The Top Places to Visit Near Denarau
Ready to break away from the resort bubble and explore the real Fiji? Denarau Island offers a fantastic base for exciting day trips, whether you’re keen to discover charming towns, chase waterfalls in the mountains, or hop over to stunning offshore islands.
In this ultimate guide, we’ll take you through some of the best self-drive adventures from Denarau, as well as highlight some guided tour options that’ll make your Fijian holiday unforgettable.
For more insider tips on making the most of your Denarau stay, don’t miss our Complete Travel Guide to Denarau Island.
Table of Contents
5 Best Day Tours from Denarau
Before we dive into the amazing self-drive day trips from Denarau, here are some guided options where all of the transport is included:
- Tivua Island Day Cruise with Captain Cook Cruises
- Mud Pool Tour with Valentine Tours Fiji
- Coral Coast Sightseeing Tour with Epic Transfers and Tours
- Mt Koroyanitu Heritage Tour with Fascination Fiji
- Sabeto Safari 4WD Adventure with Fiji 4WD Safaris (Rosie Holidays)
Now, let’s explore some self-drive day trips from Denarau that offer even more flexibility and adventure…
© FijiPocketGuide.comMamanuca Islands
The Best Day Trip from the Denarau Luxury Travellers
Travel time by boat: 30 mins to 2 hours one way (depending on Mamanuca Islands location)
Relevant tour: Kadavu Lailai Day Cruise with Captain Cook Cruises.
Admittedly, our first-day trip recommendation is not a self-drive option, but it is a must-do nonetheless. In Denarau, you’re in one of the best places for an island-hopping day trip.
Join one of the many day cruises from Port Denarau to experience the Mamanucas‘ idyllic islands with sand, snorkelling, culture, and usually yummy inclusions.
Choose the right Mamanuca day trip for you by checking out our 10 Best Day Cruises in Fiji.
© FijiPocketGuide.comNadi
The Best Day Trip from Denarau for Budget Travellers
Travel time by car: 15 mins
Relevant tour: Mud Pool Tour with Valentine Tours Fiji.
Fiji’s third-largest town is just moments away from Denarau, yet there is much to discover between the Fijian and Indo-Fijian cultures and spots of natural beauty. Nadi town is bustling with activity, with highlights being the vibrant Sri Subramaniya Swami Temple and the Nadi Market.
Venture out of town to the Sabeto foothills, and you’ll find the beautiful Garden of the Sleeping Giant and Sabeto Mud Pools run by the local villagers.
For more inspiration to drive your day trip, see the 25 Best Things to Do in Nadi.
© FijiPocketGuide.comCoral Coast
The Best Day Trip from Denarau for Families
Travel time by car: 50 mins to 2 hrs 15 mins one way (depending on Coral Coast location)
Relevant tour: Coral Coast Sightseeing Tour with Epic Transfers and Tours.
Lining the southern shores of Viti Levu, the Coral Coast not only hosts its own array of beautiful resorts but also offers some of Fiji’s top sights for day-trippers.
The hub of the Coral Coast is the town of Sigatoka, which sits on the banks of the Sigatoka River and is bustling with the Sigatoka Market, authentic eateries, and shopping opportunities. Surrounding the town are top attractions, from the Kula WILD Adventure Park to the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Heritage Park.
Discover more day trip ideas in the 20 Best Things to Do in Sigatoka & the Coral Coast. Plus, see more family-friendly trips in the 15 Fun Family Day Trips from Denarau.
© FijiPocketGuide.comKoroyanitu National Heritage Park
The Best Day Trip from Denarau for Couples
Travel time by car: 1 hr 10 mins
Relevant tour: Mt Koroyanitu Heritage Tour with Fascination Fiji.
For an active day trip from Denarau, set your sights on the natural wonders of the Koroyanitu National Heritage Park.
Drive down the gravel road deep into the park where the residents of Abaca Village will meet you and set you up with either a guide or a map to enjoy one of the gorgeous walks here, including a two-hour waterfall walk and a full-day mountain hike.
See more active day trips, as well as more details about the walks in this national park in the 5 Best Walks from Denarau.
© FijiPocketGuide.comLautoka
The Best Day Trip from Denarau for Foodies
Travel time by car: 45 mins
Relevant tour: Lautoka Sightseeing Tour with Valentine Tours Fiji.
Head north to Fiji’s second-largest city, which many describe as a better version of Nadi. Pass through the landing place of the first Fijians at Viseisei Village and arrive in the city with historical and cultural highlights like the Lautoka Sugar Mill, Krishna Kaliya Temple and the huge Lautoka Market.
The town also presents excellent shopping at the TappooCity mall, as well as authentic Fijian and Indo-Fijian eateries.
Plan more of your day trip pitstops using the 10 Best Things to Do in Lautoka.
More Day Trips from Denarau
That’s it for the best day trips from Denarau. For more articles like this, check out the following:
- 10 Best Sightseeing Tours in Fiji
- Denarau Transport Guide: 5 Ways to Get to Denarau Island
- The Best Car Rentals in Nadi
Finally, plan more of your trip in Fiji with the following itinerary compilations: The Best Fiji Itineraries for 2 Weeks, The Best Fiji Itineraries for 1 Week, The Best Fiji Itineraries for 5 Days and The Best Fiji Itineraries for a Weekend.
Sources:
The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across Fiji and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:
- Tourism Fiji (General travel advice - Updated [2025])
- Fiji Meteorological Service (Weather forecast and warnings - Updated [2025])
- Land Transport Authority (Road safety advice - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (Tourism statistics - Updated [2025])
- SPTO (Pacific tourism advice - Updated [2025])
- Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association (Tourism trade association - Updated [2025])
- Fiji Immigration (Visa and immigration advice - Updated [2025])
- Fiji Revenue & Customs Service (Customs and visitor taxes - Updated [2025])
- Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (Biosecurity advice - Updated [2025])
- Fiji Bureau of Statistics (Statistics and travel data - Updated [2025])
- Safe Travel (New Zealand travel advisory for Fiji - Updated [2025])
- Smart Traveller (Australia travel advisory for Fiji - Updated [2025])
- Travel.State.Gov (U.S. travel advisory for Fiji - Updated [2025])
Our editorial standards: At Fiji Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.
