Nadi & Denarau

Nadi (pronounced "Nandi") is the first point of contact with Fiji for most travelers. The international airport is located here, and most tours to the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands start from Port Denarau. Nadi itself is a bustling, multicultural small town with Hindu temples, markets, and an astonishingly good restaurant scene.

Nadi Town

The center of Nadi is compact and walkable. The Main Street is lined with souvenir shops, mobile phone stores, and Indian restaurants. Worth seeing:

• Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple — The largest Hindu temple in the southern hemisphere. Colorfully painted in the Dravidian style, with Gopuram (temple tower). An impressive testament to Indo-Fijian culture. No admission fee, appropriate clothing required (shoulders and knees covered).
• Nadi Municipal Market — The market hall is a feast for the senses: mountains of tropical fruits (papaya, mango, pineapple, passion fruit), spices, kava roots, and fresh fish. Locals shop here — prices are accordingly low.
• Garden of the Sleeping Giant — Orchid garden at the foot of the Sabeto Mountains with over 2,000 orchid species. Created by Raymond Burr (Perry Mason). Admission: approx. 18 FJD.

Denarau Island

Denarau is Fiji's largest resort strip — an artificially developed peninsula, 20 minutes from the airport, with several luxury resorts, a golf course, shops, and Port Denarau Marina, the starting point for boats to the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands. Denarau is comfortable but not the "real" Fiji — more of an international beach resort complex.

Sabeto Hot Springs & Mud Pool

The hot springs and mud pools in the Sabeto Valley (30 minutes from Nadi) are a popular half-day excursion. Cover yourself with warm volcanic mud, let it dry, wash off in the hot spring — supposedly good for the skin and definitely good for Instagram. Admission: approx. 20 FJD.