© Chris McLennan Tourism Fiji
© Chris McLennan Tourism Fiji

How to Get the Best Deals on Tours in Fiji

© Chris McLennan Tourism Fiji

Save Money on Fiji Tours and Activities

After inevitably taking a good chunk out of your holiday budget for flights to Fiji and booking your resort, you’re probably going to want to save money in any way you can for the rest of your trip. While it’s not always easy to save money on tours in Fiji, there are a few nifty tricks worth trying to make sure you get the best deal. We’ll go through some of those tricks right now, in this guide to getting the best deals on tours in Fiji!

While you’re here, you might also be interested in 10 Tips for Travelling Fiji on a Budget.

Tips for Saving Money on Tours in Fiji

In a nutshell, here are some of the ways you can save money on tours in Fiji. We’ll go into detail on each of these points in the guide below.

  • Buy tours from tour operators once you arrive in Fiji
  • Stay with locals through Airbnb, Expedia and Booking.com who often offer ultra-cheap tours and experiences
  • Check out tour deals on websites like Viator, Tripadvisor and Tourradar
  • Choose a resort that offers free and cheap in-house tours.

See more ways to book tours in Where to Book Tours in Fiji.

How to Get the Best Deals on Tours in Fiji© FijiPocketGuide.com

Buy Tours in Fiji, Not From Overseas

While it makes sense to book accommodation from overseas, offering peace of mind that you have somewhere to stay once you arrive, the same cannot be said for booking tours from overseas. Travel agents and cruise liners are notorious for selling tours at their premium price to travellers who, well, don’t know better until they arrive in Fiji. By that point, it’s probably too late.

Travel agents and cruise liners are in the business of making big commissions off travel products, like tours, which means that prices are often priced much higher in order for the seller to make a significant commission, as well as for the tour operator to still make money on their tour. If you absolutely have to book a tour before you arrive in Fiji, book the tour directly with the tour operator to ensure you’re at least getting the retail price.

Additionally, last-minute deals are a common thing in Fiji, especially in busy tourist centres like Port Denarau and the Coral Coast. Many operators will offer things like “Two for One” deals or discounted rates in order to fill spaces on the tours. All in all, it usually pays to be more spontaneous when it comes to doing tours in Fiji.

For more money-saving tips, see 10 Ways To Save Money on a Cruise to Fiji and 17 Ways to Save Money When Travelling in Fiji.

How to Get the Best Deals on Tours in Fiji© FijiPocketGuide.com

See What Tours are Included in Your Resort

It’s important to know what is offered at various resorts before you panic about having nothing to do in Fiji. Resorts in Fiji offer their own in-house tours, many of which are free. This is especially true for resorts that are a bit more off the beaten track.

While resorts in Nadi, Denarau, the Coral Coast, the Pacific Harbour and the Mamanuca Islands mostly offer activities with external tour operators, resorts in Fiji’s outer islands, like the Yasawa Islands, Vanua Levu, Taveuni, the Lomaiviti Islands and Kadavu, offer their own tours and activities.

Free tours that we have regularly seen include medicinal and herbal tours, tropical garden tours, Fijian weaving and crafting tours, kava ceremonies, island walking tours, cultural dance shows and much more! That’s on top of the usually free use of kayaks, snorkelling gear or beach sports equipment.

So when deciding on a resort, be sure to take a look at what type of experiences are included in your stay!

How to Get the Best Deals on Tours in Fiji© Pixabay

Use Tour Deal Websites

Tour websites are always worth looking at for Fiji tours to not only get an idea of typical pricing but to catch a few deals.

Local operators often list deals on websites like Viator and Tripadvisor, where many tour operators find it easier to list tours on websites like this than making or maintaining their own websites. (Yes, this is the South Pacific, where smaller businesses are not well-versed with the online world). Viator has a filter for “Deals & Discounts” under the “Price & Deals” tab, so have a browse to check out the latest deals.

For multi-day tours of Fiji, which are essentially full holidays including accommodation and all transport, check out websites like Tourradar. Tourradar has regular deals, usually offering around 20% off tours across the entire website. We have some of the national tours of Fiji that are listed on Tourradar in The Best Multi-Day Bus Tours in Fiji.

Another advantage of using tour deal websites is that they often have a standard cancellation policy where you’ll be offered a full refund even if you cancel at the last minute, unlike when booking directly with operators who all have different rules for cancellations.

How to Get the Best Deals on Tours in Fiji© Chris McLennan Tourism Fiji

Do Tours With the Locals

Finally, one of our top hacks for saving big money on activities in Fiji is by staying with the locals! By doing homestays with locals through websites like Airbnb (get $50 off your first booking here), Expedia and Booking.com, not only do you get nights in affordable accommodation, but many of the locals also offer activities for a cheap price.

Locals will offer Fijian cooking classes, snorkelling trips, crafting lessons, fishing and more for a fraction of the price of what independent tour operators and resorts offer. However, tours with locals are usually not as “streamlined” or as “polished” as a proper tour, offering a more casual approach that you might not be used to in a tour. Note that some safety features may be lacking, such as life jackets in boats, where locals might need to be prompted that you want these features – then they are usually happy to provide.

See some ways to stay with locals in 10 Authentic Village Stays in Fiji.

More About How to Get the Best Deals on Tours in Fiji

That’s it for our tips on how to get the best deals on tours in Fiji. Finally, check out Fiji Travel Budget: How Much Does a Trip to Fiji Cost? for even more budgeting tips.

Author

Laura S.

This article was reviewed and published by Laura, editor in chief and co-founder of Fiji Pocket Guide. Since arriving solo in the South Pacific over 10 years ago with nothing but a backpack and a background in journalism, her mission has been to show the world how easy (and awesome) it is to explore a paradise such as Fiji. She knows the islands inside-out and loves sharing tips on how best to experience Fiji’s must-dos and hidden gems. Laura is also editor of several other South Pacific travel guides.

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