The number of islands is more than 300, and most visitors to Fiji will have visited 3 of them: the one that has the airport, the other one has the marina, and the third is the one that the day boat calls on, Mamanuca Island. This is not a fault of the transport; it is simply its operation. Everyone ends up at the west end of the catamarans at Port Denarau.
The quiet islands in Fiji are almost always one leg out. Another flight, another boat, another 6 am start. This extra leg is the entire filter. Here are some 10 of them, at least in the order in which it takes the least effort to reach them.
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1. Nacula and the Northern Yasawas
The Yasawa Flyer departs Port Denarau at 8.45 am, and it takes about 4.5 hours to reach the end of the chain. Most passengers will come off the plane well before that time, and that’s as it should be. At the Nacula end, you find village-owned lodges, no roads, and power that does not necessarily operate 24 hours a day. One tip: be aware that the Flyer is late a lot of times and please don’t make an international flight on the same night.
2. Kadavu
50 minutes south of Nadi via Fiji Link, and a different country in every other aspect. Kadavu has 2 dirt roads, a near absence of vehicles, and the Great Astrolabe Reef on its eastern boundary. Flights arrive at Vunisea, and you are picked up by boat to your lodge, sometimes for an hour or more. The reef is visited by divers. The rest join because there is nothing else to do – it’s an attraction.
3. Leleuvia
If you are in the vicinity of Suva, the easiest quiet island on this list is. Leleuvia is located within the Lomaiviti group, which is a 40-minute boat trip from Bau Landing that is 10-minutes’ drive from Nausori Airport. One tiny resort, a marine reserve not far from the beach, and a walk around the entire island in less than 30 minutes. Excellent snorkelling off the sand even at low tide.
4. Ovalau
Not a beach island. Levuka, Fiji’s first colonial capital, is the place to visit for seeing a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the weatherboard town crammed between a steep green ridge and the sea, at Ovalau. Access is by bus and ferry to the port of Suva via Natovi Landing, which takes about four hours door to door. See the old shop fronts, a fish cannery and virtually no other travellers.
5. Nananu-i-Ra
2-2.5 hours from Nadi along the Kings Road, 15 minutes across from Ellington Wharf. Nananu-i-Ra is small, hilly and inexpensive by Fiji standards and lacks resorts, featuring self-catering cottages. It is one of the better kitesurfing and windsurfing locations in the country, due to the trade winds that occur at this time of year (April to October). Pack your own food, as shops are on the mainland.
6. Qamea and Matangi
Fly to Matei on Taveuni (approx. 90 minutes via a small Fiji Link turboprop), and then transfer by van and boat (approx. 45 minutes). These two islands lie just off Taveuni’s eastern end but are close enough to be able to dive the Rainbow Reef and far enough to not see another boat most days. Bring a swimsuit in hand luggage; sometimes bags follow!
7. Beqa and Yanuca
Only an hour by boat from Pacific Harbour and very quiet – unusual for this close to Viti Levu. Beqa Lagoon is most famous for shark diving and the fire walk customs of the Sawau people. There are a few modest surf and dive lodges at neighbouring Yanuca. Crossings are based on conditions; build flexibility into the crossing around the swell.
8. Toberua
It is a very small island off the east end of Viti Levu, which it is reached by road from Suva or Nausori and then by a short boat trip. A fringing reef and enormous tidal flats that dry up and fill twice daily are all these. In kilometres, it is near the capital, but in atmosphere it is far from it.
9. Gau and Koro
Two of the biggest Lomaiviti Islands, virtually untouched by tourists. Northern Air makes the trip to Gau about once a week, and Fiji Link makes the trip to Koro about the same frequency, and both are served by a ferry from Suva. There are no resorts to speak of, so it is a homestay that has to be arranged via contacts in the village. If you are looking for a village in Fiji rather than a beach holiday, then you’ll want to go.
10. Vanua Balavu, Lau
Farther and the best. You don’t decide how long your trip will be because Fiji Link only flies once a week, roughly an hour and fifteen minutes each way. Vanua Balavu is the Bay of Islands, a labyrinth of cut-out limestone islets, which most Fijians have only seen in photographs. Accommodation: Guesthouse. No banks, no ATMs and no restaurants; bring Fijian money and low hopes for Wifi.
Before You Go
These trips have three elements. Have cash on hand, as card machines start to dwindle past Viti Levu. If you are staying in or close to a village, take a bundle of kava root if you are asking permission to be somewhere; use the small presentation to the chief or host, called sevusevu. And take a buffer day before leaving for home. Your agenda will not matter to boats or small planes – they will get cancelled or weathered out.
FAQs
What is Fiji’s quietest island?
Of the available places you can realistically book, Vanua Balavu in the Lau group. It has one weekly flight, guesthouse accommodation, and no tourist economy. Gau and Koro are also empty but difficult to organise without a village contact.
Which islands in Fiji are easiest to get to from Nadi and are quiet?
Nananu-i-Ra is the easiest with just a road transfer and a 15-minute boat ride. It takes 50 minutes to fly to Kadavu. You don’t need a domestic flight for the northern Yasawas, which take a long ferry day.
Is it necessary to get permission to go to remote islands in Fiji?
Not actually, as a guest at a resort who pays for the service. However, most of the resorts are not on the land but are outside of the village, and it is customary to offer the sevusevu and ask permission before swimming, walking, or fishing outside of the village. It is normally arranged by your host.
What are the best times to go?
May through October is less humid and drier, and also the time in which trade winds are most consistent. November – April is rainy, and also the cyclone season, but it rains less, and the islands are even emptier.
How much do the quiet islands cost more?
Not necessarily. The village lodges in the Yasawas are the most budget-friendly in the country, as are cottages on Nananu-i-Ra. Typically, it’s in the transfers, particularly if it’s a private party boat or charter flight.