Fiji yacht charter
Fiji has more than three hundred islands, short passages between the Mamanucas and Yasawas, and villages that welcome visitors. June to September is the pick, outside the November-to-April cyclone season. It suits families best.
Fiji is more than three hundred islands, most of them uninhabited, and its villages are some of the most welcoming in the Pacific. The Mamanuca and Yasawa islands off Viti Levu have short passages and white sand. Further out, Taveuni and the Lau group have soft corals and remote villages. It is warmer and closer to Australia and New Zealand than French Polynesia, and easier to plan for a family.
Why go, and whom it suits
Families
Fiji is very good for families. The hops between the Mamanuca and Yasawa islands are short, the beaches are easy, the villages welcome children, and Nadi International Airport is a few minutes' drive from Port Denarau Marina.
Couples and honeymoons
Quiet anchorages off uninhabited islands, and dinners the crew sets up on the beach. The Yasawas are quieter than the Mamanucas.
Friends and celebrations
A group that dives, surfs or fishes gets the most from it: the surf breaks of the southern Mamanucas, Cloudbreak among them, and the diving on Taveuni's Rainbow Reef.
Less suited to anyone who wants towns and restaurants between swims. Outside the resorts there are few.
The areas
In the South Pacific and Australasia, Fiji is the easiest choice with a family. Its cruising grounds:
The Mamanuca islands
closest to Nadi: small islands with resorts, sandbars and surf breaks, and Monuriki among them. They make an easy first day or two.
The Yasawa islands
the chain running north of the Mamanucas: higher islands with villages, quiet beaches, the limestone caves of Sawa-i-Lau, and manta rays, which gather in a channel off Drawaqa from May to October.
Taveuni and the Somosomo Strait
Fiji's "garden island" and the Rainbow Reef, for divers.
The Lau group
in the far east: remote islands far from the usual routes. It suits an expedition-style yacht and a longer voyage.
Kadavu
south of Viti Levu, with the Great Astrolabe Reef.
When to go
- May to October falls outside the cyclone season, and most charters are planned for these months.
- November to April is the cyclone season, with a greater risk of strong winds and heavy rain, though cyclones can occur at other times of year too.
- For most people the pick is June to September. May and October are warmer and quieter.
Months | Weather | Crowds | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
May | Outside the cyclone season, warmer | Quieter | Manta rays off Drawaqa from May to October |
June to September | Outside the cyclone season | The pick for most people | Manta rays off Drawaqa |
October | Outside the cyclone season, warmer | Quieter | Manta rays off Drawaqa |
November to April | The cyclone season: a greater risk of strong winds and heavy rain | Most charters are planned for other months | Cyclones can also occur outside it |
What it costs
The charter fee is each yacht's own weekly rate. Her page shows it "from", which is her lowest season. Each yacht's rate is in its own currency, often US dollars outside Europe. Our guide sets out what a crewed charter costs, line by line.
- Tax. Fiji's VAT is 12.5%, the rate in force since 1 August 2025. Ask us how it, and any other levy, applies to the yacht you are considering.
- Permits. Any permits the yacht needs to cruise, and the sevusevu when you visit a village, are arranged by the captain and the crew.
- APA, the Advance Provisioning Allowance, is paid with the balance. It is money held by the captain for fuel, food, drinks, permits and similar costs, spent on your instructions and accounted for at the end; anything unspent is returned. Budget up to 40% of the charter fee; long or remote passages can need more.
- Delivery. A start away from where the yacht is can add a delivery fee (fuel, crew, berths), stated before you sign.
The weekly rate on each yacht’s page. "From" is her lowest season.
An advance for fuel, food, drinks and berths, spent on your instructions and settled at the end.
Set by the country the charter starts in, added to the fee.
The Mamanucas and the Yasawas
This is a round trip from Port Denarau, near Nadi. The yacht, the trade wind and the villages' customs decide the real order.
Board in the afternoon. The first anchorage off Malolo or a sandbar is a short passage away.
Swimming and snorkelling around the islands, and a beach lunch.
Waya or Naviti. Visiting a village means a sevusevu: you present kava to the chief, and the crew shows you how.
Snorkelling with manta rays in the channel, in their season, from May to October.
The lagoon beach, and the swim through the limestone caves.
A slow day of reef and beach on the way.
A last swim and disembarkation.
The yachts that cruise here
The yachts we show in Fiji are mostly motor yachts over 40 metres, for 11 or more guests. Many cruise the Pacific for a season, and several also appear on our pages for French Polynesia, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. We arrange crewed yachts here and look across the market for each enquiry, among the yachts based in Fiji and those passing through. The yachts on this site are a selection, not the limit of what we arrange: ask about any yacht, of any size.
Practical questions
Rene GaspersicYour broker
How do we get there?
Fly to Nadi International Airport, Fiji's main international gateway. Port Denarau Marina is a few minutes' drive away.
What is a sevusevu?
The custom of presenting kava root to a village chief before you visit. It is a courtesy and a request for permission to visit, not a show. The crew arranges it and explains what to do.
When is cyclone season?
It normally runs from November to April, though cyclones can occur at other times. Most charters are planned for May to October.
Is Fiji good for children?
Yes. The passages are short, the water is warm, and the villages are friendly. Tell us the ages, and we propose yachts with the right cabins and toys.
Can we dive?
Yes. Ask us which yachts can arrange guided diving. Taveuni's soft corals and the Great Astrolabe Reef are worth a longer trip.
Can we visit the Lau group?
It is remote, and a visit there is planned well ahead. It suits a longer voyage, on a yacht equipped for it. Tell us, and we look for one.
Do we need a visa?
Visitors from visa-exempt countries are given a visitor permit when they clear immigration, for a stay of up to four months. Others need a visa before they travel. Check the list for your passport.
How should we dress ashore?
Modestly in villages; the crew tells you what is expected. On board and on the beaches it does not matter.
If you are also weighing French Polynesia
French Polynesia has the famous lagoons and the atolls' passes, at a higher price and with longer passages. Fiji is closer to Australia and New Zealand, easier with children, and more about villages. See French Polynesia.
Talk to a broker
Tell us roughly when, how many of you there are, and what the trip is for: a family voyage, a honeymoon, a dive trip with friends. Dates and budget can stay loose. We come back with a short list of yachts that fit, say plainly what each one is like, and stay your contact from the first email to the last day on board.
Rene Gaspersic
charter broker
Email info@soretoyachting.com · Phone +44 7342 933198 · WhatsApp +44 7342 933198
Plan
Fiji.
Two short steps. Dates and budget can stay loose. We reply personally, by email, phone or WhatsApp.