Australia’s favourite Pacific Island holiday destination, Fiji, is preparing for a big winter and there’s a host of new accommodation options, dining, tours and activities to catch up on!

Accommodation

Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi. (Supplied)

IHG is set to bring its flagship Crowne Plaza brand to Fiji for the first time following a major signing with Wailoaloa Hotel. Opening in late 2023 following a multi-million dollar refurbishment, the Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa will feature a refreshed 324-room layout with new two-bedroom family rooms, seven dining options and a nightclub. 

Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort has unveiled the first look of its multi-million resort refurbishment scheduled to be ready for November 2023. The property’s rooms, suites and communal areas have all been refreshed while maintaining the traditional Fijian style in which the resort was originally designed.

Outrigger, along with Castaway Island Fiji were the first two resorts in the South Pacific to be awarded Green Seal certification, a universal symbol that a product or service meets the highest benchmark of health and environmental leadership.

Namotu Island has introduced ‘The Cobalt Suite’, a luxurious addition to the Namotu Villa. The spacious suite elegantly designed with natural stone and mahogany timber has a large private balcony offering uninterrupted views of local surf breaks.  Additionally, Namotu have introduced the ‘The Cobalt’; a 32ft luxury World Cat. Perfect for guests and others who want to charter a stable and comfortable vessel for fishing, surfing or exploring the Mamanuca Islands.

Tours & Activities 

Tivua Private Paradise. (Supplied)

Seventh Heaven Fiji, a luxury floating platoon surrounded by pristine turquoise waters, has launched an exclusive overnight experience. The offering combines luxury glamping, decadent dining, and pure relaxation in the middle of the ocean. The experience includes private hire of Seventh Heaven overnight, all-inclusive food and beverage, a cocktail-making class, a 7-course sunset dinner, sunrise champagne breakfast, one massage per person, a private snorkelling tour, an iPad loaded with movies and a gift pack.

Part of the Barefoot Collection, new tour operator Barefoot Shark Encounters offers a range of safe and exhilarating Fiji shark encounters for snorkelers and divers. These Fiji shark encounters include accommodated Island Resort Shark Dive Packages and 3 different day trip options all departing from Port Denarau.

Captain Cook Cruises has launched a deluxe ‘Tivua Private Paradise’ half-day experience from Denarau. Guests will depart Denarau on a highspeed transfer to Tivua Private Island, welcomed with a glass of bubbles, and spend the morning enjoying the island’s enormous expanse of aqua-blue water, endless white sandy beaches, 500 acres of coral, and gorgeous lush gardens.

Transferring to island resorts after arriving in Fiji have become a lot easier. SeaFiji have launched fast boat transfers from Nadi International Airport, direct to the Mamanuca Islands. SeaFiji Direct is the fastest and most convenient way to travel to the Mamanaucas, with travellers arriving at their destination within an hour of leaving the airport.

Food & Beverage 

Byblos ‘A Taste of Lebanon’ – Radisson Blue. (Supplied)

Radisson Blu Resort Fiji have opened their new restaurant Teppanyaki, headed up by Chef Akulia Moceilau who specialises in Japanese culinary arts. With Teppanyaki as the only Japanese-themed specialty dining on Denarau Island and a limited seating of 6 guests at a time, this dining experience is guaranteed to be exclusive and authentic.

‘Taste of Levant’ is the latest addition to Six Senses Fiji’s themed dinner nights at RaRa Restaurant. It is hosted on Mondays, and joins ‘Taste of the Curry Leaf’, Taste of Italy’, ‘Taste of Asia’, and ‘Fijian Lovo Night’.

Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort have introduced a ‘Feet In Sand Ritual’ at its premier restaurant, the Tatavu Grill & Bar. Based on the traditional Fijian custom of taking one’s shoes off before entering a home and enjoying barefoot dining in community gathering’s, guests are invited to do the same and dine with “Feet In Sand”. The experience continues after dinner, as guests enjoy a luxurious, floral footbath to rinse off their sandy feet, before wearing their shoes again.

Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay have launched new signature products. Featuring three newly built oceanview cabanas beside its premier Fish Bar restaurant, guests can relax with a spa cabana massage, including a glass of sparkling wine by day and indulge in an exquisite, romantic four-course cabana dinner. Their ‘Momi Bay Veuve Clicquot Picnic’ can be enjoyed at any outdoor venue around the resort.

Oceanbreeze Bure Outrigger Fiijj

Fiji Airways has announced the launch of a new direct flight route between Canberra, Australia and Nadi, Fiji, commencing in July 2023. The new route will operate twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays from July 21st to the end of September, and three times a week from October onwards.