The Foodie Guide to Nadi

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How to Get to Nadi (and Get Around Nadi)

As the national and international transport hub in Fiji, you can be sure that getting around is going to be a piece of cake. Most international flights arrive in Fiji at the Nadi International Airport. From there, you have a wealth of options to get around Nadi.

Flights to Nadi

Direct flights to Nadi International Airport are available from the South Pacific islands, New Zealand, Australia and Korea, with plenty of connecting flights. Check out Which Airlines Fly Straight to Fiji? for tips. If arriving in Fiji via Suva, by cruise ship for instance, then flights from Nausori Airport in Suva are your quickest option to get to Nadi. Find out more in our What Are the Airports in Fiji?

Taxis in Nadi

An affordable and convenient way to get around Nadi is via taxi. Getting from one side of the city to the other is relatively cheap, costing around FJ$10 to get between Main Street to Nadi International Airport, for example. For tips on using taxis in Fiji, take a look at our 10 Things You Need to Know About Taxis in Fiji.

Hiring a Driver in Nadi

If you want to check out multiple locations during your stay in Nadi, then it’s worth considering hiring a private driver. That way, you can get to where you want to quickly. Ask your chosen hotel or resort about their private driver services (and don’t forget to negotiate a price). Expect to pay FJ$90-$140 a day for a driver.

Car Rental

For an independent holiday experience, enjoy the privacy of your own car rental. There is a good selection of car rentals at Nadi International Airport, so take a look at The Best Car Rentals in Fiji for a full comparison of these companies.

Nadi by Bus

The budget and local’s way to get around Nadi is via public bus. Buses depart regularly from Nadi International Airport, as well as many other locations around the city, and allow you to get around for much less than a couple of bucks. Check out Where to Book Bus Transport in Fiji? for more information.

Accommodation Airport Transfer

It’s also worth mentioning that almost all Nadi hotels and resorts offer free airport transfers, so make sure you book this service prior to arriving in Fiji.

For more details on these transport methods, check out our 6 Ways to Get to Nadi article.

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Foodie Activities in Nadi

Want to experience Nadi while tickling your tastebuds? Then you have a splendid selection of food-related activities in Nadi to choose from.

Visit the Nadi Produce Markets

Probably one of the most popular food activities in Nadi for foodies and non-foodies alike is visiting a produce market. Not only will you get to browse through an array of weird and wonderful tropical fruit and vegetables, but you’ll get a chance to talk to the friendly locals. Stall owners are usually enthusiastic to share recipe ideas with punters. Markets are open from 6am well into the afternoons, usually around 4-6pm. They are closed on Sundays.

Nadi’s largest market is the Nadi Market. Located on Market Road, just behind the bus station in central Nadi, the market has a wide array of fruit and vegetables for sale – unlike the fruit and vegetables found in your supermarket back home. For real foodies, we recommend staying in some self-catering accommodation (see recommendations beside this article) so you can really complete this produce market experience by cooking your purchases.

An alternative market that’s smaller but well worth checking out is the Namaka Food Market. Located in the same suburb as the airport, the Namaka Market has a more relaxed atmosphere, yet still has an impressive selection of seasonal fruit and vegetables to choose from.

Food markets are often included in Nadi sightseeing tours like this one with Excite Tours & Travel, available on Viator and Tripadvisor.

Nadi Lovo Feasts

One traditional meal that you have to try while you’re in Fiji is a “lovo”. Lovo is a traditional-style cooking method where food is slow-cooked in an underground oven. While some of the larger resorts, especially in Denarau, do lovo buffets once a week, if you’re staying elsewhere in Nadi, your best option is to jump onto a cultural tour, for instance, the Fiji Culture Village walking tour including meke (cultural performance) and a lovo lunch. This way, you’ll get to learn more about the traditions behind this style of food. Transfers to/from Nadi hotels are included. Find out more about Fiji Culture Village on Viator and Tripadvisor.

For a more intimate lovo experience, luxury accommodation, like Sapphire Bay Fiji at Vuda Point, have in-house chefs who can be hired to prepare a lovo for you and your party.

Fijian Village Cooking Class

For a more authentic insight into how the locals cook, a local cooking class in a Fijian village is as real as it gets. Join a tour like the Great Taste of Fiji Sightseeing Adventure with Tourist Transport Fiji and discover the off-the-beaten-track location of Navilawa Village in Koroyanitu National Heritage Park. The tour includes access to scenic walking trails, as well as a Fijian cooking class and a kava ceremony – a welcoming ceremony done for every new visitor entering a village. Nadi hotel pick-up is included. Find out more about the tour on Viator and Tripadvisor.

Fiji Cooking School

Finally, a more polished tour in a Fijian cooking school awaits at Flavours of Fiji. The tour includes a visit to the local produce markets before returning to an air-conditioned cooking school kitchen to learn how to cook Fijian dishes with seasonal ingredients. The best part: trying your new creation with a delicious lunch and other refreshments. Hotel pick-ups from the Nadi area available to take you to this cooking school based in Denarau. Learn more about the cooking school on Viator and Tripadvisor.

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Best Restaurants in Nadi

In Nadi, it’s well worth stepping away from your hotel’s restaurant once in a while and experience what the locals eat. Whatever your mood or style, there’s a restaurant in Nadi waiting for you! Check out our Guide to the Best Eats & Restaurants in Nadi

Where to Try Fijian Food in Nadi

Besides the experiences mentioned in the above section, there are a couple of restaurants in Nadi that specialise in Fijian-style food. Try Taste Fiji (Cawa Road, Martintar) for their fantastic Fijian menu made with local produce. Alternatively, Tu’s Place (37 Queens Road, Martintar) offers a great selection of Fijian fish dishes that you’ll find from our 10 Unique Foods in Fiji You Have to Try.

Where to Try Indo-Fijian Food in Nadi

Thanks to Nadi’s lively population of Indo-Fijians, the Indian food available in Nadi is a real treat! While there are so many amazing curry houses to choose from, a few highlights include Maharaj’s (Queens Road, Namaka) and Curry House (Hospital Road, Nadi Central).

Best of the Rest

Many international flavours are represented in the multi-cultural city of Nadi, so some of the international highlights include Daikoku (Northern Press Road, Martintar) for their teppanyaki shows. Habibi Fiji (Narewa Road, Nadi Central) has an amazing selection of Mediterranean dishes, as well as wood-fired pizzas. We also like Bulaccino (Nataly Building, Namaka) for real Fiji coffee in a European-style eatery. Speaking of drinks, make sure you try these 8 Drinks in Fiji!

Fine Dining in Nadi

While fine dining is not part of the local culture, one of your limited fine dining options is at Momi Bay at the Fiji Marriott Resort. Their Fish Bar provides excellent surf and turf fine dining with Pacific Ocean views. There’s also the option to hire a private cabana with a five-course meal. Check out our The Luxury Guide to Nadi for more experiences like this one.

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Cheap Eats in Nadi

For foodies on a budget, you won’t be too shocked by the price of food in Nadi. The restaurants in Nadi are some of the cheapest in Fiji, especially compared to any restaurant found in resorts and hotels. While most of the eateries we have mentioned in this food guide to Nadi so far are affordable, here’s where you can pick up some of the cheapest street eats in Nadi. Check out our Top Cheap Eats in Nadi for our full list of recommendations.

Cheap Restaurants in Nadi

Nadi’s cheapest options where you can easily spend under FJ$10 for a full meal are at the curry houses. Tata’s (Nadi Back Road, Nadi Central) has plenty of options, while our personal favourite, Zaika The Captain’s Table (Namaka Lane, Namaka) has a great selection of FJ$8 curries presented with care.

Moving onto more Western food, pick up some meat pies and sweet treats from Hot Bread Kitchen (Main Street & Colonial Plaza) or be surprised by some impressive gourmet burgers served out of a gas station at Real Burgers (Mobil Aerotown, Nadi Airport). Or try the Fiji brand that’s perfect for families and pizza-lovers, try Mama’s Pizza (Sagayam Road & Main Street).

Finally, get your dose of worldly flavours at LC’s Restaurant (Concave Road, Namaka) with some slurping-good Cantonese meals.

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Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in Nadi

While exclusive vegan and vegetarian restaurants are not a thing in Nadi, there are plenty of eateries where vegetarian and even some vegan options can easily be found on the menu. Take a look at the 5 Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Nadi for a full list, or have a quick look at the highlights here.

Restaurants with Vegetarian and Vegan Options in Nadi

The Chinese restaurant, Sentai Seafood Restaurant (Sagayam Road, Nadi Central), is a must-try! About half of their menu has vegetarian options, as well as some vegan so just ask.

Cafes are usually vegetarian and vegan-friendly and that’s certainly the case for Bulaccino (Nataly Building, Namaka) with their quinoa salad, veggie rice noodles and vegan cookie. Also check out Ecocafe (38 Queens Road, Martintar) with vegan and vegetarian options on their Fijian and Italian menu.

Finally, the Travellers Beach Cafe (Wailoaloa Beach) is vegetarian galore with cassava and coconut wedges, vegetarian wraps, veggie thali, salad, veggie pizzas and much more!