The Yasawa Islands in Fiji are stunning… and more affordable than you think

I visited over 20 countries last year. When people ask what my favorite place was, I don’t hesitate to answer: it’s Fiji.

Fiji is huge. There are over 300 islands, each with its own landscapes, traditions, and vibes. 

But there’s a secret to visiting Fiji that I didn’t learn until a few weeks before my partner and I went — you have to get off the main island. 

Sure, the main island, called Viti Levu, is pretty enough. But most of the beaches there are a bit dirty and packed with boats. Everyone we spoke to told us that the white sand beaches we were seeking could be found on some of the smaller islands, just a short boat ride away from Viti Levu. 

We chose to visit the Yasawa Islands for 10 days, and it was the best decision we made. 

The Yasawas are absolutely gorgeous, with beautiful weather, pristine beaches, and the most incredible coral reefs I’ve ever seen (even better than my time in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia). They’re also home to the friendliest people, a unique culture, tons of history, and awesome traditions.

There’s a huge range of accommodation. You can stay in a homestay and learn to live the real Fijian island life. You can also stay in a backpacker hostel resort, or you can rent a private beachside bungalow.

And best of all? It’s surprisingly affordable for a luxurious island getaway.  

Here’s why the Yasawa Islands in Fiji should be your next vacation destination. 

The Yasawa Islands are easy to get to

While Fiji may seem far-flung, it’s actually more accessible than many think.

Fiji has 2 main international airports, both located on the main island of Viti Levu. Fiji Air flies direct to Viti Levu from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Honolulu. It’s usually about the same price as flying to Australia or New Zealand — sometimes less! 

Once you’re on Viti Levu, getting to the Yasawa Islands is quite easy. There’s a ferry that leaves from the port city of Nadi once a day. It’s about a 2-5 hour ride, depending on which island in the Yasawas you get off at. 

If that sounds like a long time, don’t worry. The ferry ride is an experience in itself!

The ferry ride up the Yasawa Islands was, by my own calculations, the most beautiful boat ride that has ever existed in the world. 

After a short ride from the mainland, you start passing by tiny islands with pristine white sand beaches, turquoise waters, and mountainous interiors. 

You’ll even pass by a huge rock where the island’s chief dances every day to welcome visitors to the island. 

The ferry stops at each island. When it’s your stop, the host of whatever homestay or resort you’re staying at will come to pick you up. It’s super easy. 

The Yasawa Islands are not overly touristy

Tourism is the main backbone of Fiji’s economy. Yet the islands never felt overwhelmed by tourists. 

In the Yasawa Islands, all of the “resorts” are small beach bungalows built into the island’s landscape to preserve the natural beauty. 

There is minimal disturbance to the natural landscape. There are no tall skyscrapers, no massive hotels. On most islands, there is usually only one resort — and you can barely tell it’s there. 

There was one other benefit to the smaller resorts and minimal tourism that we could not have predicted. We made a ton of friends! 

Since there’s usually only one small resort on each island, you get to know everyone really well. We became friends with a French couple, a few Germans, and of course, our amazing Fijian hosts from the homestay we stayed at. We still keep in touch with all of them to this day. 

You can stay in a homestay…

We chose to stay in a homestay for 6 days to get a feel for what it’s like to actually live in Fiji. 

A homestay means that you’ll stay with a host family. But you still have your own room and are totally on your own schedule for how you want to spend your days. It’s typically more affordable than staying at a resort, but it has a lot of the same amenities! 

We stayed at Sunrise Lagoon Homestay and had an incredible time. 

We had wonderful hosts, Jo and Lice, who showed us around their island. They showed us the best spots for snorkeling, took us to explore ocean caves, and drank kava with us. And we became good friends with their daughter Lia, who was around our age. 

Meals consisted of fruits and veggies grown from the backyard farm, fish they caught in the days before, and rice or noodles. 

And we stayed in a private beachside cottage for only $50 a night. Split between two, that’s only $25 per person. It’s an incredible deal. 

This was the ideal way to experience Fiji. I felt like I got a really wonderful taste of what life there is actually like. 

… Or stay in a resort

After a week at the homestay, we decided to spend a few days at a resort. We wanted to treat ourselves a bit and participate in the classic vacation activities — specifically, laying in hammocks and sipping fancy cocktails on the beach. 

We stayed at Manta Ray Island Resort for 4 days. It had a perfect mix of everything we wanted: activities, relaxation time, delicious meals, and affordable rooms.  

At Manta Ray, we opted to splurge for a private bungalow instead of staying in their shared dorms. This was $100 a night for 2 people — double what we paid at the homestay. But the resort has a few more amenities than our homestay did, so we were paying for the added luxuries. 

Manta Ray Resort had more food options available at its on-site restaurant, so we could choose from Fijian food or Western food. There was also a beachside bar fully stocked with beer, wine, and an extensive cocktail menu. 

The resort had snorkeling equipment for rental so that we could explore the nearby coral reef, plus kayaks to explore different areas of the island. When we wanted to relax, we headed to the numerous hammocks and bean bags dotting the beach outside the resort. 

Our days consisted of eating delicious meals, going snorkeling above the most beautiful coral reef I’ve ever seen, playing beach volleyball with other guests, suntanning, reading, and drinking piña coladas. It was paradise, all right outside our front door. 

The Yasawas have tons of activities

While life in the Yasawa Islands might seem simple, there’s a surprising amount to do here. 

We went cliff jumping at hidden ocean caves. 

We rented kayaks and paddled to secluded beaches. 

We swam every day in the clearest, most beautiful water I’ve ever seen. 

There are no cars, so we hiked around a lot. The interiors of the islands are usually quite hilly, which makes for excellent views over the water and surrounding landscape. Plus, it was an awesome workout and a cool way to explore more of the forested parts of the islands. 

But my favorite activity in the Yasawas, hands down, was snorkeling. 

At both the homestay and the resort, we found incredible coral reefs and tons of marine life. I started to count the different species of fish I saw but lost track somewhere after 30.

We even snorkeled with manta rays as they migrated past Manta Ray Island Resort. This was one of the most unique experiences I’ve ever had. 

There were other activities offered that we didn’t do — spearfishing, a sunset booze cruise, cooking classes, and scuba diving lessons. I’m sure these would have been fun too, but we ran out of time. 

My point is that there’s much more to island life than just relaxing on the beach! 

Fiji is surprisingly affordable

This island chain in Fiji is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. But Fiji is so far-flung that I assumed it was as expensive as other South Pacific islands like Tahiti or Bora Bora. Instead, I found Fiji to be surprisingly affordable. 

Here’s a quick breakdown of some common costs. 

✈️ Flights: Flights to Fiji are about the same cost as a flight to Australia or New Zealand. From San Francisco, this would be about $800-$1000 round trip. 

🛏️ Accommodation: On both the main island and in the Yasawa Islands, there is a large range of accommodation suitable for different price points. For example, a bed in a hostel on the main island was around $10 USD a night. In the Yasawa Islands, the cheapest price we paid for accommodation was $25 each for our private room at the homestay. 

🍹Drinks: It was typically $5 for a beer and $10 for a cocktail. 

🤿 Activities: We paid for certain activities that we wanted to do, like snorkeling with manta rays or going cliff jumping at the secret caves. Activities usually cost between $5-$20 per person. 

🥥 Food: At most resorts, there’s a food plan you need to purchase in advance for meals. We paid an extra $60 a day per person for all meals. But when you think of it like $10 for breakfast, $20 for lunch, and $30 for dinner, it doesn’t sound that different from what I’d usually spend at a restaurant while on vacation. 

I’m not trying to say Fiji is by any means a budget-friendly destination. But when I compare it to other far-away places I visited during my year-long trip around the globe, like Australia, New Zealand, or anywhere in Europe, it tends to actually cost less. 

The culture is completely unique

Fijians are eager to share their history and culture with tourists. And it’s a culture that’s totally unique. 

As soon as you step off the plane, you hear people playing guitar and singing a welcome song. They greet you with “Bula!” — the Fijian word for hello or cheers. It’s a word you’ll hear at least ten times a day. 

There are a lot of easy ways to immerse yourself in Fijian culture while visiting. You can drink kava, go spearfishing, learn traditional stories and songs, watch cultural dances, or learn some of the language. 

We found an incredible depth of Fijian culture at both our homestay and at the resort in the Yasawa Islands. It’s an integral part of any vacation here. 

***

The Yasawa Islands are the perfect introductory experience to Fiji. The islands are easy to get to, affordable, and absolutely gorgeous. 

I’m excited to return to Fiji and explore some of the other places, but I would also go back and stay in the same places we went to already. I loved it that much. If Fiji has never been on your travel radar before, I hope it is now. 

Have you ever been to Fiji? Leave a comment to let me know. And up next, read about my experience working on a sailboat in Indonesia for another dose of wanderlust!