FAQs

The stay is hosted in Salia village on beautiful Kioa Island which is located towards the Eastern end of Vanua Levu, Fiji’s 2nd largest island. Kioa is approximately 8 square miles in size and a 15 min boat ride from the bus stop.

You have chosen to do a village stay to live with these beautiful people as they live. Conditions are basic. You will have a cold shower. That said, the weather will be warm, you will be in a proper bed with clean linen and a mosquito net, toilet paper and in most cases, a flushing toilet.

The island has solar 240v power, phone and internet access and a Nurse Station staffed by a qualified nurse from the mainland.
There is ample refrigeration, so these days, the local diet is less of a “subsistence” nature.

Your meals will likely include chicken, fish, seafood, bread and occasionally pork accompanied by local vegetables. Commercial tea and coffee are readily available as well as a pretty good cappuccino in the new coffee shop that grinds it’s own beans.

There is also a local store that stocks a range of edibles including sweets, biscuits and toiletries.

While living in the village is not a high-risk endeavour, some of the activities, such as diving, and jungle trekking are classed as high risk for insurance purposes. For this reason, you will need to sign the insurance waiver prior to departure, and we strongly suggest you have travel insurance which is common practice. As mentioned, there is a Nurse Station on the island with a qualified nurse in attendance. Basic first aid kits will be carried for specific activities. 

Most visitors to Fiji arrive by plane into Nadi International airport. From there you can choose to fly directly to Savusavu via a 19 seat DHC-6 Twin Otter plane or by the larger 46 seat ATR 42-600 plane which flies into Labasa, a 1 hr 20 min taxi ride from Savusavu. Taxi’s usually charge FJ$120 to transfer you to Savusavu and are usually plentiful at the airport. The drive over the mountains is also a visual treat.

There are also 2 ferry options to get you across to Vanua Levu Island.

1 departs from Suva 3 times a week, Mon, Wed and Fri, boarding at 4pm, departing Suva at approximately 7pm. This trip is an overnighter to Savusavu, usually taking about 12 hrs. Fares are reasonably priced and a few cabins are available. Keep in mind while a lot cheaper, it is a 2-star option but perfectly fine for the adventurous and budget conscious traveller. Tickets are available from the Goundar Shipping office at the wharf.

The 2nd option is a 2hr bus ride from Suva bus terminal to Natovi wharf, where you catch another ferry for approximately 6hrs to Nabawalu on Vanua Levu. From Nabawalu another bus ride of 4hrs will take you directly to Savusavu. Once again affordable and another 12-hr journey, but this one leaves twice a day. The first departs Suva bus terminal at 2am, the 2nd at 2pm. Tea, coffee and a limited choice of food can be purchased on board. Tickets for the entire trip from Suva to Savusavu can be purchased from the Suva bus terminal. Usually there is space to spread out across the ferry seats for a sleep.

Officially, the adventure starts at Savusavu bus terminal in the heart of town, where one of our representatives will meet you and help you on to the correct bus. Savusavu, aptly known as Fiji’s “Hidden Paradise” is a regional centre and tourist hub on Fiji’s 2nd largest island, Vanua Levu. Most services are available.

From there you will travel by local bus to Buca Bay (pronounced “Butha”) approximately 1.5hrs from Savusavu.

Once there you are met by villagers who will transfer you by boat to Salia Village on Kioa Island. By now the fun has already begun.

Fijian people, like most South Pacific Island inhabitants, are welcoming, very respectful, family-oriented people with big hearts and a naturally cheery disposition. The Kioans are no exception. While Tuvaluan is the native language, they speak Fijian and good English. It is not the place for opulent displays of wealth if you plan on blending in. Dress is respectful in the sense that T-shirts, shorts and flip flops are the unisex clothing of choice. Both men and women wear sulu’s which is the same as a sarong and you are most welcome to do so. Scanty swimwear is best left behind. The people are extremely polite and quietly spoken. They are Christian and you are welcome to attend their church with them, but you will not be frowned upon if you decline. The Fijians are very sharing people. It is not uncommon to sit in a group of 20 or more sharing a meal, kava or any other social pursuit.  Your use of respect and manners will be returned to you tenfold.

You are ambassadors for those who will follow in your footsteps. For this reason, drugs and alcohol are strictly prohibited.

You need to able to get in and out of a 6m fibreglass open boat. If you can be helped into a boat, even with assistance, the rest is up to you. The bushwalks vary in difficulty and can be tailored to suit. If you are not the active type and just want to chill on the beach, or sit in the overwater coffee shop reading a book, you are most welcome to do so.

Upon arriving at Salia, you will be taken and introduced to your host family. From there you can settle in and get to know your hosts over lunch. 

During the afternoon you will have the option to have a guided tour of the village and feel free to ask any questions. 

There will be some “chill” time before dinner. The evening will usually see locals gather to share Kava and swap stories. A lot of laughs will be had.

You may even be lucky enough to have a local deliver a short history of the Kioan people. The Kioans are originally from Tuvalu and have a fascinating story to tell of their journey to becoming Fijians. Also make sure to walk down to the waterside after dark to see the lights of Taveuni island. It’s quite pretty and worth the short walk.

The weather and other circumstances will dictate what activities are available for the next 2.5 days. A board at the coffee shop will update each morning with the day’s activities and assembly times. The activities can include a guided jungle hike to explore the amazing scenery, flora and fauna, snorkelling, (in the future, we plan to have gear for hire. In the meantime, you will need take your own) fishing, scenic boat ride, basket making, Toddy, a coconut palm product harvesting and processing, playing football or volleyball with the village youngsters or perhaps just relaxing with a good book at the overwater coffee shop. I believe Salia is the only remote village in Fiji to have a coffee shop that grinds its own beans! Be sure to take a hat, slap on some sunscreen and a water bottle when leaving the village for activities, and a camera.

We would suggest planning your trip to include at least a few nights in Savusavu prior to departing on your “Village stay” experience. It is very easy to lose a few weeks in Savusavu alone.

Savusavu is an amazing town with a large variety of accommodations ranging from Backpackers digs to the height of luxury. Check our recommended accommodation list below to see the list of backpacker and affordable options that are not listed online. 

There are dozens of eateries with options to cater for everyone. A local curry is a highlight for most.

There is a myriad of day tour operators with options departing Savusavu to assist you in enjoying some of the spectacular scenery and activities. The diving and fishing are world class. The guided waterfall tours are also spectacular.

Accommodation options
These are some of the more affordable accommodation options close to the center of town and the ferry terminal. A quick web search will highlight a multitude of other great options available to suit all tastes and budgets.

Bay View Barbers Lodge

Level 2, FRCS Building
Main Street, Savusavu
Ph. +679 8430071
Mob. +679 2111729

Savusavu Sunset Lodge

Lesiaceva Road, Savusavu
Ph. +679 8852171

Grand Paradise Hotel

Lesiaseva Road, Savusavu
Ph. +679 9265401

The following is a basic, generic list however you may have interests that will influence what you take. This does not include your normal choice of clothing and footwear.

• Camera
• Sunscreen 
• Insect repellent 
• Bush walking shoes
• A broad brimmed hat
• Water bottle
• Personal toiletries
• Swim wear
• Towel
• Mask, snorkel and fins if diving

You may choose to take a limited amount of cash to purchase a souvenir, snack items or a cappuccino from the coffee shop.

There are also locally made handcrafts and possible services such as hair braiding, massage, fascial treatments and possibly more available for purchase as a great reminder of your stay, and most importantly, pack a big spirit of adventure!

The bus you arrive on runs every day and you may ask to be delivered to the bus stop. 

In the instance this may occur, talk to your host family they will in turn approach the Village Tourism Manager who will provide a transfer to the bus for your return journey. He will also assist in arranging a return boat ride. 

You can also arrange for a Taxi from Savusavu to meet you at the bus stop at your expense.

This will cost approximately FJ$150 but in most cases can be available 24/7. 

There will not be a refund for any unused portion of your stay.

Tipping is not customary on the island or in Fiji for that matter.

If you feel inclined to take something, run it past us for suggestions. The school can always use bits and pieces including stationery and sporting balls, ie, soccer, basketball, rugby etc.

You can also choose to leave behind any unwanted shorts, T shirts or snorkel gear with the tour representatives for future guests to use.

First head to the page for the village you want to book. Here you’ll find the price and some village specific information about the stay.

At the bottom of the page you’ll find a “Book Now” button which will take you to our booking form. The booking form requires you to do the following:

• Provide the primary guest’s details and the total number of guests
• Select the date you want to start your village stay – each date shows how many guest places are still available to book
• Let us know how many rooms you need – rooms generally have 1 bed that can be for 1 or 2 people so we need to know how many couples vs single rooms we need to provide for you
• Provide the names of the rest of your guests so we know who’s coming
• Before submitting the booking form you will see a link to pay your deposit of AU$58 per person. The link opens in a new tab so you can pay your deposit then return to the booking form without losing your progress. The deposit must be paid before you click “Submit” on the booking form.

Keep in mind, the deposit is minimal and only refundable as a result of a natural disaster, cyclone etc where Village Stay Fiji determine it is unsafe for the trip to proceed. In such an instance, a full refund will be forthcoming.

After submitting the form you will be sent an email confirming your booking details and the remaining balance due.

The remaining balance per person will be due in Fijian cash when you meet our staff at the bus stop on the morning of departure. You will need to have the correct amount in cash as there are no credit card facilities, however there are ATMs in Savusavu a 5 minute walk away from the bus terminal.

It’s best to have your money sorted the night before as there can be long queues at the ATMs depending on the time and day of the week.   

In most cases, yes you can, particularly as this venture is just starting out and we imagine bookings will be less at first. Going forward, if you send us an email outlining how many extra nights you would like, in the 3 weeks prior to your trip commencing, we can check our upcoming bookings, liaise with the village and find you some space. It will cost FJ$150/night per person extra which will still include full board and all activities. Your return bus fare etc will be transferred to your new departure date. Please inquire via our “contact us” tab should you have any further questions.