A Perfect Day in Nadi Fiji
The 5 activities that make up my perfect day in Nadi Fiji.
Nadi Produce Market
Hospital Road, Nadi, Viti Levu, Fiji
The Nadi produce market is a tropical fruit and vegetable lover’s dream. Each stall has an abundance of locally grown fruits and vegetables sold by the very people who have grown them, the hardest part of the purchasing experience is deciding which stall to buy from. It is easy to make friends at the market, the stall holders love to hear about where you are from and are very happy to share stories about the villages that they travel from to sell at the market.
My favorite way to start the day in Fiji is fresh market papaya, pineapple, and bananas.
Broady’s Café & Bar
After starting the day with some fresh produce, it is time for coffee. Broady’s Café & Bar is probably my favorite find during my time spent in Nadi. Located in Martintar, Broady’s is the perfect way to get your caffeine fix while also enjoying a spot of people-watching and interacting with the locals. After discovering Broady’s, my partner and I visited for the remainder of our stay and the staff were so happy to see us every morning when we walked in. One Sunday morning we sat outside next to a table with two friends working on a laptop together, I watched as one got up and walked through the car park to the hibiscus tree to pick some flowers to go behind her ear. I made a note to go to the tree as we were leaving so I could also pick a beautiful hibiscus flower for behind my ear. It turns out I wouldn’t need to as the lady had picked 3 flowers, one for her friend, herself, and me. It was a very simple act, but one that is so special to me as it is a representation of how wonderful the people were to me and my partner in Fiji.
My favorite order from Broady’s would have to be an espresso with a coconut loaf to share, followed by an ice-cold fresh pineapple juice.
Wailoaloa Beach
Wailoaloa Beach is not a picture-perfect white sand tropical island beach. I must admit that when I first visited I was surprised by this. However, Wailoaloa Beach with its far stretch of sand and cloudy water became the beach we visited the most during our stay in Fiji. The area of Wailoaloa is far from a clean and tidy resort area, it has a few resorts on the beachfront but is also the beach that the locals visit. There is a lot of space to set up with a good book in the sun, and when you are ready for a swim the water is beautifully warm. The beach is great for children as the water stays shallow for quite a way out. You will likely be visited by the local beach dogs out for their daily stroll, it is best not to touch them, but they are always happy to have a chat.
A trip to Wailoaloa Beach is not complete without a drink and a bite to eat at one of the beachfront resort bars. The Wailoaloa beach club is my favorite with great music and a small swimming pool in the courtyard!
Masala Twist
After a day of markets, cafes, and beach swimming the most important thing to perfect the day has to be a curry at Masala Twist Nadi. Boasting a full menu of both Fijian and Indian curries that are vegetarian and vegan-friendly there will be something to please everyone. Masala Twist offers outdoor and indoor seating and has a casual romantic feel to it, it was easy to spend a few hours there immersed in the ritual that eating a good curry requires while being entertained by a litter of kittens playing nearby.
Regardless of your curry choice while visiting Masala Twist, make sure you order the Fijian Roti for the best experience.
VOU Hub — Fiji Untold
A perfect day in Nadi would not be complete without a cultural show. I am not sure if words can do our visit to VOU Hub justice, but I will try my best. VOU is Fiji’s leading dance company and uses a blend of traditional and contemporary methods to provide a Fijian cultural experience like no other. When driving us to the location of the Fiji Untold show our taxi driver was concerned that he was dropping us in the middle of a hard-to-access village while it was getting dark. We also began to have concerns when we realized how far into the village we were going, it was very dark and there didn’t seem to be much around. After some time, we turned a corner and a red and white circus tent appeared in the distance with two men performing with fire to welcome us. We pulled up to the tent and were welcomed by singing and drum-playing. We received a complimentary nonalcoholic drink and popcorn and got to talk to the performers before the show started. The performers were in their late teens/early twenties, and many had moved from their villages to Nadi to be a part of VOU Hub. After being ushered into the tent, we were treated to a performance that told the story of mystical giant women, octopus gods, a shape-shifting iguana, and more. The talent and energy we saw was nothing short of spectacular, if you can only do one thing while in Nadi I highly recommend getting tickets to Fiji Untold or any of the other VOU Hub shows.
