not my case, i was wandering if it is very isolated, since i am just with my daughter i would like to stay where there are people and locals, perhaps it will be better to go there in a romantic vacation? ciao
silvana alfonso said:thanx, i will definitely check that out, i think i will not stay in nadi, my question is how do you get from octopus to taveuni? Guido was telling me that if you want to go to other islands you always have o go back to nadi.
ciao
Robert F. Kay said:Hi Silvana,
I agree with the advice Cindy has offered. Raffles is fine.
My only suggestion would be not to spend a lot of time in Nadi. There are a few things to see but frankly not a lot and you'll need transportation to get around.
A day or two at the most is fine then go directly to Octopus. Once you get there you'll appreciate why. I agree that two weeks is a long time to stay in one place. I don't know what your budget is, but you might consider heading over to Taveuni. There's a place called Makaira that's inexpensive and really nice. It's run by a Hawaiian woman. There's a lot written about it on Fijiguide.com if you look at past blogs or visit the Taveuni page. It would be perfect for you and your child. Just do a search for Makaira on Fijiguide.com and you'll find it.
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Permalink Reply by Cindy Edge on
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Hi Silvana,
You could try a hostel in Nadi but be sure that they'll be able to accommodate your late arrival. If so, there will be taxis at the airport and there is a cash machine in the arrivals lounge where you can easily get Fiji dollars.
The transportation to Octopus is on their own boat (or you can take the Yasawa Flyer) and the Octopus boat can accommodate your extra luggage just fine.
I agree with Rob that Taveuni is very nice but to get there you will have to pay for transportation back to Nadi, then catch an airplane to Taveuni. If you can afford that extra expense, Taveuini is Fiji's garden isle and is very lovely. If your budget constrains you, you might want to skip other areas of Fiji and stay in the Yasawas. The Yasawa Flyer (boat) is used by many backpackers to travel between the various backpacker accommodations in the Yasawas. Or if you want to get out of the Yasawas and see another part of Fiji, there are other backpacker resorts around. I know there is one on Beqa Island. To get there you would hire a car or catch a bus to take you to Pacific Harbor (about 2 hours) and then take a boat to Beqa, so you'd avoid airfare. Beqa is where the firewalkers originated in Fiji.
I also agree with Rob that there isn't much reason to stay in Nadi. The shopping in town in minimal, there is a garden (Garden of the Sleeping Giant) you could tour, but you are likely familiar with tropical flowers from Hawaii. And getting away from Nadi and onto an outer island will give you more of the Fiji feel you are looking for. You'll want to go on village visits while in the islands. Each village is different. Some show you around the village including their communal buildings while others put on meke dances. All visits I have been on include drinking kava with the chief. Be sure to have a modest top and knee-covering skirt or sulu/sarong for both you and your daughter for the village visits.
I am sure you and your daughter will have a wonderful time wherever you and your daughter go on the outer islands. Enjoy!
Cindy
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Permalink Reply by silvana alfonso on
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thanx cindy this is very helpfull, do you know if the cash machine in the airtoprt takes american cash dollars? Also do you pay airport tax charges cash at the airtort before coming back? some country do and i got stuck before trying to get cash! ciao
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