Henna and Yash, Fiji
This couple’s honeymoon in Fiji had them enjoying the island life to the fullest with lazy evenings on the beach, adventurous kayak rides and local village tours.
Henna and Yash’s honeymoon in Fiji had them frolicking along palm-fringed beaches, indulging in local cuisine and soothing spa sessions. The couple made the long journey with a connecting fight via Singapore. And it was love at first sight from the moment the couple landed in this tropical paradise!
Honeymoon Planning
Spanning seven days, the couple’s adventure in Fiji gave them the perfect opportunity to bond while discarding the stress caused by multiple rounds of celebrations. Heena shares, “I think this honeymoon was the best thing we gifted ourselves. We took a late evening flight from Mumbai with a half-day layover in Singapore and fell in love with this speck on the world map, the moment we caught the first aerial glimpse of the archipelago.
Fiji Airways operates on a codeshare with Singapore Airlines with a Singapore Airlines flight from Mumbai to Singapore followed by a 10-hour-long Fiji Airways flight from Singapore to Nadi. The cherry on top – the visa is free on arrival for Indians for a limited number of days!”
Honeymoon Highlights
After spending almost two nights on an aeroplane, the duo on landing in Nadi decided to get some shut-eye and kept day one for resting their travel-worn bodies. The next day, they decided to explore the local villages. Heena shares, “We started our day by being driven to a traditional Fijian village by our driver who was of Indian origin and could speak broken Fiji Hindi. Almost 37% of the Fiji population trace back their roots to India as their ancestors were brought to the former British colony to work on sugarcane plantations. No wonder Fiji is called mini India!
As a cultural practice, women are not to wear shorts or short dresses and roam around in the village. Both men and women are not to wear hats or caps as a mark of respect to the locals while in the village. We followed these local customs as we shopped in the village and I bought champagne-hued freshwater pearls that are unique to the region. We then headed to the Garden of the Sleeping Giant where we took a guided tour through the botanical gardens and loved the varied orchids that were growing there. We also learned that the Fijian greeting is ‘Bula!’ and that they love to cook their food in an underground earth oven called Lovo much like how we eat root vegetables (Umbadiyu) cooked in an earthen pot underground in Gujarat.”
When in Fiji, one must explore the stunning islands that dot the ocean. Heena and Yash did just that as they hopped on a catamaran with all their luggage towards the Mamanuca Islands. Heena shares, “While we did spend a day on the mainland, we were extremely excited about visiting the stunning islands. After several considerations, we made our pick and boarded a catamaran. The glistening waters of the Pacific and sailing through the ocean, passing by other islands fringed by white sand beaches left us awestruck. After a good couple of hours in the ocean, our catamaran anchored at the beach of Tokoriki Island.
We checked into our abode for the next week and a golf cart transported us to our room which was spacious, replete with comfortable utilities and had some sweet treats and free wine waiting for the honeymooners. But what created that terrific first impression on us – was witnessing the sunset on Tokoriki Island from the helipad, sipping on some cocktails with an almost aerial view of the resort. Fijian sunsets are indeed a sight to behold and the light stays on for a while even after the sun has set, so we could also get some nice evening shots at the beach. The dinner buffet had a limited vegetarian menu. However, the hotel was extremely accommodating and the chef rustled up special vegetarian dishes almost daily after consulting us. They made us some Indian food for dinner that we enjoyed with a glass of Fiji Gold beer.
While the weather gods did not give us a chance to indulge in a candlelight dinner by the beach, we got to be a part of an outdoor ‘Kava’ ceremony – a local, mildly sedative drink Fijians swear by!”
Most Romantic Moment
While adventure is easily available around the islands in the form of watersports, the couple decided to keep it simple by hopping onto a kayak and exploring the shallow waters. Heena shares, “We had a great time kayaking around the island shores. While one could jet ski or go scuba diving, Kayaking, I feel, is more enjoyable than rowing. Just be sure to slather on some extra sunscreen and wear a hat if you’re kayaking in the afternoon as the Fijian sun is no joke and can leave your Indian skin tanned and sunburnt.”
Hotels They Stayed At
Novotel Nadi
Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island
