Bula! Bula!

It was only meant to be a layover but it became so much more…

We booked our flights on Fiji Airways from SFO to Sydney a few months back which included a layover in Fiji for 24 hours. We chose this flight because at the time of booking it was an amazing points deal through Alaska Airlines which cost us only 20,000 + $61 taxes and fees per ticket.

24 hours in paradise

We arrived in Fiji 11 hours later at 5 am Fijian time and thankfully weren’t very affected by the time zone change.

It took us about 30 minutes to get out of the airport after going through the initial covid form processing checkpoint and then the customs checkpoint.

We had booked an airport transfer through our hotel, The Marriott Fiji Momi Bay, which cost $100 FJD or roughly $50 USD. Booking the transfer through our hotel made things a lot easier and seamless and the total transit time was about 45 minutes from the airport to the hotel.

Once we arrived we were greeted by one of the most picturesque hotels we’ve ever been to. The Marriott Fiji Momi Bay is a true resort where you feel like you’ve been transported to a special place in the world unlike any other. The amazing villas and bungalows lined around the private lagoon were something I’ve only seen on Instagram and the entire resort just had a peaceful and magical feel to it.

Upon arrival, we were lucky enough to get a very early check-in and were also provided a complimentary upgrade to the Duplex Ocean Front Bure Villa thanks to my Platinum status.

One thing that we all noticed was how genuinely kind and informative all the resort staff were. Everywhere you’d go someone would greet you with bula (hello in Fijian) and give you any tips or help you needed.

There were three restaurants onsite at the hotel however without reservations we were unable to get dinner anywhere but the Goji Kitchen and Bar. Just something to be aware of if we ever go back to this resort.

The breakfast buffet was pretty great and the wide assortment of food options from breakfast staples to Chinese noodles, to the copious amounts of fruits was really great for our family’s various taste buds. Although I would have liked to have tried the other restaurants we all still enjoyed our meals at the Goji Kitchen and Bar.

Although we didn’t get to experience all that Fiji had to offer I would recommend the Marriott Fiji Momi Bay to anyone thinking of going there. It was a very pleasant experience and the facilities and staff were some of the best I’ve come across in all the years I’ve traveled.

Here’s a breakdown of our Fiji trip:

• The flights costs us 20,000 Alaskan Airline points and $60.60 in taxes and fees per person - the completed flight will get us to our final destination of Sydney.

• Transfers to and from the Fiji airport to the hotel cost $100 FJD or ~$50 USD

• The hotel costs us 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy points including:

  • A free complimentary upgrade to the Duplex Ocean Front Bure Villa

  • Two free adult breakfast buffets at the Goji Kitchen & Bar

• Additional food and costs were $228.17 FJD or ~$103.47 USD

  • The Marriott Fiji Momi Bay charges a 3% credit card fee unfortunately

Total Cost - $445.87 USD - 1 Day

Travel Notes:

• Since we were in Fiji for less than 72 hours we thankfully were not required to take a covid test which was a nice surprise but if you stay in Fiji longer you are required to take a covid antigen test within the first 72 hours after your arrival.

• Fiji airport security is a bit strict. They took our forks from our luggage because they were not compliant with their security rules.

ByeanVoyage Disclaimer: Content on ByeanVoyage represents our expert experience, opinion, and subjective perspective. Reader's experience may vary due to many factors. The content provided is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered financial, tax, or legal advice.