Fiji Island Hopping Tours
Are you planning a trip to Fiji? Do you want to make the most of it without having to do a ton of planning? Well, that’s where Fiji island hopping tours come in!
My trip to Fiji far exceeded my expectations! However, it was the island hopping of the Yasawa Islands of Fiji that won my heart! The main island I spent some time on, but I wouldn’t have left Fiji with the same enthusiasm if I only stayed on the main island.
By island hopping in Fiji, I had adventure, relaxation, a taste of different islands and what each had to offer. So if you’re ready, I’ll tell you how easy it can be to get on one of the Fiji island hopping tours or provide tips to DIY your own Fiji island hopping tour!
In this Article:
Why Choose a Fiji Island Hopping Tour?
Popular Island Groups for Fiji Island Hopping Tours
Fiji Island Hopping Tour
Best Time for Fiji Island Hopping Tours
DIY Island Hopping in Fiji
What to Pack for a Fiji Island Hopping Adventure
Book the Yasawa Wanderer Package 8 Days| 7 Nights – All Activities Included
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Before you dive in, I want to be transparent: this article includes affiliate links. This simply means that if you click on the link and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Rest assured, the article includes my genuine advice and it won’t cost you anything extra. Your support is greatly appreciated. Happy reading!
Why Choose a Fiji Island Hopping Tour?
Day Trips Would Be Long or Costly
You might be asking why choose one of the Fiji island hopping tours instead of day trips from the main island. Well, for starters, some of the islands are far from the main island and a day trip would be expensive or mostly consist of time getting to the island.
For example, Blue Lagoon, which is the first island I stayed, took about four hours to get to on the Yasawa Islands Ferry. While there are day trips to see the Sawa-i- Lau Caves (though recently I couldn’t find any bookable ones), you will be spending a lot of time on a Ferry and it will be crowded! Versus staying at a resort closer to the caves, when you get to visit in the morning with less people and then enjoy relaxing or doing other activities the rest of the day!
Different Experiences at Each Island
Now most islands offer snorkeling, diving, and village visits, but they each also have their specialties. Examples include manta rays at Mantaray Island Resort (May to October) or shark tours at Barefoot Kuata!
Each island also has its own vibe making it fun to island hop and get a different taste of paradise at each place! I loved the beach of Blue Lagoon, the jungle vibes of Mantaray Island, and the Moana vibes of Kuata!
The Real Fijian Paradise
The truth is the real Fijian paradise you’ve seen in photos exists more on the outer islands, so it would be a shame to spend your whole trip on the main island! While Natadola Beach, where I stayed on the main island, is beautiful, it didn’t match the wonderful experiences I had in the Yasawa Islands. While I chose to stay at Natadola Beach for surfing lessons, I wish I had kept island hopping in Fiji or even hopped on a plane and visited Taveuni Island.
Popular Island Groups for Fiji Island Hopping Tours
Mamanuca Islands
The easiest group to island hop due to its close proximity to the main island are the Mamanuca Islands. If you do stay on the main island, these are available to explore with day trips.
However, you can easily island hop one or two of the Mamanuca Islands before or after island hopping the Yasawa Islands!
Surfing Trips
If you are a surfer, then you probably already know about the Mamanuca Islands because this is where you want to be! Though if you are going on a surf trip, you will most likely be staying on one or two islands for the duration of your trip. Either way, the waves in the Mamanuca Islands are great for intermediate or advanced surfers!
However, beginners can check the Coral Coast or Natadola Beach of the main island! I did research before I left but no company I reached out to would pre-book me. So I ended up booking through my hotel on arrival. There are only two resort options for Natadola Beach.
Natadola Beach Resorts
Book the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa, an IHG Hotel
Book the Yatule Resort & Spa
Read about my Beginner Surf Lessons in Fiji at Natadola Beach
Yasawa Islands
The second easiest group of islands in Fiji to island hop are the Yasawa Islands! This was where the majority of my Fiji island hopping was done and I absolutely LOVED it!
There are day trips or cruises offered, but I enjoy staying in a location versus on a boat. However, if cruising is your thing, the Blue Lagoon Cruises – Explorer Cruise – 3 Nights has great reviews and would be worth checking out!
Fiji Island Hopping Tours
Island Hopping Fiji
Yasawa Wanderer Package 8 Days| 7 Nights – All Activities Included
If you are looking for a tour package that is planned for you, then this Yasawa Wanderer Package or Awesome Pass is for you! While I booked my accommodations separately and used a Bula Pass (which I’ll explain later), this tour hits all three of the islands I visited! It’s a great option to make it easier for planning purposes.
The resorts you end up at will likely be determined by the accommodations you choose and their availability. However, if you have requests, I’m sure they will try and work with you!
As far as holiday packages go, this is great because it saves the planning hassle and includes various room types for different budgets! It can be difficult to find budget friendly dorm options within packages for tropical island getaways! I love that Fiji makes it easier for all budget levels!
What’s Included?
With this package you will get transfers to and from hotels in selected areas to the Denarau Port. Accommodation included, selected activities are included, and the Ferry rides to and from each island! It also includes a day pass to Malamala Beach Club of the Mamanuca Islands that you can use before or after your trip!
What’s Not Included?
The main cost not included is the food. You will pay for the meal plans on arrival to each resort. This is a mandatory fee and makes sense, since you will not really have other options for food! And for whatever reason most resorts in the Yasawa Islands don’t include food in their prices. If you want to plan ahead for the cost, you can check on each website, or if you look at the breakdown on Expedia, it’s listed as a property fee.
Tours that are not listed are also not included. One tour you might want to add for one of your stays is a village visit! If you do, just be sure to cover your shoulders and knees out of respect. Fijians are modest, so consider a t-shirt or button down and sarong for your visit!
How to Respect Fijian Culture as a Tourist
Fiji Island Hopping Itinerary for Yasawa Wanderer
Accommodation Options
- 1 Night accommodation at Octopus Resort or Barefoot Kuata Island Resort in selected room type
- 2 Night accommodation at Oarsmans Bay or Blue Lagoon Beach or Coconut Beach in selected room type
- 2 Night accommodation at Mantaray Island Resort or Barefoot Manta Island in selected room type
- 2 Night accommodation at Barefoot Kuata or Octopus Resort in selected room type
Accommodation Option Breakdown for Yasawa Wanderer Package
I stayed at Blue Lagoon Beach Resort, MantaRay Island Resort and Barefoot Kuata during my island hopping in Fiji! I’ll breakdown the ones I stayed at and offer any insight I have for the others. Overall, you can’t really go wrong, but I’ll offer my perspective.
Read My Review of Blue Lagoon Beach Resort
Blue Lagoon Beach Resort was my favorite resort experience. It had the best dorms and the best food! I also loved that they asked solo travelers if they wanted to be seated with other solo travelers for dinner which made it easier to meet people. It’s worth noting, you don’t have to be staying in the dorms as people at my table stayed in the dorms, private rooms and beach front villas!
The tour includes the option to stay here for two nights. The activity included is to the Sawa I Lau Caves, which I loved and recommend visiting! I also did a village visit here! And the same for most islands, there is snorkeling and diving. The snorkeling equipment here was complimentary and you can snorkel the reef right off the beach! There is also a trail for a hike, which I did and enjoyed!
Oarsman Bay or Coconut Beach
I did not stay at either of these options, but they both look beautiful and would offer a trip to the caves! However, it’s worth noting each resort may offer the caves on various days. For instance, when I stayed at Blue Lagoon it seemed to be every other day, which would be fine because you would stay for two nights. From what I’m reading on the tour, Oarsmans Bay Lodge offers Monday through Saturday, and Coconut offers Monday and Friday. So if the caves are important, consider the timing of your tour package!
Ready My Review of Mantaray Island Resort
Mantaray Island Resort was my second stop on my trip after Blue Lagoon. The dorms were a bit hectic, but the other stay options looked to be nice! I liked the jungle vibe of this resort and the food was second best in my opinion. However, the dining hall area is up a hill so you do have a mini workout before each meal!
The main draw for this area are the manta rays! Though the season is listed as May to October, I was there end of September and only saw one on my last day there! The best months are June and July if I’m correctly remembering what the guides told me. However, the reef here was so beautiful right off the beach, and I did do the sunset tube cruise which was fun and it’s included in this tour! I also did an intro scuba diving outing, which I did to get ready for my shark dive! It was a great experience, if you’d like to give scuba diving a try!
The other thing I liked about this resort was the hammocks are available for anyone! At Blue Lagoon, those hammocks are for the beach front villas.
Barefoot Manta
I did not stay at Barefoot Manta, but I did stay at Barefoot Kuata. I’d rate the food of the Barefoot resorts as third best, but that is not to say it wasn’t good. The coffee was instant coffee so definitely rating the coffee low!
The included tour at Barefoot Manta is the Marine Biology Tour, which I’m sure is great! The manta ray season is best in June and July, though your chance of seeing them is from May to October.
Ready My Review of Barefoot Kuata
While I rated the Barefoot resort as the lowest for food, I loved the vibe! Though I think the vibe is largely due to Kuata Island which I absolutely LOVED! It gave me Moana vibes and I just adored the views!
I came here to do the Bull Shark Dive and it was one of the coolest experiences! While that is not included in this tour, you can still choose to do it and if it sounds even slightly appealing, go for it!
If that doesn’t sound appealing whatsoever, they offer snorkeling with sharks, the more docile species! This tour is included according to what I’ve read. While I missed the chance to do this, I’m sure it’s amazing!
Pro-tip! Choose morning tours as much as possible, as Kuata gets day trippers in the afternoon tours!
Book the Yasawa Wanderer Package 8 Days| 7 Nights – All Activities Included
Pricing Breakdown
Prices listed are from September 2024, and may vary depending on the time of year or increase over time. As a reminder, they are not inclusive of food, which will need to be paid directly to each resort.
For Two People
Double/Twin: Accommodation Stays: Bures/lodges with either shared bathrooms or private en suites
$3,198.74
2 Travelers x $1,599.37
For the Solo Traveler
Single: Accommodation Stays: Bures/lodges with either shared bathrooms or private en suites
$2,574.53
1 Traveler x $2,574.53
Dorm: Accommodation Stays: Dorms with shared bathrooms.
$847.50
1 Traveler x $847.50
Best Time for Fiji Island Hopping Tours
Now, when it comes to timing your adventure, you’ve got options. The peak season runs from July to September – it’s dry, sunny, and perfect for beach days, but expect more crowds and higher prices. If you’re looking to save some cash and don’t mind a bit of rain, consider the shoulder seasons of May-June or October-November. You’ll still get plenty of sunshine, and the islands will be less crowded. Just a heads up: avoid the wet season from December to April unless you’re cool with sudden downpours and the occasional cyclone risk. That said, if you’re a surfer, the wet season brings the best waves!
Personally, I’m a fan of May or October as it’s shoulder season and you know I love shoulder seasons! You get that sweet spot of good weather, fewer tourists, and some great deals. I went end of September and beginning of October! It was great, but I didn’t account for Australian School Holidays which happened to be the end of September so there were plenty of Aussies on a Fiji holiday! It also wasn’t ideal for seeing the manta rays, so keep that in mind if it’s important to you!
Whatever you choose, island hopping in Fiji is bound to be an unforgettable experience!
DIY Island Hopping in Fiji
This is ultimately what I chose, but as stated, the Yasawa Wanderer hits all three of the places I visited! However, if you wanted to visit other resorts than the ones listed, you can easily do your own Fiji island hopping tour!
Simply, book your accommodations on your own and then buy a Bula Pass with Awesome Adventures Fiji or book your transfers separately! This gives you the ultimate options to choose the resorts you really want and the time frame that works best for you. The Ferry will work the same as it does on the planned tour. You will need to be at Port Denarau early to be ready to leave at 8:45AM.
The Yasawa Flyer Ferry stops at each island twice, except for the farthest point where it only stops once. For instance, Blue Lagoon is second to the last stop and the ferry is there at 1PM daily. Kuata is the first island of the Yasawa Islands so the Ferry arrives at 10:30AM heading north and 3:50PM heading south.
The Yasawa Flyer’s first two stops are at the luxurious Vomo Island Resort and the popular day trip spot of South Sea Island. Both are part of the Mamanuca group.
Transferring to Resorts within the Yasawa Islands
Don’t worry too much about missing the ferry. The resorts are aware of how it works and can let you know when you’ll need to be ready depending on which resort you are heading to next. When I booked I chose to start at the furthest point and hop down, but you really don’t have to plan your trip in any specific order if you are using the Bula Pass.
Pass options include 5 days up to 15 days, which really allows you to customize your own trip!
Book the Bula Pass
Bula Pass versus Individual Transfer Tickets for Fiji Island Hopping
I chose the Bula Pass, because I had read it’s likely cheaper if you are hitting multiple resorts (and it was just easier). This is not necessarily true. Now, the Bula Pass makes things easy from a Fiji island hopping planning standpoint, but if you are on a budget, you might want to price compare.
If you price compare the individual transfer tickets to the Bula Pass here are a couple of things to keep in mind.
Currency
I just reviewed booking individual tickets though I did not take this route when I went. One main thing I noticed is the ticket prices are in Fijian dollars while the Bula Pass is listed in US dollars! While exchange rates can vary, generally the pricing in Fijian dollars would tend to be more favorable for Americans (or Europeans).
Either way, just be sure when comparing prices that you are comparing the correct currencies.
Number of Stops
I could have probably saved a little if I booked individually, but not enough for me to be too concerned about it. However, the advice I read when planning my trip suggested it wouldn’t be worth booking individual tickets if making multiple stops, but based on my recent price comparison it might be!
Multiple stops should be considered as more than three for a 7 or 8 day pass! If you are doing three stops, you might save a little money booking separately. If only one or two stops in a week, it looks like you will save money booking individual transfer tickets.
Port Denarau
When price comparing, it’s good to know the starting and ending point on the main island is Port Denarau! Then you can simply plug in your first resort stay to see the price.
My first resort was Blue Lagoon, which is one of the farthest resorts in the Yasawa Islands. Selecting Port Denarau as the “from” and Blue Lagoon as the “to” I see the cost is 219 FJD which comes to about $100 USD for a one way ticket.
Does the Resort Location Help the Ferry Budget?
So if you want to island hop Fiji’s Yasawa Islands but are limited on funds, you might be thinking well if I stick to the southern end of the Yasawa Islands and book separately then I could save money. I thought the same, but the savings is actually minimal.
Port Denarau to Blue Lagoon one way comes to about $100 USD and Port Denarau to Barefoot Kuata will cost about $85 USD! Overall, the Yasawa Islands Ferry is not very budget friendly, but overall the cost of a holiday in Fiji can be more affordable than other tropical destinations!
Worth Noting | There are NO Docks
The Ferry doesn’t dock at any of the Yasawa Islands. It arrives to the area, and the resort boats come and get you. There were all ages and sizes on the Ferry and everyone is well taken care of! However, I just don’t want you to expect a dock at each island, because there is none.
Consider Travel Insurance
Fiji was the first trip I purchased travel insurance and it gave me a little extra peace of mind. It’s something I will continue to consider moving forward. I guess fracturing a couple bones can alter your perspective. Another bonus of travel insurance is it usually includes some type of trip protection.
If you are interested, check out VisitorsCoverage and you can plug in some basic information to find an insurance option that is right for you. Just remember to check whether the insurance includes any activities you plan to do! For example, I had to ensure scuba diving was included on mine since I was planning to do the bull shark dive while in Fiji.
Enjoy Cruising? Try the Blue Lagoon Cruises – Explorer Cruise – 3 Nights
Where to Stay if DIY Island Hopping in Fiji
There are plenty of options for varying price ranges! This is not an exhaustive list, but a great place to start! I chose based on activities I wanted to do while in Fiji.
Luxury
Good for Anyone | Solo to Families
Homestays | Cultural Experience & Most Budget Friendly
What to Pack for a Fiji Island Hopping Adventure
For a full breakdown of what you need for Fiji, check out my post: The Ultimate Fiji Packing List: Essentials for a Tropical Getaway! I packed a carry-on and personal item. However, if you are not a light packer no need to worry, the ferry can handle larger pieces of luggage and most of the luggage I saw was larger than my carry-on.
What to Bring Island Hopping
Since I took a carry-on, I was limited with liquids, so I bought sunscreen and bug spray on arrival. Those are both essential, so don’t forget to pack or buy them before you head out to the Yasawa Islands. Try and get a reef safe sunscreen and don’t forget the bug spray! The mosquitos can be brutal!
If you want to do a village visit, don’t forget at least one shirt that covers your shoulders and a sarong, pants or long skirt that covers your knees.
If you love to snorkel and have your own equipment, bring it along! If you don’t have space in your luggage (looking at myself), don’t worry. The snorkeling gear is either included or available for rent.
I took a filter water bottle, but mainly because Florida (where I live) has the worst water so I was going extra prepared. However, a regular water bottle is fine and you can fill it up as needed to stay hydrated. If you don’t want to lug it around, there are cups near the water stations and of course, you can always buy drinks!
I also took clothing detergent sheets, since I was packing light for two weeks! However, if you do need to do laundry (and don’t want to do it yourself), you can get it done at the resorts for a fee.
Is it easy to island hop in Fiji?
This depends on what you mean by easy. It’s certainly easier to island hop Fiji’s Mamanuca or Yasawa Islands than many other destinations. It’s easier because it’s very well setup and allows for various budgets (dorms to beach-side bures). I would love island hopping in the Bahamas to be this easy!
Can you travel between islands in Fiji?
Yes! And how you go about and the ease depends on which islands! This post focuses on the Yasawa Islands with mention of the Mamanuca Islands because those are very well setup for island hopping in Fiji!
Fiji has over 300 islands! Some islands are easy to access by plane, like Taveuni Island or Vanua Levu. Other Islands like the Lau Islands are much more difficult. One of the Marine Biologists at Barefoot Kuata told me she was from the Lau Islands, but hadn’t been home in ten years!
A lot of Fiji’s islands are accessible if you have a boat or if you’re willing to be on a long ferry ride! Ultimately, most of Fiji’s islands would easier to experience if you sailed yourself!
What is a typical one week vacation in Fiji?
The below prices for the Yasawa Wanderer are a great place to start! You can compare various room types for mid range resorts in the Yasawa Islands of Fiji.
In addition, you will need to add food! Blue Lagoon’s dining plan was about $80 USD per day and the other two, Mantaray and Barefoot Kuata were about $63 USD per day for me. The prices are inclusive of three meals per day.
Some tours are not included in the Yasawa Wanderer so you will want to factor in prices for things like scuba diving! I did the Bull Shark Dive and loved it but it was the most expensive activity I did in Fiji.
Lastly, you’ll need to consider the flight costs! I live in Florida and typical prices are well over $1,000 USD but I got my flight for under $1,000!
For Two People
Double/Twin: Accommodation Stays: Bures/lodges with either shared bathrooms or private en suites
$3,198.74
2 Travelers x $1,599.37
For the Solo Traveler
Single: Accommodation Stays: Bures/lodges with either shared bathrooms or private en suites
$2,574.53
1 Traveler x $2,574.53
Dorm: Accommodation Stays: Dorms with shared bathrooms.
$847.50
1 Traveler x $847.50
How many days are needed in Fiji?
This depends on where you are traveling from and what you want to see and do! I flew from Florida in the United States and I wouldn’t consider going for less than 10 days!
If you’re on the West Coast or coming from Australia you can easily go for less time! Though I met an Aussie who was there for six weeks! It’s entirely up to you and what you want to experience while there. Fiji has over 300 islands so you will need to narrow is down.
Fiji Island Hopping Tours
I hope this Fiji island hopping tours guide was helpful! Island hopping the Yasawa Islands absolutely made my trip! I mean, who wouldn’t enjoy exploring a tropical paradise full of adventure and relaxation!
Well, I hope you enjoy your trip to Fiji as much as I did! Bula!
