IN JULY, TWO OF US WILL BE STAYING FOR FOUR WEEKS AT A SELF-CATERING RESORT UNIT ON FIJI'S DENARAU ISLAND. NOT PLANNING TO EAT OUT IN RESTAURANTS OFTEN, WHAT ARE OUR BEST OPTIONS FOR PURCHASING FOOD? ARE THERE BARRIERS ON TAKING IN STAPLES SUCH AS BREAKFAST OATS, AND WHAT IS THE BEST LOCAL TRANSPORT FOR SHOPPING? DO WE NEED A CAR AND IF SO SHOULD WE HIRE BEFORE WE LEAVE?
G. JACKSON, CESSNOCK
There's a Yees Xpress supermarket close to the marina at Denarau and you can buy pretty much everything you might need there, from fresh eggs to dairy products to fruit and veg and wine. This is probably going to be your best bet, and chances are you won't be staying too far away. The Bula Bus links the Denarau shopping centre with all the local resorts. Prices at the supermarket are not cheap so you might want to take in some staples. You should be OK with dried items such as breakfast oats, rice and pasta and probably tinned foods and any special condiments you might need but definitely not meats, dairy products and fruits. If you want alcohol, best buy is from one of the airport duty-free stores on the left side of the baggage claim area.
Denarau is just a few kilometres from the main town of Nadi, where shopping is cheaper, but driving and parking there is slightly chaotic – why spoil the holiday vibe? If you do want to visit Nadi, local taxis are cheap.
Whether you need a car really depends on whether you want to explore the island. Fiji certainly has plenty to offer and with four weeks on your hands, I imagine that exploration as well as relaxation might be on the cards. You can safely play it by ear, stay flexible and hire a car on the spot, when and for however long you need it.
