Endless Summer: Chasing the Sun to Fiji
Photography Supplied & Escape Video.
When Aotearoa summer draws to a close and salt-dusted sheets give way to flannelette, there’s an island just three hours away where balmy evenings linger all year round.
Internationally recognised as one of the happiest countries in the world, Fiji distils summer and amplifies it. Here, the days remain bright, the water blue, and the welcome warm. The famed "BULA", generous and genuine, greets you before you’ve even slipped your passport back into your bag.
With the season’s final fish and chips enjoyed, trade the familiar for Crab Shack in Sigatoka, where the catch is fresh, the ocean is within arm’s reach and the entire experience is unmistakably Fijian. And as home routines continue to fade, dip your toes into a different kind of indulgence at Fish Bar, Marriott Resort Momi Bay. Here, South Sea Salts drawn from local waters are paired with each course.
Come evening, the islands shift into a different rhythm. At Cellar & Barrel, the Sheraton’s intimate speakeasy-style bar, cocktails are crafted with tropical ease and a touch of island glamour. For those who chase sunlit afternoons set to music, Urban Sugar Beach Club offers oceanfront beats and chilled refreshments with a twist.
Saluwaki is the latest culinary experience at Likuliku Lagoon Resort, a thoughtful melting pot of Fijian cultural storytelling and Asian-inspired flavours. A sense of place expressed course by course and a more nuanced way of discovering the islands through taste.
Aside from its vibrant cuisine, opal-toned beaches and coral gardens thrumming with sea life, what sets Fiji apart is the sheer variety. Family-friendly adventure, serenity, culture, indulgence, and the unhurried pace of a place that reminds you how good life feels when summer extends just that little bit longer. The greatest part of that variety is the people themselves. Conversations wander unhurried, stories are shared with warmth and a sense of belonging sets over you faster than the sun.
Whether you’re chasing one last taste of the holidays, planning a romantic escape, or simply craving a change in tempo, Fiji keeps the season alive long after it fades at home.
Explore more of what Fiji has to offer at FIJI.TRAVEL/NZ
latest issue:
126
We start by sharing what’s on the dish team’s radar, what we’re watching, listening to and reading. Harry Butterfield puts a twist on his Nonna’s agnolotti, Malissa Fedele reminds us of the importance of fibre, and Phoebe Holden fulfils a long-held dream, sitting down with Yotam Ottolenghi. Autumn is an abundant time, we make the most with pumpkin, kūmara, cabbage, cauliflower, feijoas, apples and pears. We’re dishing up dinners for two, including a Chicken Dumpling Lasagne, alongside easy weeknight meals. We honour our mums, revisit timeless classics, and add a little baking challenge. This issue, we encourage you to slow down, to enjoy writing your shopping list, and spending time in the kitchen. Because even when life feels relentless, there’s always space to share something delicious.