Most hotel and hostel activity desks, or the reception-desk staffs, will make reservations or arrangements for all activities.
Round-trip bus transportation from the Nadi area hotels is included in the price of the tours and outings; that is, a bus will pick you up within 30 minutes or so of the scheduled departure time for Nadi area trips, 1 hour or more for those on the Coral Coast. Children under 12 years of age pay half fare on most activities.
Sightseeing Tours
You can easily waste a lot of time driving around this area without seeing much of anything, so I recommend at least a half-day guided sightseeing tour with a reputable company.
My favorite half-day tour goes north of Nadi Airport to the Garden of the Sleeping Giant. The late Raymond Burr, star of TVs Perry Mason and Ironside, started this lovely, 50-acre orchid range, north of the airport, in 1977 to house his private collection of tropical orchids (he once also owned Naitoba, a small island in the Lau Group). It sits at the base of "Sleeping Giant Mountain," whose profile forms the outline of a man fast asleep. There's much more here than orchids, however, and the guides will describe a variety of local plants and their uses.
You can get here on your own by rental car or taxi. Look for the sign at Wailoko Road off the Queen's Road between Nadi and Lautoka. It's open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Entrance fees are F$12 (US$7.20) for adults, F$6 (US$3.60) for children, including guided tour and a fruit drink.
From there the tour stops at historic Viseisei Village, on the Queen's Road about halfway between Nadi and Lautoka. One legend says that the first Fijians settled here. Today it's a typical, fairly prosperous Fijian village, with some modern houses and some shacks of concrete block and tin, a small handicraft shop, and the usual road humps that bring traffic to a crawl.
Coral Sun Fiji (tel. 672 3105; www.coralsunfiji.com.fj) charges about F$60 (US$36) for its orchids and village tour.
Flightseeing & Skydiving
Island Hoppers Fiji (tel. 672 0410; www.helicopters.com.fj), Turtle Airways (tel. 672 2389; www.turtleairways.com), and Pacific Islands Seaplanes (tel. 672 5643; www.fijiseaplanes.com) all offer sightseeing flights over Denarau Island, Nadi Bay, the Mamanucas, and Vuda Point north of Nadi between Viseisei village and Lautoka. Call them or inquire at any hotel activities desk for prices and reservations.
I've never had the courage to put my life in someone's hands while falling to Denarau Island from 10,000 feet up in the air, but you can with Skydive Fiji (tel. 672 8166; www.skydivefiji.com.fj). Prices start at F$348 (US$209).
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
