Bill Goodwin's Travel Guides

I first visited Fiji at Christmas of 1977, near the end of my long backpacking trip across the South Pacific. I regretted not coming here sooner and staying longer, for I liked immediately this marvelously diverse country. You’ll see why I'm still in love with Fiji as soon as you get off the plane, clear Customs and Immigration, and are greeted by a procession of smiling faces, all of them exclaiming an enthusiastic Bula! That one word—“health” in Fijian—expresses the warmest and most heartfelt welcome I have ever received anywhere. In the most visited areas—and especially on Fiji’s offshore islets—you’ll find gorgeous white-sand beaches bordered by curving coconut palms, azure lagoons and colorful reefs offering world-class scuba diving and snorkeling, green mountains sweeping to the sea, and a tropical climate in which to enjoy it all.

Fiji has something for every pocketbook. Its wide variety of accommodation ranges from deluxe resorts nestled in tropical gardens beside the beach to down-to-basics hostels that cater to the young and the young-at-heart. Out on its 300-plus islands is one of the largest and finest collections of small, Robinson Crusoe–like offshore resorts I have ever seen.

• The best islands, beaches, honeymoon resorts, family vacations, historical and cultural experiences, dining, nighttime entertainment, shopping, off-beat travel experiences, Old South Sea towns, and some of the world's top diving and snorkeling. • Complete information to plan your trip: visitor information, visa and custom requirements, money, when to go, getting there and getting around, health and safety, online and specialized resources, even how to configure your laptop to get your email in the islands. • Money-saving tips on airfares, accommodations, and dining. • Suggested itineraries to help you make the most of your valuable time. • Details—and what I think of—hotels, resorts, and restaurants in all price ranges on every island. • The best places to sunbathe, swim, snorkel, dive, sail, fish, hike, mountain bike, ride horseback, and play golf and tennis.