The South Pacific has the popular holiday destinations of Fiji, Tahiti, Vanuato, Samoa, Cook Islands, Tonga and Easter Island. These islands have palm-fringed beaches, tropical forests, cascading waterfalls and rugged volcanic peaks. There is some great self catering holiday home accommodation available to rent on these islands.
The islands of Fiji and Tahiti in the South Pacific are very popular with couples looking for a relaxing romantic holiday. They can rent some fabulous holiday villas with swimming pools right next to a beautiful white sandy beach on Fiji and Tahiti. Holiday home accommodation in Fiji and Tahiti enable holiday makers to explore the islands and have complete independence. When visiting these beautiful places they may try their hand at snorkelling around the coral reefs.
Vanuata and Samoa are also popular with holiday makers looking for a beach holiday. They are home to some fabulous white sandy beaches and offer water sports lovers the opportunity to swim and scuba dive in the warm clear water. It is possible to rent self catering holiday apartments and holiday villas in Vanuata and Samoa. Many of the villas are right next to the beach and you can wake up in the morning and walk straight out of your holiday home accommodation onto the beach.
Tonga and the Easter Islands are also in the South Pacific and are regarded by many holiday makers as their idea of a tropical island paradise. Many tourists come here on their vacations and spend their time relaxing on the clean white sandy beaches and top up their sun tans.
The islands in the South Pacific are a great holiday destination for holiday makers to go and have a totally relaxing holiday. You are assured of a warm and friendly welcome from the locals and many tourists like to sample the local food. By staying in a holiday villa or self catering apartment in Tahiti, Fiji or any other of the islands in the South Pacific enables you to sample the local culture. You can eat out at many of the small local restaurants or you can choose to take food back to your holiday home and cook it yourself.
The coral reefs off these islands in the South Pacific are home to a great number of species of tropical fish. You can either snorkel amongst these reefs or scuba dive and experience the true splendour of the marine life. Many holiday makers come back year after year to these beautiful islands as they are captivated by all that they have to offer.
The islands offer some great night life and many tourists join in with the local songs and dances. There is also the opportunity to sample the local food with fish being the main staple diet of the area. As well as a good choice of small family run restaurants there are usually barbecues held on the beaches most evenings.
These islands in the South Pacific are a real tropical holiday island paradise. They have great weather, clean sandy beaches and a warm inviting sea to swim in. They are an ideal destination for a relaxing beach holiday and there is a great choice of holiday villas and self catering holiday apartments to rent during your stay in paradise.

There are few places in the world as beautifully untouched as Fiji’s 330 islands, which make it an outstanding location for a luxury holiday. In Fiji, there is plenty to see, an amazing culture to absorb and some simply unforgettable sights. Here is a selection of Fiji’s Must Sees:

Navala Village

Although many of the settlements you see will seem traditional by western standards, Navala village really is something else – all the houses are built from local materials. The houses (“bures”) are single room buildings with thatch roofs and bamboo woven walls. Kitchens and toilets are separate buildings. There are around 120 bures in the village, and apparently a new one is built every time a couple get married – due to the simplicity of the buildings, construction takes around a month. You can take a guided tour of the village, and it is definitely a Fiji holiday experience you will not forget in a hurry.

Go Island Hopping

With a total of 330 islands, it’s no surprise that exploring presents tourists with unique and memorable experiences. The majority of these islands are not developed for tourists, so an adventure is almost guaranteed. Guest houses are sporadic, so you may well be looking at the hospitality of locals for lodging and board – make sure you pay at least F$50 per day to your hosts to cover expenses, and present a ’seveusevu’ on arrival. If the prospect of uncertainty in your lodgings and the idea of an adventure fills you with excitement rather than dread, than a island hopping adventure should be a key part of your Fiji holiday.

Visit the Bouma National Park

The Bouma National Park comprises some 15,000 hectares of rainforests with volcanic peaks, breathtaking mountain ridges and sheer cliff faces. The waterfalls in particular are breathtaking, and the park has some unusual wildlife which is rare on other local islands thanks to the prevalence elsewhere of the predatory mongoose. The park is home to a vast number of reptiles and birds – definitely worth the effort of getting to on your luxury holiday in Fiji.

Scuba Diving

With so many islands and absolutely perfect conditions, it’s no wonder that Fiji is renowned for its excellent diving. Offering a huge variety of bright and colourful soft corals, impressive marine life, warm waters and good visibility, it’s a solid choice both for beginners and experienced divers. The pick of the reefs to explore would be Astrolabe Reef and Beqa Lagoon – any diver worth their salt should pay these a visit at some time in their life, and they are also an excellent place for beginners to be introduced to the world of diving on a holiday in Fiji.

Traverse Navua River

Navua River is tucked up in the highlands of Viti Levu, and despite the regular raft rides along it, feels like it’s barely been touched by human influence. The trip takes you past astonishingly beautiful terrain, past black volcanic walls and emerald rainforest and countless waterfalls. The waters can be choppy, but the beauty of this wonderful river means that you will hardly notice.

I’m only scratching the surface here, and the sheer number of barely explored islands means that there are thousands of unique adventures waiting to happen – there’s never been a better time to book a luxury holiday in Fiji!

There are so many different areas of Fiji that you could plan a vacation to because the geography is so incredibly unique. Fiji is made up of over 300 islands, but only 106 of them are inhabited. There are two major islands that comprise Fiji: Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. Both of these islands are very mountainous and are absolutely covered with tropical forests. Viti Levu is home to the capital of Fiji, Suva, and includes about three fourths of the entire population. There are really only two major cities that reside on the island of Vanua Levu: Labasa and Savusavu. Both Labasa and Savusavu are major trade centers and bring in a lot of money for the island. Some of the other notable islands are Tveuni, Kadavu, Mamanuca, Yasawa, the Lomaiviti islands and the Lau island group.
Viti Levu has one of the most interesting histories of any island in the entire world. Geologists actually believe that it has been completely submerged in the ocean a number of times throughout its history. The eastern side of the island of Viti Levu is widely known for its heavy rainfall which is likely to have contributed to the possible submersion. Viti Levu has been exposed to many volcano eruptions and earthquakes which has caused it to have a very rugged terrain in some areas. This is a great place for a Fiji vacation because the history is so diverse. The western side is much drier than the west and that creates a very unusual balance of climates on the island.
Vanua Levu is the second largest island in Fiji, only second to that of Viti Levu. Although smaller in physical size, Vanua Levu has a much larger history to it. Most people believe that Vanua Levu is actually a type of combination of other islands that were submerged and then fused together by shifts in the earth. This event has caused a rather peculiar shape of the island. The main part of the island is in the shape of a very long, thin triangle and the rest of the island is surrounded by coral reefs. The terrain is rough and hilly, not unlike that of Viti Levu.
A Fiji vacation is definitely something that will forever change your life and the way you view traveling in the future. All you must do is decided what you want to get out of your Fiji vacation and the rest will just fall into place.

The Octopus Resort Yasawa Islands Fiji has one of the most beautiful white sandy beaches you will ever see right on its doorstep, and it is called Likuliku, voted one of the top 10 beaches in the World.

It is a small resort compared to many Fiji island resorts, with seventeen bures

It is a relatively cheap option for Fiji insofar as Yasawa Fiji Accomodations go, with budget alternatives to the normal bures. By this I mean serviced tents and dormitories, and although we stayed in Poppy’s Lodge, which is their top accomodation, we did check out all the options, and found them to be very reasonable.

Poppy’s Lodge is really suitable for families with interconnecting rooms, air conditioning, with wonderful views from the day beds on the decking, and it is almost on the beach amongst the trees, and very close to the centre of the resort.
The fittings, the bed, in fact everything we needed for our short stay.

There are many reasons for staying here at the Octopus resort, and whilst the first may be financial, and by that I mean you don’t have to be wealthy to stay here, unlike Turtle Island. Secondly you will meet a far wider group of people from all walks of life at the Octopus Resort, than you ever would at Turtle.

It would be fair to say this is a beautiful very well maintained resort, and the staff are very organised. The beach is just stunning, lovely clear turquoise water, the fish and the coral brightly coloured and healthy. If you wanted to use the swimming pool although I can’t think why, it had stunning views, and was very well maintained, and the bar area with it’s huge mirror is in my experience a unique way of seeing the beach no matter where you sit and look.

The food was much better than I had thought it would be, and the dining area had a sand floor so this is a real barefoot in paradise experience.

This was only one of the resorts we planned to visit in Fiji, and it happened to be the first. We had been promised a genuine Fiji experience, and I think that was what we got, thanks to the dedicated staff.

If you want to see photographs go to http://www.worldwidevacationspots.com/articles/125/1/Octopus-Resort-on-Likuliku-Lagoon-Fiji-one-of-the-Top-10-Beaches-of-the-World/Page1.html

Finally I would like to say, that we were able to visit the real Fiji, to see where the hotel staff belonged, to attend the Sunday Service in the Local church, and what wonderful experiences they were.

We will return to the Octopus Resort Yasawa Islands Fiji, amongst the best of Yasawa Fiji accomodations, on Likuliku lagoon, one of the top 10 beaches of the world, truly a barefoot paradise.

Fiji is an archipelago situated in the southern part of the Pacific Ocean that has approximately 322 islands. More than half of the archipelago’s populace is found in the islands of Vanua Levu and Viti Levu, most of which are a mixed race of Polynesian, Indo-Fijians, Rotuman and Melanesian, so Fiji is rich in history and culture and offers some of the world’s best places to see and experience. Accommodations are not a problem in Fiji since they have a wide selection of hotels suitable for the discriminating tastes of every visitor, and since it has a tropical climate, clothing is usually just something cool and easy for the summer season, and protective rain gear for the rainy season.

1.) Snorkeling, diving and sailing

Being and archipelago, Fiji is surrounded by beautiful islands that are perfect for snorkeling and diving specifically in the famous Rainbow Reef. The magnificent flora and fauna under the sea is simply something you can’t get enough of. You can also go sailing to enjoy the crystal blue waters while getting tanned under the sun.

2.) Sun, surf and sand

If you’ve never been to Fiji, you’d best check out the equally famous Cloud Breaker. It is often visited for surfing and snorkeling because of the many beautiful lines of coral reefs. Cloud Breaker is also famous for its waves measuring up to 6 meters in height!

3.) Nature trekking

You can enjoy a peaceful nature walk in the country’s trail park such as the Vidawa Forest. Here, you can also catch a glimpse of the magnificent view of the gathering of fruit bats. For any nature lover, this will surely be a treat.

4.) Dance the meke

When you visit the Fiji archipelago, it is a must that you experience the cultural and historical significance of their native dance, the meke. Here, everyone is dressed in their native attire of leis and skirts made of grass. Enjoy a cultural experience of Fiji in their nature dance.

5) Rafting

Rafting here is different in that you use rafts made out of bamboo as you move along the waters of its rivers. This is a truly unique experience native of the Fiji Islands and something you shouldn’t miss. You will also get to enjoy the diverse fauna and flora available in the area.

6) Museums and historical architecture

Every country is proud of its heritage. And part of Fiji’s history is its beautiful and magnificent architectural structures that have been standing witness to the country’s progress since time immemorial. Don’t forget to see their National Museum, the Parliament Houses and the Hindu temple, Sri Siva Subramaniya.

7.) Orchid Island

The archipelago’s cultural center is situated in this Orchid Island where you will find an accurate miniature representation of the Fiji Islands. This is a must-see especially for first time visitors. This is also perfect for families as the children will surely love this place.

8.) Caves

Being surrounded by water, the archipelago likewise has beautiful caves that first-time and returning visitors always make a point to check out. The famous sacred caves of Naihere are the favorite destination of locals and tourists alike. So, one should make it a point to visit Naihere.

9.) Suva, the archipelago’s capital

For the best night outing experience, you should try the local bars and dining establishments lining the streets of Suva. There are live shows of meke, bands and other forms of entertainment tourists will surely enjoy. This is a wonderful way to relax and enjoy the night.

10.) Mangroves

The breathtaking and wild ride through the mangroves along the tidal strip of the coast is something you wouldn’t want to miss out on. There are boats for rent for this kind of trip. There are also guides available for your safety and convenience.