Shopping · Fiji
Shopping in Fiji
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: User:Matthias Süßen, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Shopping in Fiji is about handicrafts, pearls and local skincare rather than fashion. Prices are higher at resorts; markets and town handicraft centres are cheaper, and polite bargaining is acceptable at craft stalls. Best souvenirs: Masi (tapa cloth), Tanoa kava bowl and Fiji pearls.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 3
- Markets
- 2
- Top souvenir
- Masi (tapa cloth)
Where to shop
Port Denarau
Boutiques, souvenir shops and pharmacies around the marina, convenient before island transfers.
Nadi main street
Handicraft shops, duty-free stores and a handicraft market along the town's main road.
Suva
Handicraft centre, department stores and the municipal market in the capital.
Markets
Suva Municipal Market
Huge produce market with fruit, root crops, fish and kava root, busiest on Saturday mornings.
Nadi Municipal Market
Produce, spices and kava market in Nadi town, with handicraft stalls nearby.
What to buy
Masi (tapa cloth)
Bark cloth printed with geometric designs in black and brown, made by women in the Lau and other islands.
Tanoa kava bowl
Carved wooden bowls used for preparing kava, in sizes from small souvenirs to full ceremonial bowls.
Fiji pearls
Cultured pearls from farms around Savusavu, known for unusual colours.
Coconut-oil skincare
Locally made coconut-oil soaps, body butters and lotions sold in Nadi, Denarau and resort shops.
Bula shirts and sulus
Bright floral shirts and sarongs, worn for Friday 'bula' dress days and village visits.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Market · Suva
Suva Municipal Market
One of the largest produce markets in the South Pacific, with tables of taro, cassava, tropical fruit, fish, chillies and dried kava root, plus small stalls selling cooked food upstairs.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Photo spot
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Kava and Tropical fruit. Village welcomes, resort kava ceremonies and informal evening kava circles. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Denarau Island | $$$ | Large international resorts, a golf course and the main marina, 20 minutes from Nadi airport |
| Nadi | $ | Market town by the airport with a Hindu temple, curry houses and budget beach hostels |
| Mamanuca Islands | $$$$ | Small coral islands and resorts 30–90 minutes by catamaran from Port Denarau |
| Yasawa Islands | $$ | Remote volcanic islands, the Blue Lagoon and backpacker-to-boutique resorts |
| Suva | $$ | Harbour capital with colonial buildings, a huge produce market and the Fiji Museum |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in FJD. Tipping is not expected in Fiji. Many resorts have a staff Christmas fund box for a collective tip if you wish to reward good service.
- Bring cash for outer islands, where ATMs are scarce or absent and card payments may carry surcharges.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in February–March; the busiest months are July and September.
- February: Holi, the Hindu festival of colours (February or March)
- July: Bula Festival in Nadi (usually July)
- August: Hibiscus Festival in Suva (usually August)
- October: Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights (October or November)
- December: Christmas, celebrated with church services and village feasts (25 December)
Staying near the shops
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Fiji?
Masi (tapa cloth), Tanoa kava bowl, Fiji pearls and Coconut-oil skincare.
+Where is the best shopping in Fiji?
Port Denarau: Boutiques, souvenir shops and pharmacies around the marina, convenient before island transfers.
+What are the best markets in Fiji?
Suva Municipal Market and Nadi Municipal Market.