When I told my friends that I was headed to Fiji, the top reaction I got was, “That’s so cool! Umm, where is it ah?”
Fiji is a country made up of 333 islands in the South Pacific, to the East of Australia. To you and me in Singapore, that’s like flying to Brisbane and then some.
It never used to be this easy to get there, but now Fiji Airways (formerly known as Air Pacific) flies there direct from Singapore, twice a week on an Airbus 330-200 aircraft.
With Nadi International Airport as its hub, Fiji Airways offers more than 400 flights per week to 21 destinations in 13 countries, including Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, USA, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.
If you’re tired of booking the same old island holidays to Thailand and Indonesia, Fiji Airways can get you to the paradisal and clear waters of Fiji in 9 hours and 50 minutes.
I know what you’re thinking – 9 hours and 50 minutes?? Just trust me when I say that it’s worth it.
The crew immediately make you feel welcome on board, with an enthusiastic and friendly, “Bula!” which is basically the “Aloha” of Fiji. The Fijians are known for their genuine hospitality, and even as a seasoned traveller, I was blown away by their warmth.
Your holiday definitely begins on the plane, where you’ll feel the famous Fijian spirit encompassed in the service right down to the traditionally-inspired uniforms that reflect the Masi design.
The in-flight entertainment offered will be more than enough to get you through the hours, and you’ll be happy to know that the movies are updated every month. I’m not much of a sleeper on planes so I think I broke my personal record by ploughing through five movies. Totally not complaining!
Unlike other airlines, Fiji Airways allows you to start watching a movie before the plane takes-off, and even lets you hold on to the headsets till landing, meaning that you get the most out of the in-flight entertainment.
And don’t even get me started on the seats and amenities – how cute are these pillow and blanket designs?!
Fijian native artist Makereta Matemosi, designed these eye-catching patterns and inculcated traditional Masi designs to give passengers a taste of the Fijian culture. See what I mean about really getting into the spirit?
I also have to rave about the comfortable seats; I honestly didn’t expect much in Economy, but was surprised with ample leg room and seats that could properly recline. This was probably why the 10 hours went by so quickly.
As far as aircraft food goes, the options on Fiji Airways were pretty decent. I got to choose from a Western or Asian meal and the friendly crew prompted me to ask for as many drinks as I would like.
I certainly don’t need to be told twice but was more preoccupied with the fact that my tray had both a dessert AND a small bar of chocolate. Winning!
The next top reaction that I received upon my friends finding out about my trip to Fiji was whether or not I was going to be drinking a lot of the famous Fiji Bottled Water. I absolutely loved that the crew constantly went around offering glasses of the aforementioned beverage throughout the flight.
As most Singaporeans know, this bottle of Natural Artesian Water doesn’t come cheap, so I thought that was a very nice touch by Fiji Airways.
Before I knew it, the Captain was making the announcement for landing and I looked out of the window upon the miles of lush and untouched greenery of Fiji. One of the most important things about flying with Fiji Airways is that you’re also championing an airline that cares about its country and biodiversity.
It was refreshing to see the collective Fijian pride in protecting their islands, which only means a better tourism experience for all of us. Get a sneak peek of the island paradise that awaits you by watching one of the promotional videos on board!
I can’t wait to share more from my trip to Fiji and give you 333 reasons to visit this country and its wonderful people, but in the meantime, if you’re itching for a holiday, get your wanderlust buddies together and have a look at the flights on Fiji Airways.
You could soon be on your way to what I’d consider to be the next must-visit destination for Singaporeans.
Prices: Flights from Singapore to Fiji from S$999 year round (inclusive of taxes and surcharges)
During Promotions, fares are as cheap as S$649!
