A little about Fiji...

Bula! It's a word you hear many times a day in Fiji. It means "hello" and is pronounced either 'boola' or 'mboola'. Either way, it's always pronounced with a smile.

Fiji is the land of broad smiles, flashing white teeth, gentle relaxation and absolutely no stress. From the mainland island of Viti Levu to the Northern islands you won't be able to escape the friendliness of the people or the sheer natural beauty - swaying palms and warm, clear water.

Accommodation options in Nadi near the airport: Raffles Gateway and Tanoa

Transportation (internal flights) Pacific Sun or Pacific Island Seaplanes

Cultural activities like; village tours, produce and handicraft markets can be arranged for you when you arrive.
For more general information see below and visit these sites:

The official Fiji Visitors Bureau Site
Rob Kay’s Fiji Guide

Banking

Normal banking hours are from 9:30am to 3:00pm Monday to Thursday and to 4:00pm on Friday. All banks are closed on public holidays.
ANZ operates a 24 hour service at Nadi International Airport's Arrival Concourse. Bank of Hawaii offers Automated Teller (ATM) services in Suva, Nadi, Lautoka. ANZ offers ATM services in Suva, Nausori, Nadi, Nadi Airport, Lautoka, and Labasa, while National Bank and Westpac offer EFTPOS services in Savusavu, Suva, Nausori, Sigatoka, Nadi, and Lautoka.

The central bank and bank of issue is the Reserve Bank of Fiji, and The National Bank is a government owned commercial bank.

Climate and weather

In a word, Tropical, with the most temparate months being March through to November. Maximum temperatures rarely move out of the 31°C to 26°C range all year round. As you can see, winter is a term, not a season. A cooling trade wind blows from the east south-east for most of the year. It usually drops to a whisper in the evening and picks up again by mid-morning.

Rainfall is highly variable and strongly influenced by topography, with the prevailing south-east trade winds bringing moisture onshore and causing heavy showers in the mountain regions.

Communications

Most hotels have direct dialing facilities. For inbound calls, the international IDD country code for Fiji is 679 and there are no area codes. Outbound international calls from Fiji use a dial out code of 05 followed by the country code and telephone number for the number being dialed.
Vodafone Fiji Ltd, and Digicel both operate a GSM digital mobile communications service.
Visitors from many countries, and subscribing to various networks, can use their own GSM handsets in Fiji. Mobile customers are advised to check with their network operators for their roaming status before traveling, as roaming capability must be 'turned on' in your home country. Some areas do not have a reception but recently, during the making of the Tom Hanks' movie, Castaway, Steven Spielberg paid to have receivers put in the Mamanucas so the reception now for mobiles is quite extensive.

Credit cards

International cards are welcomed by most hotels, restaurants, shops, car rental companies and tour operators. American Express, Diners Club, Visa, JCB International and MasterCard have representatives in Suva. American Express and Visa can replace lost credit cards and travelers cheques.

Culture, religion & language

Fiji is a country rich in traditional culture and uses a native language that defines happiness. Their religious and cultural ceremonies are unlike any other that you may have experienced.

Currency

The Fijian dollar has standard decimal denominations between 5¢ and $100. Anything below $2 is a coin and $2 and above is a note. There is no limit to the amount of money to be brought in. To check the current exchange rate, use the currency converter.

Customs

Fiji has two international airports - Nadi, the principle gateway and Nausori, near Suva. Fiji Customs operates a Duel Channel System - the Red and Green Channels - for clearance of air travellers.
•Red Channel: If you have any prohibited or restricted goods, or dutiable goods exceeding your duty/VAT free allowance.
•Green Channel: If you do not have any prohibited, restricted or commercial goods, or dutiable goods exceeding your duty/VAT concessions.
Note: Your baggage may be examined by Customs whether you take the Red or Green Channels.

Dress

Casual for both night and day. Pack t-shirts, shorts, light cotton dresses and swimwear. Jeans will be too hot and uncomfortable. For cooler evenings or for out on the water, a jacket is a good idea. Sunscreens and hats are a must and joggers or sandals are good protection for walking and swimming around coral. If you do happen to cut yourself on coral, lemon or lime juice will relieve the pain - as will hydrogen peroxide.
"Sulus" (known also throughout the Pacific as pareau, lavalava or sarong) are a must for both men and women. The wrap-around sulu is Fiji's most distinctive and versatile form of dress. For women there at least ten different ways it can be used, even for evening wear. Ask your resort staff for hints on tying and wearing your sulu. Visitors are asked to be careful not to offend local sensibilities. Wearing bikinis and ultra-brief swimming costumes is fine at a resort but not when visiting villages or shopping in town. This is where a sulu comes in handy.

Electricity

The current in Fiji is 240 volts AC 50Hz with three-pin power points - the same as in Australia and New Zealand. Leading hotels and resorts offer universal outlets for 240v or 110v appliances, or 110V adapters. Many island resorts generate their own electricity, and sometimes when the generators kick in and out, the bedside digital clocks will reset back to 12:00. If you think you'll need a reliable timepiece to make connections etc, it may be wise to pack a travel alarm clock.

Geography

Fiji is a land of blue-green lagoons, lush rainforests, pine forests, mountains and a 1000 miles of white, sandy beaches. There are 330 pieces of land big enough to be called islands scattered across 200,000 square miles of ocean, and several thousand others considered too small for human habitation. Of the 330 islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu make up 85% of the total land mass, and only just over 100 of the islands are actually inhabited. Click here for a Fiji Islands map.
The larger islands are mainly of volcanic origin with high rugged terrain. The smaller islands are coral, limestone, or sand cays, with small pockets of tropical vegetation. Many islands have surrounding coral reefs and lagoons.

Population

Fiji's population of around 800,000 people is made up of indigenous Fijians (50%), Indians (47%) with Europeans, Chinese and South Pacific Islanders making up the remaining 3%.

Quarantine

The following items must be declared:
•Food of any kind.
•Plants or parts of plants - live or dead, including seeds, bulbs, nuts and wooden articles.
•Earth, rock, soil or mineral samples.
•Animals or parts of animals - live or dead including coral, shells and goods made from protected wildlife.
•Equipment used with horses or other animals.
•Biological specimens or tissues - human or animal.

Tipping

Tipping is not encouraged anywhere in Fiji. Tip with a smile and 'vinaka', which is Fijian for 'thank you'. Though tipping is not local custom, you may see examples of what looks like tipping. Fijians ritually exchange gifts of food, clothing, kerosene, and even money during important social occasions but it's more an act of sharing.

Travel insurance

We highly recommend comprehensive travel insurance for health and property. As they say, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel.
Choose a policy also that suits your needs. For example, you may wish to cover a pre-existing health condition or you may want extra cover if you're planning on trying new sports like scuba diving or bungee jumping. Travel insurance is fairly inexpensive and guarantees a worry-free holiday.