I gotta admit, Wayalailai Eco Resort wasn’t exactly high on my bucket list. Sure, it's on a beautiful island in the Yasawas, but it's what you might call "rustic", if you're being generous.
Electricity works about 10 hours a day. There’s no A/C, no WiFi, no hot showers, and no drinking water unless you count the bottled stuff you buy. Our shack came with a complimentary wasp nest that nobody seemed concerned about. The food? Let’s just say it was consistent: random pieces of chicken and/or beef, rice, potatoes, and watermelon for dessert. Every. Single. Day. At 3pm, it's snack time: soda crackers with peanut butter and jam.
And then there’s Fiji time. Oh, Fiji time.
I actually considered having Mylène write this post so I wouldn’t come off too negative, but despite everything… I still had a good time.
Snorkeling with Sharks (and No Gas)
On our first day, we signed up for a snorkeling tour. You can snorkel right off the beach, but this tour promised sharks, and who doesn’t want to casually swim with predators on vacation?
The tour was supposed to start at 9:30am. Naturally, the guide rolled in 20 minutes late — Fiji time — and announced they didn’t have any gas for the boat. No biggie, we’ll just chill on the beach while he "finds gas." You know, like you do on a remote tropical island with exactly zero gas stations.
Fifteen minutes later, he returned triumphantly holding what looked like a bleach bottle, presumably filled with gasoline. Into the tank it went. Solid plan. Let’s hope it gets us to the sharks and back.
Despite the logistical chaos, the snorkeling was actually incredible — the best we’ve had all trip. We swam with black tip and white tip reef sharks, saw some tropical fish we hadn’t seen before, and explored one of the healthiest reefs so far. The water was so clear we could see the ocean floor 10-12 meters below us. Worth the bleach-boat gamble.
The snorkeling right off the beach was fantastic as well. We only had to swim about 20 or 30 meters before finding ourselves over vibrant coral gardens.
Hiking, Vomit, and the Speed of Light
One of the other activities on the island was hiking to the summit. I opted for a sunset hike. Mylène and Emma, chose sunrise instead.
My hike was scheduled for 4:30pm. The guide showed up around 4:50 — Fiji time strikes again. When we finally got going, he must have forgotten we were on Fiji time because he suddenly went full Usain Bolt up the mountain. About a third of the way in, I was begging for a break, seriously contemplating my life choices and whether this was a good spot to throw up in the bushes.
Luckily, the trail flattened out just in time to save my dignity, and I managed to make it to the top. The view was amazing — a full panorama of the surrounding islands. Unfortunately, it was too cloudy to catch any colours in the sky or actually see the sunset. Still, not bad for a hike that nearly killed me.
The next morning, Mylène and Emma woke up at 4:45am for their sunrise hike. The guide? Never showed up (does this count as Fiji time?). The group went on without him. Emma also felt nauseous. Clearly, this hike is not messing around.
Village and School Visit
Mylène and the kids decided to check out the small village on the island, along with the local school. Personally, I wasn’t all that keen—after all, I already have two kids; I don’t really need to go looking for more. But they loved it, and it gave Emma and Teddy a real glimpse of how life is in another part of the world.
Shells, Sunsets, and Slow Ferries
That evening, I watched the sunset from the beach. It was spectacular — vibrant, colourful, everything I’d hoped for the day before. Of course.
Meanwhile, the kids spent hours every day collecting a frankly absurd number of seashells. It became their full-time job. Easily the top non-excursion activity on the island.
On our last day, we had to catch a ferry back to the mainland at 4:05pm. The ferry arrived 30 minutes late. Naturally. Fiji time, baby.
Back to Civilization… Sort Of
We spent our final night in Fiji at a villa in Nadi near the airport. It was beautiful, but the functionality was, let’s say, interpretive. WiFi? Not working. Dishwasher? Decorative. The washing machine took over three and a half hours to finish one load. I'm pretty sure it was on Fiji time.
The next morning, we had a 7am airport transfer booked for our 9:30am flight to Auckland. Wanna guess what happened? Yep — the driver never showed. After some vague promises at reception and absolutely no urgency, I spotted a random taxi passing by, waved it down, and we left with him. Island life is chill, but we’ve got a plane to catch.
Final Thoughts
I hope this post didn’t sound too negative — I really did like Fiji! The scenery is stunning, the snorkeling was unforgettable, and the relaxed pace is... charming in theory.
But Fiji time? That’s where I tap out. I get the appeal — slow living, no rush, hakuna matata vibes. But for someone who thrives on precision (Japan and Germany, I see you), it was more frustrating than freeing.
Still, I’m glad we came. Just maybe next time I’ll bring my own gas.
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