InterContinental on the Main Island (Viti Levu)
We knew that after spending a night on the plane, we would need somewhere really nice and comfortable to relax. Peter found a really good deal at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa. It turned out to be the perfect place to rest after the flight and kick off our trip:
- An incredible buffet — truly the best we’ve ever experienced
- A beautiful private beach
- Really nice amenities like pools, spa, surf boards, jet ski rentals, and more
My personal favorite was our luxurious room with a really nice private outdoor space, complete with a bathtub. I definitely recommend this resort to friends and fellow travelers.
Arriving on Waya Island
In the morning, we took a taxi to Port Denarau, where we boarded the ferry to begin our journey to Waya Island. The ride took just over two hours and was smooth and comfortable. The ferry itself offered both indoor and outdoor seating, allowing us to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way — passing by small islands, spotting large jellyfish in the water, and even catching glimpses of flying fish skimming the surface.
There’s a small café onboard, where the kids were getting ice cream and chips. When we arrived at Waya Island, we hopped onto smaller boats that took us to shore, where we were greeted with a welcome ceremony by the resort team.
Octopus Resort
On the ferry ride over, we made a few stops at different islands to drop people off at different resorts. They all looked pretty good, butafter doing our research, we decided on Octopus Resort on Waya Island, and we were really happy with our choice. The place had a cozy, private feel with its own reef (amazing for snorkeling when the water was calm), a great beach, and just a really relaxed vibe.
Some of our favorite things:
- Super friendly and welcoming staff
- Simple but really good food — food was included in our package
- A cute beach bar with affordable drinks and a great view
- Fun entertainment every day — the staff concert was so much fun, and the kids loved the Crab Race
- We rented a fishing boat for Nikita, and it turned into a really fun couple of hours for a pretty reasonable price
A couple of things that could be better:
- The pool is adorable, but it’s definitely on the small side—especially with a lot of families around
- Snorkeling was limited to calm days since the entry point to the reef can get pretty rough
Beach
So, Octopus Resort is tucked along the coastline of Waya Island, and there’s this beautiful, colorful reef just off the beach—perfect for snorkeling. The only catch is that the entry point can get pretty rough if the water isn’t calm. The resort makes it easy though—they update a sign every day: green means go, red means stay out. Super helpful!
I think water conditions might vary by season, but when we were there in the end of April, the weather was honestly ideal. Not too hot, not too cold—just right. We had a few brief showers here and there, but nothing that lasted long. The ocean was a mix: sometimes calm, sometimes choppy. Out of our 5 days on Waya, the snorkeling sign was red for 3 of them and green for 2. But honestly, 2 green days felt like plenty since the reef is right there. You can hop in after breakfast, lunch, dinner—whenever!
When we weren’t snorkeling, we had just as much fun playing in the waves, collecting shells, fishing, or just chilling on the beach beds. The resort also offers a bunch of boat trips and activities, so there’s always something to do if you’re feeling adventurous.
Entertainment
When we arrived at Octopus Resort, the crew welcomed us with a meet-and-greet and gave us a daily schedule packed with fun activities (see photo). There was honestly something for everyone, every single day.
Each morning, I’d see a group doing yoga by the beach—it looked so peaceful. I personally loved the spa and treated myself to their special massage every day.
My daughter had a blast with activities like pool volleyball (kids and adults all jumped in!), a traditional basket weaving lesson, and she had so much fun participating in the crab race.
My son was enjoying fishing, both from the shore and during a boat trip. He was in his element.
One of the highlights for all of us was the concert the resort staff put on one evening. It was full of singing and dancing, and what really stood out was how much the performers—everyone from the waitstaff to the spa team to the boat crew—genuinely loved being part of it. Really cool.
Fishing
According to Nikita, our fishing enthusiast, fishing in Fiji was amazing. He brought his own rods from home, but honestly, even if he hadn’t, the boat crews were totally prepared and had gear ready to go—no problem at all.
He was fishing everywhere we stayed in Fiji. At Octopus Resort, he spent hours casting right from the shore and caught plenty of small to medium-sized fish. We also rented him a boat for a few hours, and that’s when things got exciting—he caught a big bonito and a very impressive yellowfin tuna!
And just to give you an idea of how affordable it was: at Octopus, a private fishing boat for 2–3 hours cost around $60. It was a bit more on the main island, but still very reasonable.
Back to the Main Island - Sheraton
After five fun days at Octopus Resort, we returned to the Main Island for the final two nights of our trip, this time staying at the Sheraton Denarau Villas. The commute was smooth and hassle-free—a pleasant ferry ride followed by a complimentary Sheraton shuttle that brought us to the hotel in about 10 minutes.
The Sheraton is huge, offering a few restaurants, cafés, pools, a little beach, and a wide range of amenities. Each evening, there was a colorful, complimentary luau-style show on the beach. The kids found plenty of activities to keep themselves entertained, including outdoor mega chess, a gym, a game room, and of course, the pool. Although we had originally planned to visit a zipline park, the children were content with everything the resort had to offer and opted to relax instead. There was one super popular place with all the resort's girls - the hair-braiding station run by local women! My daughter wasn't an exception, she left Fiji with a very cool hairstyle!
While the resort dining options were noticeably more expensive, we felt the food was quite good. Getting around the resort was also easy, with friendly golf cart drivers always ready to take guests anywhere on the property or even to adjacent resorts if you wanted to explore other pools, bars, or other facilities.
Last days in Fiji
There’s this adorable little water park with a fun, Pacific island vibe that we really enjoyed - Big Bula Waterpark. I loved that it wasn’t crowded at all—so refreshing not having to wait in long lines like you usually do at big water parks.
I thought that it was also easy and enjoyable for the parents. You could stretch out on a sun lounger or float around in the shallow pool while keeping an eye on the kids having fun on the slides. Victoria and I spent most of the day there while Nikita was fishing on the boat.
The park is a short walk from the Sheraton, or you can catch a ride on the hotel’s golf cart or hop on the Bula Bus. On our last day in Fiji, both kids went back for a few hours before we headed to the airport. They were completely wiped out—in the best way—and slept through most of our overnight flight back to San Francisco.