Leaving Japan, our next major destination is Australia. The great thing about this leg is that we fly through Fiji. So, instead of staying in the airport for a couple hours, and continuing on to Australia, we extend our layover to stay in Fiji for 24 hours. No-brainer.

Our overnight flight from Japan arrives in Fiji around 9 am. Stepping off the plane at the Nadi International Airport, the sun is shining, and we are immediately greeted by humidity and a three piece band sporting a ukulele.

With only 24 hours in Fiji, we decide it’s probably smart to stay on the main island and take some time to relax. Japan really kicked our butt. With over 300 islands, Fiji is known for rugged landscapes, amazing beaches, and coral reefs. Part of me really wants to explore them all.

We run into this situation a lot. There are always places we want to explore, but you have to weigh the factors of cost, time, and travel fatigue. A year is a long time, but you will only scratch the surface of Mother Earth in 365 days. Also, we have this thing called a budget. The longer our money lasts, the more places we get to go.

Relaxation

We arrive at our hotel, grab a drink, and sit out in the sunshine. We pick our hotel (Smugglers Cove Beach Resort and Hotel) based on the following criteria; Is there a bed? Yes. Is it on the beach? Sold.

Umbrella drinks are followed by a little dip in the pool. We then move the party to the beach and enjoy a beautiful Fiji sunset. The hotel puts on a traditional dance followed by a fire show. Guess what? That’s all we did in Fiji…

Best Lounge (that I’ve been to) in the World

We have experienced our fair share of lounges on this trip. It is worth mentioning again that we applied for the CHASE Sapphire Reserve Card before leaving. This card comes with a Priority Pass Select membership that lets you access airport lounges throughout the world. This means complimentary food and drink at most airports.

I say “complimentary,” but this card also comes with an annual fee of $450. This fee is accompanied with many benefits; $300 in travel credit, TSA pre-check credit, no foreign transaction fees, and multiple travel protections such as rental car insurance. In short, we believe we easily get our money back from that fee.

Lets get back to the Fiji Airways Premier Lounge. I enjoy airport lounges that are spacious, relaxing, and provide delicious food and drink. The Fiji lounge ticks all of these boxes and the staff is incredibly friendly. We arrive around breakfast time and there is an impressive buffet. You can order any type of coffee/espresso from the barista. Want some fresh squeezed juice? No problem. Also, staff is walking around offering small dishes (see avocado and egg toast below) made by the chef.

Bula Bula

Unfortunately I can’t provide stellar advice or the top ten things to see in Fiji. The only insight I have is into the people of Fiji. Everyone we encountered was kind and greeted us with the traditional “bula” (hello). We walk by some strangers on the beach and they throw a “bula” our way. Literally, every interaction we had, people were kind.

No Water Allowed???

Boarding our flight to Australia, we have already gone through the necessary security screenings and are waiting to board. Our group is called, we get our ticket scanned and walk on the jetway. Before boarding the actual plane, the airline staff have another checkpoint set up. They are making everyone dump all liquids. Doesn’t matter if it is 100mL or less, they make you trash it. I had just filled up my water bottle before boarding, and they make me pour the water in a trash can. Really?

At first, I guess this is just some very intense Fiji restriction, but I later learn that they are trying to protect travelers from bringing in restricted items to Australia. Australia is super strict when it comes to biosecurity guidelines and forbidden items. If you’re not sure about an item you are bringing in, just play it safe and declare it. You don’t want to end of getting a fine. I still think pouring out my water was an overkill, but thanks for looking out Fiji.