Hawaii
Fiji From $277: Is This Hawaii’s New Island Rival?
We just spotted a $277 one-way fare from Honolulu to Nadi on Fiji Airways using Google Flights. With a slightly higher return, the round trip came to just $621 per person. This is about half the normal cost and is available August 2025 through March 2026, but the offer could end anytime.
That’s less than some flights between the mainland US. and Hawaii—and it includes meals, checked bags, and reportedly genuine island hospitality. For travelers used to $1,000+ international fares, it’s a fascinating wake-up call.
Los Angeles or Dallas to Fiji roundtrip in the $600’s.
Not only that but you can fly from Los Angeles or Dallas to Fiji for just slightly more – still in the $600’s RT, including all taxes and fees.
These super-reasonable airfares include Fiji’s mandatory international departure tax of approximately $100, which is typically bundled into the return part of the ticket. Stripped of that, the base fare from Honolulu was closer to $521—making it an even better value for a 3,200 international flight. The distance from Los Angeles to Nadi is 5,518 miles and from Dallas it’s 6,625 miles. Get ready for some long flights and significant jet-lag. To the person who commented that it is just a few hours further than Hawaii, well that isn’t exactly true.
Better yet, a similar fare is available from Los Angeles on the wide-body A350 for $696 round-trip, nonstop in 11 hours.
Until now, Fiji has felt far away, even to us closer by in Hawaii—remote, expensive, and out of reach. But with less costly flights from HNL and the mainland, and these eye-opening promotions, Fiji is suddenly back in play. And for some Hawaii travelers, it’s starting to look like more than just a deal—it’s a meaningful destination, either in combination with Hawaii or as an alternative.
First observations after booking with Fiji Airways.
We’re excited to explore Fiji and share what we learn, but we already have some reservations about the journey.
First, the flight from Honolulu isn’t on one of Fiji Airways’ new A350s, which serve longer routes like Los Angeles and Dallas. Instead, it’s a Boeing 737 MAX with a stop: outbound via Samoa, return via Kiribati. While the outbound is a daytime flight, the return is a red-eye, and that combination alone gives BOH editors some pause.
Sitting on the cramped 737 Max for 9 hours is anything but exciting. It would have been 7 hours and a little easier without a stop, had that been available.
Second, booking with Fiji Airways has been… different. There’s no international call center, so you call a local Fiji number directly to make changes or ask any questions. And with the odd time difference, we still haven’t been able to get through. They are only open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Fiji time).
We’re holding our reservations until Monday to talk with someone about adding a third seat, which hold cost us an extra $20 per person. Worse, their entire reservation system left us wanting, and we have never received an email confirmation after making the reservation. Luckily, we saved the reservation screen or we’d be left with nothing. That’s rare—and a bit concerning—in 2025.
We’re still going, and we’re hopeful. But this experience has reminded us that getting to paradise can still have rough edges.
How do the two island destinations compare?
It’s said that you’ll feel the difference in rhythm between Hawaii and Fiji. Depending on the location and island, you sometimes navigate parking, lines, and reservation systems in Hawaii. In Fiji, you’re slowing down—intentionally.
You can still get a Fiji beachfront bure (cottage) for $135–$225 per night, and many include meals. Fiji resorts on smaller islands often bundle activities and transfers, minimizing the surprise costs travelers encounter in Hawaii. The average tourist in Fiji spends under $200 per night total, including lodging, meals, and incidentals. Fresh market food and local beer costs are low, too.
In 2024, Hawaii posted among the highest hotel rates in the U.S., an average of $435 per night. Maui came in at $701; even Oahu averaged $323 before taxes, resort, and other fees. Dining adds up fast, too, with hotel breakfasts reaching $40–$60 per person and standard dinners easily topping $100 for two.
Culture is part of the stay, not a performance.
Fiji’s approach to culture appears refreshingly direct. Visitors are invited into villages, offered kava during welcoming ceremonies, and even stay in homes or traditional-style accommodations. Locals lead village tours, and the money often funds schools or reef restoration. This isn’t a show—it’s daily life, shared openly and with pride.
In Hawaii, culture is undeniably present and highly nuanced, but visitors’ access varies. Luaus, hula shows, and hotel performances sometimes remain the easily accessible entry points for most tourists. More profound experiences exist—cultural hiking tours, taro farm visits, fishpond restorations, concerts, and events—but they require intention and often a bit of planning and digging.
Still, Hawaii has made real progress. Programs like Mālama Hawaiʻi reward visitors who volunteer to help restore natural or cultural sites. Events like the Merrie Monarch Festival, which just occurred, celebrate authentic Hawaiian traditions at world-class levels. However, they are not yet as woven into the everyday visitor experience or as accessible as in Fiji.
With that said, Hawaii has more infrastructure, while Fiji appears to have greater immersion.
Both islands are protecting what matters, just differently.
Hawaii receives around 10 million visitors annually, putting enormous and undeniable pressure on beaches, reefs, roads, and local communities. That impact has led to significant shifts in strategy—reservation systems at popular sites, increasingly steep fees, and proposed green taxes to fund conservation.
Fiji, by comparison, welcomed just over 1 million visitors in 2024—about one-tenth of Hawaii’s annual total. That smaller scale gives it an edge. Rather than reacting to overuse, Fiji proactively shapes how and where tourism grows. Its 10-year National Sustainable Tourism Framework includes daily visitor caps on sensitive islands, reef protection zones run by local communities, and climate adaptation plans for vulnerable coastal areas.
One example is the Namena Marine Reserve, Fiji’s largest no-take reef sanctuary. Visitors must purchase a dive or snorkel tag, and the funds go to reef monitoring and scholarships for local students. It’s a low-volume, high-value model now being adopted and studied in other regions.
In Hawaii and Fiji, travelers are asked to help, not just show up. However, Fiji’s lower volume and community-first strategy give it a different feel: more intentional, less reactive.
Which one should you choose?
If you want easy and varied road trips, nightlife, volcanoes, and historic sites, Hawaii still delivers, and it’s our home that we love, and so to do visitors. You can surf in the morning, hike a crater by lunch, and finish your day with local poke or fine dining, and live slack key guitar. It’s convenient, familiar, easily accessible, and still deeply rewarding.
But Fiji offers something else if you’re craving rest, personal connection, and an exotic, different pace. No mega-resorts. No traffic. No sense that you’re the thousandth person on the same tour that day. What you’ll find instead is island time, coral reefs, and quiet hospitality that still feels rooted in community.
BOH readers have been mentioning Fiji. One wrote, “Instead of going to Hawaii this year, I visited Fiji… which was a stark contrast… much more affordable and best of all the people were friendly, extremely happy and made sure you felt welcomed and invited back.”
Another said, “We thought it over and skipped HI this year, flew a few extra hours to Fiji. What a revelation. Friendly locals, cheap prices, and just as beautiful if not more.”
A longtime visitor added, “Fiji is a fraction of the price and like Hawaii 25 years ago. They actually appreciate you being there.”
Final thought.
Beat of Hawaii editors will report back as we contrast Hawaii with other global tropical tourism destinations. But even before we do, it’s clear that the choice between Hawaii and Fiji isn’t about better or worse—it’s about different kinds of beauty, values, and experiences.
Have you been to both Hawaii and Fiji? Which speaks to you more, and why? Share your thoughts below. And if you’re considering both, we’d love to hear what’s tipping the scale.
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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The University of Hawaii is trying to recruit and keep more athletes by taking over fundraising.
Players and coaches say the new process is a game changer.
During recruitment as a transfer student, UH senior Allaire Berl said money did not motivate her decision to join the ‘Bows’ women’s tennis team.
“I was offered more money at other schools, and that was definitely something I thought about for a little, but once I came out and actually met the people here and just saw how hard working everyone is on the team, it was kind of a no-brainer for me to come here,” Berl recalled.
Teammate Makeilah Nepomuceno agreed, adding, “With looking at other schools, honestly nothing beat my official visit when I visited here in Hawaii. It was really about the people.”
After meeting UH women’s tennis coach Jun Hernandez, junior Hannah Galindo also felt becoming a ‘Bow “wasn’t that difficult of a decision.”
But not all recruits feel the same, as Hernandez is well aware of, after losing about 40 prospects just this year to more profitable opportunities at other schools.
“It’s always a heartbreaker, because obviously, we look for a strong student athlete, not only they’re good students, great athletes, but also good people,” Hernandez shared.
The tennis team is not alone, as others at UH have also been plagued by players who either don’t want to commit to the school, or athletes already on the roster who transfer elsewhere over funding.
Related post: Hawaii athletics director, coaches call for NIL funding to stay competitive
‘Bows women’s basketball coach Laura Beeman emphasized business partnerships involving athletes’ name, image, and likeness (NILs) are appealing deals for players.
“You cannot practice hard enough to replace a player you lose to NIL money,” Beeman pointed out. “Are we going to be able to compete with the power fours? Absolutely not, but we have to make ourselves relevant in the Mountain West.”
This week, UH’s athletics director Matt Elliott announced a new fundraising initiative to “recruit and retain elite student athletes.”
“Over the last few months, we have been developing a vision for excellence at the UH athletics department,” Elliott said in a video posted on YouTube. “This program is going to continue to grow over coming days, weeks, and months.”
The process includes NIL collaborations with local businesses, as well as direct donations to any team.
Backers used to have to contribute through third parties, but now, UH is taking over to streamline the process.
Hernandez hopes the new structure will secure quality athletes like his own players, not only for their love of the game, but also their love for Hawaii, with the motivation to stay and represent the islands well.
“Being here, I’m so so happy I chose it, it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made,” Berl shared.
Supporters are also encouraged to attend fundraising events.
Below is a list of links to UH athletics’ donation sites, as well as a calendar for fundraisers:
1. Our Team, Hawai’i’s Team Fund – Tax deductible donations to support essential operations like travel, nutrition, and student-athlete health.
2. Boost the ‘Bows Fund (Institutional NIL) – Tax deductible donations to support recruitment and retention for elite student-athletes and strengthen our scholarship resources. For each fund, you are able to support at the department-wide level or direct your gift to a specific team.
3. Non-Institutional NIL – Creates opportunities for student-athletes through partnerships with local businesses. Engage with any of the UH student-athletes registered on INFLCR. If you don’t see a specific student-athlete, let us know.
4. Events – Join us at community and fundraising events throughout the year. To see our new all-encompassing events calendar for 2025-26, click here.
Copyright 2025 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
YPSILANTI, MI — The newest coffee shop in Ypsilanti is bringing Hawaii “vibes” to the city.
Upbeat music, leather seats and big television screens fill Ohana Lounge, 11 E. Cross St., according to Darius Smith, founder of the coffee shop. Tiki umbrellas and a small food trailer sit outside the coffee lounge.
Ohana Lounge officially opened Oct. 25 after a soft opening in July, Smith said.
Smith, 47, said the space was most recently unused, though a high-end glass bong shop occupied it over a year ago.
He also said residents typically see this type of coffee shop in larger cities, but he wanted to bring something “that doesn’t exist” to Ypsilanti.
Smith, of Saline, got inspiration for a Hawaii-themed coffee shop after he and his wife visited the state more than two years ago.
“You want to be comfortable, and I think that we captured that,” Smith said.
He said his business has been well-received by the community. He also said Ohana Lounge is the next step in his goal “to have operations inside of buildings or real estate that I could purchase” and he would like to see similar coffee shops in the future.
His latest efforts have been marketing the coffee shop, including its use of Zingerman’s coffee products. He said Ohana Lounge is the first shop in the Ypsilanti area to sell Zingerman’s coffee.
“I’m a huge fan of how much they care about their product, where things come from and to bring that aspect over is really awesome,” Smith said.
Smith said he began conversations with the Zingerman’s staff in June, a month before the soft opening.
Ohana Lounge also offers pastries from Dom Bakeries, 1305 Washtenaw Ave.
Popular menu items include the salmon lox bagel, Cobb salad and Caesar salad.
The shop also sells soups, smoothies and ice cream floats.
His plans for the next few months include promoting Ohana Lounge, preparing the space for event rentals and upgrading the menu.
Outside of his coffee shop, Smith is the founder of the Food Folks Fun Podcast Network. He produces several podcasts, including one with University of Michigan Regent Denise Ilitch.
Ohana Lounge is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday.
Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page.
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