Bargain Lodging in Fiji

The first time I landed in Fiji I was quite confused. I was tired from a long flight and bewildered after being approached by numerous taxi drivers who were trying to persuade me to go with them to various hotels.

I was lucky. I didn’t have to choose blindly. I already had the name of a hotel that had been recommended by another budget traveler.

Other travelers you meet during your journey often are your best source for information.

Another source for finding low-cost lodgings in Fiji are the recommendations of the Youth Hostel Assn. of New Zealand.

There are no official youth hostels in Fiji. On behalf of the International Youth Hostel Federation, the New Zealand association has negotiated agreements with five privately owned facilities.

These are not youth budget hotels but regular resorts and motels that have set aside special multibed rooms for budget travelers.

You do not have to hold any memberships to use these facilities, but if you are a member of the international federation you get a 20% discount on rates that average $5 to $8 Fiji (about $4 to $6.50 U.S.) per person a night.

The New Zealand association’s recommendations include two hotels between the international airport and the closest town, Nadi.

Don’t expect a seaside resort, if you head for Nadi. You’ll find a colorful market and a main street lined with duty-free shops. Most budget travelers make this stop to catch up on sleep after a long flight, and then head to a beach-side resort.

The Nadi Bay Motel is midway between the airport and Nadi on Wailoaloa Beach Road. It has 12 beds in two bunk rooms. You can use a kitchen, a laundry room, a game room and a swimming pool. There is a bar, and meals are available.

In the same area the association also recommends the Sunny Holiday Motel, 67 Northern Press Road. It has 28 beds for budget visitors in twin and family bunk rooms. You’ll find a camping area, cooking facilities and a barbecue. Continental breakfast is included. Meals also available.

Go For a Swim

If you want to head for the water, courtesy car transportation is available by arrangement from Nadi Airport to the door of the Seashell Cove Resort. It’s on Momi Bay 23 miles south of Nadi.

You can’t do your own cooking, but there is a coffee shop, a restaurant and a bar. There are also laundry facilities, campsites, water sports and special day-trips available every day by bus or boat. On Wednesday nights, entertainers perform. Write to P.O. Box 9539, Nadi Airport, Fiji.

Hideaway Resort also offers seaside, budget-priced bunk accommodations. A bus service frequently makes the 50-mile trip from Nadi. The resort is on Queen’s Road on the Coral Coast. It has bunks for 30 budget travelers, a swimming pool, a bar and a restaurant.

Suva is the largest city in that area of the Pacific. The President Hotel on Queen’s Road overlooking Suva Harbor also provides bunks for 30 budget travelers. You can’t cook, but there is a restaurant and a bar, plus laundry facilities and a swimming pool.