Article content A kick of my fins and I glide along a shallow reef with fish of every size and colour. Big fish, little fish. Red fish, blue fish.
Some nibble from giant coral platters. Shy fish dart into crevices. When a parrotfish poops, it speeds away from its cloudy white deposit.
With more than 300 picture-perfect islands and tourism the engine of its economy, Fiji offers wide ranging accommodation. Those photos you see of palm-fringed beaches with white sand and turquoise water aren’t just for the rich and famous or the honeymooners among us. My husband and I started our week-long vacation at since it’s close to Fiji’s international airport in Nadi.
After a non-stop overnight flight from Vancouver with Fiji Air we were happy to check in upon arrival, then enjoy breakfast at one of several restaurants on site. (This is another great thing about visiting Fiji; it’s almost exactly one day ahead of Vancouver, so you don’t suffer jet lag.) We enjoyed the adult-only side of Sofitel called , where our third-floor room overlooked immaculately landscaped grounds and a large and meandering freshwater pool.
A larger adjoining part of the resort caters to families. The Garden of the Sleeping Giant specializes in orchids and was once the private collection of the late American actor Raymond Burr. Between 30 and 40 varieties of Asian orchids and Cattleya (some of the showiest) are grown here.
The garden’s shady paths are lovely to stroll while acclimating to Fiji’s heat.