Fiji Adventure Trip Overview
On this extended version of our 13-day Fiji program to the Land of Smiles, you get a little more of everything with up to 40 hours of community service and more sensational days to savor time in paradise. Travel to the lesser known Yasawa Island chain and visit four different islands to discover the Fiji most tourists never get to experience.
Participate in two unique service projects focused on working with youth and a marine conservation project. Volunteer with children and help improve the facilities of a local island school. Participate in hands-on marine ecosystem maintenance and help out with a coral reef project. Enjoy the colorful underwater world and gain a new appreciation for the ocean on this adventure trip for students!
During our time exploring this spectacular island chain, dive into the crystal clear blue waters as you swim with manta rays, reef sharks, exotic fish, and vibrant corals. Feel like a local as you explore limestone caves, cook a traditional feast, sample kava and visit several villages. Join us for a mix of cultural immersion, fun, adventure, and relaxation that you’re sure to never forget!
During this program, you will…
- Volunteer at a local elementary school and with a coral reef project (earn up to 40 hours of community service credit)
- Participate in hands-on marine ecosystem maintenance
- Make lifetime bonds with local Fijian students
- Snorkel and scuba dive* vibrant coral reefs teeming with incredible exotic marine life
- Prepare a lovo with Fijians, learn how to weave palm frond baskets and cook like a local with this traditional earth oven
- Hike for incredible sunrise and sunset views of the Yasawa Islands
- Kayak between amazingly beautiful islands in the turquoise water of the famous blue lagoon
- Go zip-lining through jungles, mountain tops, and cave systems
*This is an optional add-on
If your teen plans on diving, it is mandatory for you to purchase dive insurance in advance of the program. Please review our FAQ section for more information.
Trip Itinerary
DAY 1: DEPART FROM LOS ANGELES (LAX)
DAY 2: CROSS THE INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE
DAY 3: NADI, VITI LEVU
Spend your first day on the largest of the islands in the Fijian Archipelago, Viti Levu. Visit beautiful sand dunes at a national park where you will shake off our jet lag with a leisurely hike, and even have the opportunity to jump and play on the dunes! The first afternoon relax on one of the many stunning beaches on the island to relax, swim, and get acquainted with island life. After a fun day exploring the main island head back to your beautiful resort, right on the beach with an incredible sunset and ocean view.
DAYS 4 – 8: YASAWA ISLANDS- NACULA ISLAND
Waking the next morning hop on a ferry bound for Nacula Island, one of the furthest north in the Yasawa island chain and one that few tourists ever get to experience! Spend your time immersing yourselves into the laid back rhythm of Fiji time! Brilliant sunrises and sunsets beg for the attention of your eyes and camera.
Just a short half hour boat ride away is a local school we have partnered with for many years, where we will complete an important renovation over the course of several days. Form genuine bonds with the Fijian students as you coordinate playground games, swap stories, and teach each other about your own cultures. You’ll also spend some time meeting the students from each classroom and feel warmly welcomed into the school with songs and dance. Our service project will be capped off with a touching assembly from the school thanking you for your hard work. Our program will also involve day trips to the neighboring islands for village visits where you will spend time connecting with local families.
Our time on Nacula will also involve fully immersing ourselves in Fijian culture while enjoying a wide variety of activities. Prepare an authentic lovo (Fijian feast cooked in the earth) to gain new appreciation for the local fare. Participate in a traditional kava ceremony. Learn Fijian songs and dances, and discover the meaning of “Fiji time” while soaking up everything this island has to offer!
DAYS 9-14: YASAWA ISLANDS- BAREFOOT MANTA AND WAYALEILEI ISLANDS
After our time on Nacula, we travel by ferry to our second stop, Drawaqa Island to begin the next portion of our community service project. This island is well known for its gorgeous reefs and is aptly nicknamed “Manta Island” for the elegant manta rays that frequent its shores. You will have the opportunity to work with a marine biologist and participate in marine ecosystem maintenance. Receive lessons on coral reef restoration and assist with a variety of projects including coral planting, fish ID-ing, fish surveying, and more. There is also the possibility to help out with the island’s special manta project. We will utilize the islands classroom and lab to make the most out of our experience.
The last Yasawa Island, Waya Lai Lai, has the tallest peak of any of the islands we will visit. Play beach volleyball in one of the most beautiful locations imaginable before getting a few hours rest. The next morning we take an early morning hike up the second tallest peak. Sunrise with a thirty-mile view makes the early wake up absolutely worthwhile. After breakfast venture offshore to a coral reef where we will have the ultimate in adrenaline experiences: swimming with reef sharks (with our expert guide, of course!). These beautiful animals will be curious, but keep their distance from you. Landing back on shore for lunch, you will be completely in love with the islands and never want to go home!
DAYS 15 – 17: NADI, VITI LEVU
We will return to Nadi to come full circle and complete our adventure in Fiji. Our last two days will be packed with excitement. Take off on a thrilling zip-line tour through jungles, caves, and mountaintops. We will also get down and dirty and enjoy a day spa the natural way by covering yourself head to toe in mud before relaxing in the warm, re-invigorating water of natural hot springs.
After two incredible weeks together it will be time to say goodbye to our new friends, but the memories we made together in Fiji will last a lifetime!
DAY 17: RETURN FLIGHT TO THE USA
Check out other TFT programs similar to this one!
Authenticity is engrained in everything we do. Eat, stay, and travel like a local.
Check out what past travelers have to say about TFT and discover why we are consistently awarded “Top Youth Travel Organization” year after year.
Travel with us and discover why we are consistently winning awards for Top Youth Travel Organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is unique about the Fiji Ultimate Service & Adventure trip?
Our Fiji Ultimate Service & Adventure community service program with the local school is something we are very proud of, having formed a wonderful relationship after returning to volunteer there for years. This gives the teens an exclusive all-access pass to form amazing bonds with the students. Year after year there are tears as the teens have to bid fond farewells to their new found friends.
Our Fiji Ultimate Service & Adventure community service program with the local school is something we are very proud of, having formed a wonderful relationship after returning to volunteer there for years. This gives the teens an exclusive all-access pass to form amazing bonds with the students. Year after year there are tears as the teens have to bid fond farewells to their new found friends.
Where do we stay?
Our hotels are chosen specifically in safe areas and are well suited to facilitating group supervision.
On the mainland we stay in Nadi Bay at a beachfront hotel. In the Yasawa Islands we stay at three local rustic resorts, each situated on the water and selected for the amazing activities and famous Fijian hospitality on offer. Please note, these are not Western resorts. They are rustic accommodations with very simple facilities. The properties are naturally beautiful but participants should be prepared for the experience of traveling to an under developed country, especially when traveling there for community service work with underprivileged communities. Participants should be prepared that there may not be air conditioning (the island breeze in the evening makes for a great natural AC!). The electricity may not always work, and meals are served at the accommodations and are subject to what the island has access to at the time.
For safety reasons, we do not publish the names of the accommodations we use. We do not feel it is safe to publish the name of a hotel where a group of teenagers is staying abroad. After registering, participants and parents are given access to our secure parent website where you will be able to see the names of all of the accommodations for the program.
Our hotels are chosen specifically in safe areas and are well suited to facilitating group supervision.
On the mainland we stay in Nadi Bay at a beachfront hotel. In the Yasawa Islands we stay at three local rustic resorts, each situated on the water and selected for the amazing activities and famous Fijian hospitality on offer. Please note, these are not Western resorts. They are rustic accommodations with very simple facilities. The properties are naturally beautiful but participants should be prepared for the experience of traveling to an under developed country, especially when traveling there for community service work with underprivileged communities. Participants should be prepared that there may not be air conditioning (the island breeze in the evening makes for a great natural AC!). The electricity may not always work, and meals are served at the accommodations and are subject to what the island has access to at the time.
For safety reasons, we do not publish the names of the accommodations we use. We do not feel it is safe to publish the name of a hotel where a group of teenagers is staying abroad. After registering, participants and parents are given access to our secure parent website where you will be able to see the names of all of the accommodations for the program.
What is included on Fiji Ultimate Service and Adventure?
Tuition cost include: ground transportation; accommodation; chaperones and guides; program-related activities and admissions; taxes and tips; all breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.
Not included (this is not intended to be an exhaustive list): airfare; visas and visa application fees; personal and medical expenses; activities and admissions that are not program-related or referenced in the itinerary; beverages other than filtered water at meals; participant expenses that are outside of the program description, such as excess baggage fees and damage to hotels; expenses related to unforeseen circumstances, such as transportation strikes and natural disasters.
Students who wish to participate in scuba diving will be required to purchase scuba diving insurance.
Tuition cost include: ground transportation; accommodation; chaperones and guides; program-related activities and admissions; taxes and tips; all breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.
Not included (this is not intended to be an exhaustive list): airfare; visas and visa application fees; personal and medical expenses; activities and admissions that are not program-related or referenced in the itinerary; beverages other than filtered water at meals; participant expenses that are outside of the program description, such as excess baggage fees and damage to hotels; expenses related to unforeseen circumstances, such as transportation strikes and natural disasters.
Students who wish to participate in scuba diving will be required to purchase scuba diving insurance.
What is the food like on this program?
The food on this program is authentic, delicious, and a central part of the cultural travel experience.
We prioritize eating at local, authentic establishments rather than Americanized chains, encouraging students to sample the local specialties wherever we go. We fully accommodate all dietary needs, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten allergies, and other restrictions.
Fijians are amazing chefs, so during the program, there is a delicious array of dishes and lots of it! Try a TFT favorite, the local fish and coconut delicacy kokoda, as well as taro and cassava, straight from the steaming lovo, which is a traditional earth oven used for centuries. Please keep in mind we are visiting remote islands and food selection may be limited, although we are always willing and able to accommodate vegetarians, vegans, gluten allergies, and other dietary restrictions.
The food on this program is authentic, delicious, and a central part of the cultural travel experience.
We prioritize eating at local, authentic establishments rather than Americanized chains, encouraging students to sample the local specialties wherever we go. We fully accommodate all dietary needs, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten allergies, and other restrictions.
Fijians are amazing chefs, so during the program, there is a delicious array of dishes and lots of it! Try a TFT favorite, the local fish and coconut delicacy kokoda, as well as taro and cassava, straight from the steaming lovo, which is a traditional earth oven used for centuries. Please keep in mind we are visiting remote islands and food selection may be limited, although we are always willing and able to accommodate vegetarians, vegans, gluten allergies, and other dietary restrictions.
Do I need anything special for the scuba diving portion of the program?
All students participating in dives during our Fiji programs are required to have dive insurance. Many health insurance policies already cover this and so do some homeowners policies. We recommend that you check with these first in case you already have coverage.
We recommend using this website to find the best insurance policy for your teen.
All students participating in dives during our Fiji programs are required to have dive insurance. Many health insurance policies already cover this and so do some homeowners policies. We recommend that you check with these first in case you already have coverage.
We recommend using this website to find the best insurance policy for your teen.