Originally our “Oceania trip” was just going to be a week in New Zealand and a week in Australia. But while looking to book a flight to New Zealand and thinking about how difficult it was going to be to get up and drive around NZ’s North Island after flying for nearly 24 hours and changing so many time zones, I had a stroke of inspiration: why not recover from our jet lag somewhere relaxing before going on to New Zealand?

The other bonus was that we were able to experience a tropical paradise in the Pacific Islands that we likely wouldn’t have been “in the neighborhood of” for years. Trans-Pacific flights aren’t cheap, so it was good to make the most of ours with a stop in Fiji en route to NZ and Australia.

Read on for 12 reasons YOU should do a stopover in Fiji!

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1. “No hurry no worry”

Fiji’s motto – “no hurry no worry” – makes it a perfect place for recovery from trans-Pacific jet lag! Everyone we met in Fiji was ready with an enthusiastic and welcoming “Bula!”. The culture and pace of life is very relaxed, so you won’t feel guilty about spending a whole day of relaxation rotating between the pool, a hammock, and napping in your bure (bungalow). Fiji is only one time zone away from New Zealand, which made it perfect for our trip; we were able to do our major recovery in a relaxing place and then jump right into our road trip once we landed in Auckland!

2. Diving right into Pacific / Oceania culture

If you’re planning an Oceania or Pacific Islands-themed trip Fiji is a great jumping off place. Nadi (pronounced nan-dee) has Fiji’s largest international airport and has connecting flights to New Zealand, Australia, and many more remote islands in the Pacific. Fiji has better tourism infrastructure than many of the further afield islands, plus great food, a vibrant culture, and plenty of things to do!

3. Sampling delicious Indian & Fijian food

Fijian food is delicious; think lots of fresh tropical fruits and seafood! The national dish is kokoda – raw fish marinated in citrus and served in a sort of “sauce” of coconut milk, chilies, diced tomatoes, and salt. A little over a third of the population is of Indian descent, so Indian food is also plentiful on the island. Ryan and I love Indian food so we definitely enjoyed everything we sampled in Fiji!

4. Snorkeling!

Fiji is one of the best places for snorkeling in the world. The resort where we stayed even offered a free excursion. Our guide, Abdul, took us out on his boat and while still basically within sight of our bure, we were able to snorkel and see amazing fish and coral, plus a few things we didn’t even see when snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef – like giant blue starfish and a sea turtle!

5. Trying kava

I read Nest in the Wind as part of a cultural anthropology class I took in college (which is a great work in the field if you’re interested!). I remember being fascinated by kava and the way it was used socially and culturally by natives of the island of Pohnpei, so I knew I wanted to try it while we were in Fiji! The root of this plant is used to make a drink with mild sedative, anesthetic, and euphoriant properties. We ended up having it in a quick traditional ceremony at one of the shops we visited. We only had a little, but the taste was very earthy and a little bitter, and we definitely felt the numbing effect on our tongues and mouths. With more time in Fiji we’d probably try it at a kava bar and have a little more, but it was great that we were able to fit this in with only two nights spent in the country!

6. Shopping for pearls!

Fiji pearls are beautiful and come in a variety of colors – including the rare chocolate brown. They also come in a variety of prices, from earrings and a pendant necklace I picked up at the airport shop for about $15 to a strand of chocolate brown pearls I bought at an artisan crafts market in Nadi for – well let’s just say more than that. 🙂

7. Saving money on your flight to Australia or New Zealand

Purchasing two flights – one from Los Angeles to Nadi and another from Nadi to Auckland – actually saved us a few hundred dollars versus booking a direct flight. Especially if you are vigilant about tracking prices through a tool like Google Flights, you can make sure you get a great deal on each leg of that trip. Fiji Airways also offers flights with a stopover or long layover in the middle – we wanted to spend two nights there so we didn’t take that option, but if you’re considering it and can’t add more than a day or a night to the trip, I’d recommend it!

8. Fiji Airways

Speaking of Fiji Airways: it has to be one of the friendliest I’ve ever flown! The flight from Los Angeles to Fiji is about 12 hours – the longest I’ve been on to date. Luckily Fiji Airways makes the flight as enjoyable as possible, with friendly staff, colorful uniforms and blankets in Fijian designs, and delicious meals inspired by Fijian and Indian cuisine.

9. It’s surprisingly affordable

We were able to stay in a bure just off the beach for only $43 (USD) per night! Cabs and food are also quite affordable, so this ended up being one of the cheapest parts of our trip. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of luxury options in Fiji as well, but there are accommodations to fit any budget, and many of them right off a beach!

10. Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple

This is the largest Hindu temple in the Southern Hemisphere (and the first I’ve ever visited) in Nadi, Fiji. The temple is very colorful and I really enjoyed our visit and this peek into Fijian culture and the Hindu religion!

11. Nadi Market

Checking out Nadi Market was really fun! There were tons of tropical fruits and vegetables – I remember seeing a great deal of ginger and pineapple – for extremely low prices. Some vendors even offered juices or smoothies, and everyone we saw there was really friendly. It’s definitely worth stopping by if you’re in Nadi! We ate at a great restaurant in that area and did a bit of shopping too, buying a traditional tapa cloth and the aforementioned pearls.

12. Tons of other attractions

We only spent two nights in Fiji and, as I’ve mentioned, we spent most of that time relaxing and recovering from jet lag (plus a little time snorkeling and exploring Nadi). We barely scratched the surface of things you can do in Fiji. With another day we probably would have visited Garden of the Sleeping Giant and the nearby waterfall and mud pools are hotel tour organizer told us about. Many resorts have fire dancing shows and you can even witness a traditional fire-walking ceremony. There are adventure activities ranging from zip lining to sea kayaking to ATVs.

Our hotel told us about day tours you can take to see how traditional Fijian villages operate, and a man we met at one of the traditional shops recommended looking into village homestays to get a picture of the “real Fiji”. You can spend a few days to a few weeks as part of a traditional Fijian village, learning the lifestyle and getting to know these welcoming people. It definitely sounds like a tempting option for a future trip! 😉

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I hope this article has convinced you that whatever your destination in Oceania or the Pacific Islands, a stopover in Fiji just might be right for you! Have you visited Fiji? What was your favorite part about the trip? Would you like to visit this tropical paradise someday? Let me know in the comments!