Chowing down on wood-fired pizzas while basking in the middle of the blue blue ocean? Yes, it's a thing in Fiji and just what we did to unwind from all that tiring pre-trip flurry of packing and our 10-hours-long flight aboard Fiji Airways!
Read on for my account of Day 1 in Fiji:
Touch-Down at Nadi International Airport
We touched down at Nadi International Airport, Fiji in the dead of the night: It was around 2AM and the first thing we did was to get our currency changed at the money-changer at the airport (straight out of arrivals, you'll spot a lone money-changer right in the courtyard, we were advised that the rates there were best).
Most of us had gotten our SGD changed into USD prior to our trip because we weren't sure if the money-changers in Fiji accepted SGD: You won't have to do that because the money-changer we went to had no trouble accepting SGD.
Another important task to do for all the social media addicts (that's exactly all eight of us on this trip. LOL) is to get your local sim card from DigiCel at the airport. This data-only SIM Card cost us FJ$29 (S$20), comes with 4GB data and is valid for 7 days, more than sufficient for our massive data usage. Yay to being connected at all times, almost!
That being said, some of the more rural areas like in the villages or high up in the mountains do not have any service, but I'd say we were able to have data service almost 80% of the time. You don't need to be checking your phone while you're on a zipline in the mountains or white-water rafting down a river, anyway.
After getting all those stuff done, a short coach ride took us to our accommodation for the first two nights, at Radisson Blu Resort Fiji!
Radisson Blu Resort Fiji
First look at Radisson Blu Resort! I remember stepping into Radisson Blu Resort and feeling really happy about the thought of a bed awaiting my arrival.
A clean, cosy room with simple decor and inviting-looking beds. This sight warmed my heart! The first thing I did was to soak in a hot bath and then I slept like a baby because I didn't sleep the night before the flight, thanks to my last-minute packing.
Rise and shine! Awoke to some lovely weather and finally got a good look at Radisson Blu Resort's lush and idyllic surroundings.
My beach-ready outfit!
Breakfast was a cheerful affair accompanied with the strains of guitar and melodious singing, this was the first of many musical encounters with the Fijian folks, most of whom can carry a splendid tune! Almost every resort that we visited had singers welcoming us in, singing us a farewell song, or just accompanying us during meal times. It was very pleasant and always a mood-lifter to listen to!
Made a beeline for my favourite breakfast food: Eggs! I got a hearty "BULA!" from the egg station chef and look at that huge smile on his face! What a nice way to start the day.
So excited about my first day in Fiji!
Black swimsuit: Billabong // Bohemian resort pants: TheVelvetDolls // Nude leather sandals: Charles & Keith // Haversack: Billabong
It was a very short ride out to Port Denarau, where you can then take a boat out to so many different places and activities. Apart from travelling out to sea from Port Denarau, there's also a huge shopping arcade at the port where you can find everything from beach apparel, swim wear, to medication, food and souvenirs.
There are also many restaurants and cafes at Port Denarau, where we killed some time before our boat to Cloud 9 was due to go. Say hello to Joyce, Evonne and Jess!
A 45-minutes boat ride brought us out into clear blue waters, and finally we spotted a floating island in the middle of the sea:
Image from Google
Which looked like this!! In my excitement, I didn't manage to take a photo of Cloud 9 from afar HAHAHA.
As we approached Cloud 9, strains of upbeat music as well as laughter and chatter drifted across to us. It must have been a good day because it was really crowded at Cloud 9! (Would have preferred it to be less crowded but I guess Cloud 9 is really just too popular a spot...)
Cloud 9 is a floating bar and pizzeria, and apart from the usual alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks, they even have an oven where wood-fired pizzas are made on the spot!
Cloud 9 has two storeys, and there are sun beds and deck chairs on both levels where visitors can relax, chill and enjoy a drink or a pizza.
I totally loved the happy and relaxed vibes at Cloud 9!
With Xinlin, Jess and Evonne ❤
Just chilling' atop Cloud 9! Got this simple one-piece swimsuit from Billabong, it's such a classic ;)
We ordered a couple of those wood-fired pizzas and they tasted especially good in the tangy sea air!
Fuelled up on pizza before I took a dip in the ocean with my fellow water babies!
I actually enjoy the sea so very much, I just don't enjoy getting all nice and roasted with a never-fading tan afterwards, SIGH.
At Cloud 9, you can jump straight into the ocean to swim or do other sea activities like snorkelling/paddleboating, but you have to make special arrangements for your equipment, from what I know!
Just look at how insanely blue the waters were, and this was on a cloudy day.
Happy as a duck in water!
And all the other bright yellow ducklings! Hehe. That's Mabel and Christina in front, our two capable Nuffnang managers who took real good care of us during our time in Fiji ❤
Something to take note of: Some of us got stung on our arms/legs by microscopic jellyfish (referred to as sea lice) and those bites started itching like mad after! Think we must have swam into those sea lice together, yikes. They are nothing major and can frequently happen in any ocean, but can sting and itch and leave marks for days, so I recommend wearing a long sleeved rash-guard (I bought one while I was in Fiji!) to help protect against these accidents.
Our entire afternoon was spent lazing around at Cloud 9, on deck, in the water and all around. It was the perfect Day 1 to unwind from all the pre-holiday stress and to ease into vacation mode!
Here's some of the lovely people I spent my time in Fiji with!
We headed back to Radisson Blu Resort to wash up and rest before a nice dinner at Chantara Thai Restaurant within the resort compounds.
That ended off Day 1 in Fiji, which was a rather leisurely day I must say, compared to some of the activities we experienced later on during our trip! It was a perfect respite for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Next up: Our Sigatoka River Safari experience and visit to Mavua, a local Fijian village! We also tried Kava (a traditional Fijian drink) for the first time as well as got up-close and personal encounters with the lovely Fijian people.
For more information on Cloud 9, click here, or find out more about Radisson Blu Resort here!
If you're all raring to hop on the next flight out to Fiji, direct flights from Singapore to Fiji via Fiji Airways are now available twice a week!
[ The Fiji Travelogues ]
Fiji #1: "Is Fiji in Japan?" - Flying direct from Singapore to Fiji via Fiji Airways
Fiji #2: An Afternoon on Cloud 9, Floating Bar & Staying at Radisson Blu Resort
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