Fiji, Vanuatu and NC 2023

After ten weeks of work in Darwin, I felt it was time for a vacation. At first, I was planning to go to Bali solo, but then I decided I wanted to travel with Carmel instead. We started looking at options together — if not Bali, I was really keen on visiting Vanuatu, but the flights from Darwin weren’t ideal. So we ended up going to Fiji for a couple of days, and then headed to New Caledonia, staying on an island I had actually wanted to visit the last time I was there. It all came together pretty spontaneously, but I was excited for a mix of relaxation and exploring somewhere new.

DAY 1 – Monday 9.10.23

( Night at: Grand West Villas, Nadi )

( Layover in Brisbane, Australia )

Our journey started with a 1:10 a.m. flight to Brisbane with Jetstar, landing at 5:15 a.m. After a bit of a layover, we boarded our next flight at 11:35 a.m. to Nadi, Fiji, and landed around 5:10 p.m. local time. From the airport, we grabbed a taxi to our villa, settled in, and later went out for dinner at Smugglers Cove — a laid-back spot right by the beach. After a long day of travel, we just relaxed for a bit and then headed back to the accommodation to catch up on some much-needed sleep.

DAY 2 – Tuesday 10.10.23

( Night at: Nakelo Tresure Island )

( Nakelo Tresure Island, Fiji )

We woke up at 6:30 a.m. and walked to Smugglers Cove, arriving around 7:15 a.m. to catch the transfer bus to Port Denarau. From there, we boarded the 9:00 a.m. South Sea Cruises boat headed to Treasure Island. As soon as we arrived, we were welcomed with a Fijian Day celebration, followed by tea time — a lovely introduction to island life. Later, we took a nap under the sun (or should I say “in the moonlight of midday laziness”), then wandered off for a peaceful walk around the island. We ended the day watching the sunset by the pool, and had dinner while local performers sang and danced for us — such a warm and joyful atmosphere that made the whole experience feel special.

DAY 3 – Wednesday 11.10.23

( Night at: Nakelo Tresure Island )

( Sandbar in front of Nakelo Tresure Island, Fiji )

We woke up around 8:30 a.m. and decided to rent a kayak for a little adventure. We paddled out to a private sandbar, where we spent the morning relaxing, enjoying the views, and just soaking in the peaceful vibe of the ocean. After heading back to the island, we had lunch and took it easy for the rest of the afternoon — just chilling and unwinding. As evening rolled in, we returned to our favorite spot by the pool, watched another beautiful sunset, and ended the day with a laid-back dinner right there.

DAY 4 – Thursday 12.10.23

( Night at: Coco Beach Resort, Port Vila )

( Nakelo Tresure Island, Fiji )

We woke up at 5 a.m. to catch the sunrise — a peaceful and quiet moment before getting ready to leave the island. After breakfast, we boarded the South Sea Cruises boat back to Nadi at 9:45 a.m. Once we arrived, we took a taxi to the airport to continue our journey. Our flight left Nadi at 2:30 p.m., and we landed in Port Vila, Vanuatu around 4:05 p.m. After clearing the airport, we caught a shuttle to our accommodation. The weather wasn’t great when we arrived, but we still managed to enjoy a bit of the atmosphere before having dinner at the property and calling it an early night.

DAY 5 – Friday 13.10.23

( Night at: Coco Beach Resort, Port Vila )

( Coco Beach Club, Vanuatu )

We woke up to find that the weather and water conditions weren’t great, so we ended up just chilling for most of the day, taking it slow and doing pretty much nothing — which honestly wasn’t too bad. In the evening, we headed down to the beach to catch the fire show at The Beach Bar, which was a fun way to wrap up an otherwise quiet day. After the show, we made our way back to the accommodation and called it a night.

DAY 6 – Saturday 14.10.23

( Night at: Coco Beach Resort, Port Vila )

( Eden on the river, Vanuatu )

We woke up early, had breakfast, and got picked up near our accommodation for a day tour of the island that we had booked online through GetYourGuide ( https://www.getyourguide.com/port-vila-l32388/port-vila-island-tour-bbq-lunch-and-swimming-with-turtles-t300160/?ranking_uuid=bf79dc97-9a58-411b-925a-f35c97904f1c. ).

The tour was enjoyable — a little short for the price, but it gave us a nice overview of the island. After the tour, we headed into town to check out the local markets, which were vibrant and full of life. On the way back, we hopped on a shared minibus to return to the accommodation. In the evening, we had dinner by the beach at the accommodation’s restaurant — a lovely and relaxing way to end the day — and then called it a night.

DAY 7 – Sunday 15.10.23

( Night at: Tranquility Eco Dive Resort, Moso Island )

( Moso Island, Vanuatu )

We were picked up from our hotel at 7:45 a.m. and headed north toward Havannah Port, where we caught a ferry over to Tranquility Island Eco Resort. The journey itself was already scenic, but once we arrived, the real magic began. The island was absolutely stunning — a wild, untouched paradise that’s home only to the resort. It felt like we had stepped into another world. Our little bungalow was beautiful, simple yet charming, and surrounded by nature. We had lunch at the resort, then spent the afternoon relaxing, exploring the island, and snapping photos. As the sun set, we joined the other guests for a cozy group dinner, sharing travel stories and soaking in the peaceful island vibes.

DAY 8 – Monday 16.10.23

( Night at: Auberge du Mocambo, Noumea )

( Moso Island, Vanuatu )

We woke up early, had breakfast, and packed our lunch to-go for a little adventure. We decided to go on a hike across the island to visit another beach — and it turned out to be absolutely incredible. We were completely alone, not a single soul in sight, just us and the ocean. It honestly felt like our own private paradise. After soaking it all in, we made our way back to the accommodation and boarded the boat around 4 p.m., heading back to Port Havannah, where our shuttle was waiting to take us to the airport. Our flight with Aircalin departed at 9:55 p.m., and we landed in Noumea around 11:00 p.m. From there, we went straight to the accommodation and crashed into bed, exhausted but so content from the experience.

DAY 9 – Tuesday 17.10.22

( Night at: Double Tree Hilton Hotel, Ilot Maitre )

( Double Tree Hilton at Ilot Maitre, Noumea )

We woke up early and had breakfast at Lemon Bay Café, then I grabbed a taxi to Port Moselle, heading to pier K0 for the 9:00 a.m. boat transfer to Ilot Maître. Once we arrived on the island, we went to check in, but since it was still too early, we decided to go for lunch first. Afterward, we headed to the room to relax — the weather wasn’t great, so it was the perfect excuse to take it slow. In the evening, we ordered room service, enjoyed a hot bath, and had a cozy night watching TV. Not a bad way to unwind, even with the gloomy skies.

DAY 10 – Wednesday 18.10.22

( Our room at Double Tree Hilton at Ilot Maitre, Noumea )

We woke up early and had breakfast at the hotel on the island. Since the weather had started to clear up, we took the chance to snap a few last photos and soak in the views one more time. By 2:00 p.m., it was time to leave Ilot Maître and head back to the main island, where we caught a bus straight to the airport. Our first flight with Qantas departed at 5:05 p.m., landing in Brisbane at 6:40 p.m. We had a short layover in Brisbane, just enough time to grab some dinner and stretch our legs, before boarding our second Qantas flight to Darwin at 8:45 p.m., arriving just after midnight at 12:35 a.m. Tired but happy, we made our way home to finally rest.