The Top Places to Visit in the Yasawa Islands
The Yasawa Islands might be a string of around 20 islands, but it’s one of the easiest island groups in Fiji to island-hop thanks to the hop-on hop-off ferry passes. What’s more, resorts in the Yasawa Islands offer day trips out to surrounding sights. Check out our top picks for amazing day trips from the Yasawa Islands, with tips of how you can get to each destination from the mainland, in this Yasawa day trip guide.
Check out our recommended day trips in the Yasawas and be sure to bookmark The Complete Travel Guide to the Yasawa Islands for more trip-planning success.
5 Best Day Tours from the Yasawa Islands
Before we dive into the amazing day trips from the Yasawa Islands, here is a quick list of guided options where all of the transport is included:
- Sawa-i-Lau Caves Trip with Yasawa Island Resort & Spa
- Day Trip to Kuata with Barefoot Manta Island Resort
- Blue Lagoon Snorkelling Safari with Blue Lagoon Beach Resort
- Manta Ray Passage Trip with Mantaray Island Resort
- Nanuya Island Day Trip with South Pacific Air (more info on Viator or Tripadvisor).
© Tourism FijiSawa-i-Lau Caves
The Best Day Trip in the Yasawa Islands Luxury Travellers
Yasawa resorts with relevant tours: Blue Lagoon Beach Resort, Oarsman’s Bay Lodge, Boathouse Nanuya, Nanuya Island Resort, Yasawa Island Resort & Spa, Long Beach Escape, Coralview Island Resort, Waitui Basecamp, Safe Landing Eco-Lodge and Navutu Stars Resort
Relevant tour from Nadi: Sawa-i-Lau Caves Day Tour with Turtle Airways (more info on Viator and Tripadvisor)
An enchanting sea cave carved into limestone cliffs, the Sawa-i-Lau Caves is one of the must-do day trips in the Yasawa Islands. Swim into the caves through gentle waters and see beams of light bursting through the fissures above. At low tide, you can dive through to another cave!
For more information about this day trip, check out How to Get to the Sawa-i-Lau Caves in Fiji.
© UnsplashKuata Island
The Best Day Trip in the Yasawa Islands for Couples
Relevant tour from the Yasawas: Day Trip to Kuata with Barefoot Manta Island Resort
Relevant tour from Denarau: Kuata Day Cruise with South Sea Cruises (more info on Viator and Tripadvisor)
One of the rare islands in the Yasawas where you can cruise there and back from the mainland all in one day, Kuata Island sits on the southern boundaries of the Yasawa island chain. Make use of the free snorkelling equipment available to explore its shores where conservation work takes place and treat yourself to lunch at the Barefoot Kuata Island Resort. Another highlight at the island’s resort is its shark snorkelling and scuba diving experiences.
See more day cruises like those to Kuata in the 10 Best Island Day Trips in Fiji.
© Blue Lagoon CruisesBlue Lagoon
The Best Day Trip in the Yasawa Islands for Families
Yasawa resorts on the Blue Lagoon: Blue Lagoon Beach Resort, Turtle Island Fiji, Nanuya Island Resort and Waitui Basecamp
Relevant tour from Denarau: 4-Night Wanderer Cruise with Blue Lagoon Cruises (more info on Viator and Tripadvisor).
In the northern end of the Yasawa Islands, the Blue Lagoon is ringed by beautiful islands. As the name suggests, there are many shades of vivid blue within this lagoon where shallow sandy waters lead to white-sand beaches, as well as darker shades where the coral lies. Needless to say, snorkelling in these sheltered waters is a truly inviting experience. Any resort here will take you out for snorkelling or a picnic along its sandy shores.
See more of the Yasawa highlights in the 10 Must-Dos in the Yasawa Islands.
© UnsplashNanuya Balavu and Drawaqa Islands
The Best Day Trip in the Yasawa Islands for Budget Travellers
Yasawa resorts with relevant tours: Mantaray Island Resort, Barefoot Manta Resort, Paradise Cove Resort, Boathouse Nanuya, Nanuya Island Resort, Barefoot Kuata Resort and White Sandy Beach Lodge
Relevant tour from Denarau: Bula Pass with Awesome Adventures (more info on Viator and Tripadvisor)
Between the islands of Nanuya Balavu and Drawaqa becomes very popular from the months of May to October. This is a common feeding ground for manta rays during the right season, where surrounding resorts offer trips to what’s called the “Manta Ray Passage” to snorkel with these majestic creatures.
Find out more about planning a day trip to the Manta Ray Passage in The Guide to Swimming with Manta Rays in Fiji.
© South Pacific AirNanuya Island Resort
The Best Day Trip in the Yasawa Islands for Foodies
Resort accessible from: Boathouse Nanuya, Gold Coast Resort and Sunrise Lagoon Homestay.
Relevant tour from Nadi/Denarau: Nanuya Island Day Trip with South Pacific Air (more info on Viator or Tripadvisor).
Another island resort open to day-trippers, Nanuya Island Resort on Nanuya Lailai Island is an idyllic place to relax, go for a swim, try stand-up paddleboarding or a wealth of other watersports and have some lunch. Visit on a Friday to see the local ladies’ meke performance and shell market. Hiking trails on the island connect the resort to Boathouse Nanuya, Gold Coast Resort and Sunrise Lagoon Homestay.
Check out more stunning resorts in the 10 Best Resorts in the Yasawa Islands.
More Day Trips from the Yasawa Islands
- 8 Best Walks in the Yasawa Islands
- 10 Must-Dos in the Yasawa Islands
- Information, Shops & Services in the Yasawa Islands
That’s it for the best day trips from the Yasawa Islands. 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.
