Yasawa Islands: What to know before visiting

Multimedia Journalist·nzme·

10 Jul, 2024 09:53 PM7 mins to read

Yasawa Islands are a perfect spot to visit during a Fiji holiday, but it's worth knowing some tips and tricks before departure. Photo / Google Maps

Visiting the Yasawa Islands in Fiji? Sarah Pollok reveals 10 things every traveller should know before visiting this stunning Pacific location, from packing essentials to tour tips.

1. Food is part of a meal plan

Initially, I was puzzled by the bags of snacks and packs of beer fellow passengers brought on to the Yasawa Flyer - the ferry from Denarau to the various islands, resorts, and backpackers in the Yasawa Islands. It was only once I arrived at my first hotel that I learned why. The islands don’t have supermarkets, restaurants or cafes, so hotels or hostels offer mandatory meal plans with one or two options for each meal.

Now, this makes sense; these islands are remote, so accommodations must order food supplies from the mainland, meaning they can’t support a multi-page menu of options. Generous portions and the ability to ask for more food means you won’t starve, but as someone with dietary requirements who enjoys sniffing out restaurants to try on holiday, I did find the limited options a challenge at times.

Picky eaters and those with dietary requirements should know most accommodation comes with a set meal plan. Photo / Sarah Pollok

2. Make airconditioning a priority

Sitting in your bedroom, wearing a thick knitted sweater and cranking the heat pump, it’s hard to imagine desperately needing an airconditioner to blast chilly air through your Yasawa Islands hotel room. But trust me, you’ll appreciate any aircon in this level of humidity. During a visit in April, the ceiling fans in one villa were sufficient during the day but I found it incredibly muggy come nightfall (my anxiety towards the ceiling fan directly over my bed probably didn’t help). Cut to the next resort, with an aggressive aircon right by the bed, and I was asleep within seconds.

3. Don’t rely on Wi-Fi

If you’re dreaming of a remote working situation - swinging in a hammock outside your villa or perched on a beachfront lounger - think again. Of the three resorts I visited in the Yasawa Islands, two offered Wi-Fi from only the lobby (of these, one didn’t have service in the room) while the third stretched to the room, but not quite enough to strongly support video calls.

Fortunately, I could embrace the unplugged (or at least, less-plugged) life and saw any internet access as a bonus, rather than assuming connectivity would fire up straightaway. Limited Wi-Fi also granted me the very rare opportunity to completely disconnect from social media, work and emails.

4. Pay extra to get extra

It’s easy to arrive at one of the island resorts and spend your entire stay on the property, enjoying the sand, sun and schedule of free activities and facilities. When staying at Coconut Beach, I could easily fill my day with morning yoga and evening kava ceremonies, using the free snorkel gear, stand-up paddleboards, or walking along the beach.

However, it’s worth setting aside some holiday money for the resorts’ additional day tours or trips, which allowed me to swim in the sacred Sawa-i-Lau Caves and snorkel through clouds of tropical fish in the Blue Lagoon.

Additional excursions really do make a trip more special in the Yasawa Islands. Photo / Sarah Pollok

5. Pack a tactical first aid kit

On Instagram, all my followers saw was a mug of coffee and a book resting on a wooden bench, the sun rising over the ocean horizon behind in a blend of rich orange and gold. What they didn’t see was 20 minutes later; my legs burning with a few inconveniently placed ant bites, as I tried to explain to the friendly Fijian resort manager my need for hydrocortisone.

Despite his initial suggestion to treat the bites with leaves, as per traditional herbal medicine, they later located some bug bite cream and I learned my lesson; the islands are a jungle, so pack your first aid kit accordingly.

6. Hydration is key

A water bottle is a popular packing list item, and if it’s not on your list, add it for this trip. It’s easy to get dehydrated when spending days snorkelling or sunbathing in the Yasawa Islands’ balmy climate, but accepting resorts’ plastic water bottles can feel irresponsible in such a pristine natural setting. Thankfully, I’d packed a large, lightweight water bottle to avoid waste but if I did return, I’ll absolutely splurge on one of those fancy bottles that keeps water cold during hot days.

7. Prepare for mind-blowing beaches

Flick through images of Yasawa Islands beaches and one assumes the rich, blue water and white sands have been touched up in Photoshop. Surely nature can’t really be that colour? I’m pleased to say yes, yes it can. Looking at the water from a speedboat, during a beach walk or right up close snorkelling, the surrounding sight was so beautiful, my brain couldn’t quite believe it was real.

Yet, there it was - a kaleidoscope of blues glinting with sunshine and, as if that weren’t enough, as warm as bathwater. Got a waterproof camera? Don’t forget to pack it.

Visitors can enjoy a beach to themselves in the Yasawa Islands. Photo / Sarah Pollok

8. There really are zero crowds

Everyone wants to travel, everyone wants to go when it’s winter back home and everyone wants to avoid crowds. See the issue? Well, it’s not a problem in the Yasawa Islands, almost anywhere you go. The ferry from Denerau to the first island, Southern Sea Island, is 30 minutes, yet that appears distant enough to discourage the majority of tourists holidaying on the mainland, and they seem to stay blissfully absent from the islands.

Walking the beach at Coconut Beach Resort one evening, I passed a couple who said this had been a literal dream for them - to have a tropical beach almost entirely to themselves; marooned in the best possible way.

9. Pack a spare book

I filled my days with snorkelling, walking, paddleboarding and joining adventure tours, but there were plenty of moments when I just wanted to kick back and relax on the beach. Because many resorts offer Wi-Fi in only their lobby, I found myself phone free for a large chunk of my holiday and quickly burned through the book I had brought. Luckily, some resorts have “share libraries”, where guests can trade finished books for ones previous guests have left behind. But if you’ve got a stack of novels you’ve meant to read on your bedside table, take an extra for the trip.

10. Don’t expect a regular workout

As a creature of habit, I love getting to the gym a few times a week. Little did I know, treadmills and weights are far and few between in the Yasawa Islands. After learning my first resort didn’t have a gym, I asked to hike one of the nearby trails, but was told recent rain made it too dangerous (something this hardy Kiwi doubted).

Days later, I was again surprised my second island resort also lacked a gym. “Not a problem,” I thought, lacing up running shoes, “I’ll just jog along one of the dirt roads around the island.” Yet, when I asked for directions to the exit, the manager said leaving the property wasn’t safe for running due to the unsuitable terrain, and directed me towards the beach for a punishing run on the sand. The third resort was no different.

Of course, one can spend every second of their Yasawa Islands stay swimming, snorkelling, paddleboarding and walking around, but gym lovers and explorers should prepare to embrace island time and activities.