Fiji Travel Information
Things to know before you go
From what to pack (and what you’ll need to leave at home) to how to get around and what to tip, we’ve put together a collection of some of our most frequently asked questions and practical Fiji travel information.
There’s also Fiji travel information about the nation’s food and drink, flora and fauna, history and culture; but if we have left any of your travel questions unanswered, our locally-based Travel Design teams are here to provide in-the-know and up-to-the-minute advice. Contact us
Fiji TRAVEL INFORMATION
Important Fiji Travel Information
A valid passport is required. It must not expire for at least three months after your intended date of visit and you will require an onward ticket.
No liquids, gels or aerosols are permitted beyond the screening area or onboard the aircraft except if they are not more than 3.5oz. (100ml) and they are in a clear plastic bag of one litre size which is sealed and separate from the passengers carry on baggage.
If any of the below items do not fit in the closed/sealed 1 litre size plastic bag and/or are over 3.5oz. (100mls), they should be packed in your checked luggage or must be declared to screening personnel at the boarding gate hold areas or the boarding gate – baby formula/milk (to include breast milk) and baby food in containers if a baby or small child is travelling; medications (liquid, gel and/or aerosol) with a name that matches the passenger’s ticket; liquids (to include juice) or gels for diabetic or other medical needs. Quantities are limited to no greater than 3.5 oz. (100ml) per container. Any containers over 100mls will need to be accompanied by a doctor’s note. (For purposes of this advice, liquids and gels include beverages, shampoo, suntan lotion, creams, toothpaste, hair gel, perfume and other items of similar consistency).
Passengers undergo secondary screening at the departure gate. Any liquids or gels found on a person that do not comply with these requirements will be confiscated.
Valuable items such as laptops, cell-phones, cameras are accepted as cabin baggage but will be subject to security checks at all screening stations.
From 1 December 2021, Fiji offers quarantine-free travel to fully vaccinated travellers from Travel Partner Countries.
For further details and travel information, visit:
Vaccinations are not required upon entry unless you are arriving from an area infected by yellow fever. Travel insurance is recommended
Fiji is 12 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) a day ahead of North America and Europe.
Getting Around
Scheduled flights operate from Nadi International Airport to Yasawa and Laucala Islands. Regular and charter services also link Savusavu on the northern island of Vanua Levu and nearby Taveuni. Catamarans cruise to the nearby Mamanuca Islands from Port Denarau accessing Likuliku, Vomo and Tokoriki Resorts. Main roads on the island of Viti Levu are reasonably well maintained and rental cars, taxis and private car and drivers are available from Nadi. Traffic can be slow especially on a Sunday when local Fijians visit church. Private helicopter, seaplane and water taxi charters are also available from Nadi and Denarau to some of the resort islands.
Fiji has a mild tropical maritime climate – the ‘wet’ season is from November to April and the ‘dry’ season from May to October. Fiji has mild average temperatures of around 25°C however summer days can reach 30°C and during the cooler months of July and August these can drop to 20°C
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.
Spending
The Fijian dollar = 100 cents. All major credit cards are recognised and there is an increasing number of cash machines available.
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.
Communication
Telephone communication and internet connections are good at the resorts and islands. Cellphone coverage is also available in and around the Nadi area and neighbouring islands as well as other parts of the main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu.
About Fiji
English is the official language. Most Fijians are multilingual and speak their vernacular Fijian or Fiji-Hindi.
Fijian Food has traditionally been very healthy. Fijians prefer a more tuber and coconut based diet. High caloric foods are good for hard-working villagers who need extra calories while working on their farms but this causes a range of chronic illness such as obesity. Fiji is a multicultural country and is home to people of various races. In most Fijians’ homes, food of other cultures is prepared on a regular basis such as curries and Chinese dishes. Fiji is also famous for its seafood and is often used in most homes.
Fiji has a 240 volt, 50 hertz mains electricity supply. Many remote areas and island resorts rely on solar and generator power.
Fiji has a unique history in the Pacific and has an interesting mix of culture with Melanesian, Polynesian, Micronesian, Indian, Chinese and European influences. For nearly 50 years, the indigenous people of Fiji have represented an ethnic minority in their own land. Fiji was the trade centre for the South Pacific during the 19th century, and the British claimed it as a colony in 1874. During the time that Fiji remained under British colonial rule, tens of thousands of indentured Indian labourers were imported to work on sugar plantations. Indigenous Fijians, however, managed to maintain their traditional rites and practices with their – mekes (narrative dances), bure (house) construction, kava ceremonies, tapa-cloth making and pottery.
Fijians still practise many traditional arts and crafts, some of which have endured the destructive impact of western influences and the relentless campaigning of the Christian missionaries, and some which have been modified and embellished to satisfy the demands of tourism.
Dance is still strong in Fiji and the narrative meke performances rest on strong oral traditions. Dances are passed down from generation to generation, and in their strict forms the dancers’ bodies are said to take on spirits of the netherworld. Mekes accompanied special events like births, deaths, calls to war, marriages and property exchanges. At times of war men would perform cibis with spears and clubs, while women performed deles or wates – dances which sexually humiliated enemy captives. Traditional Indian dances are still taught in Indian communities.
Fiji’s population of around 900 000 people is made up of indigenous Fijians (50%), Indians (47%) with Europeans, Chinese and South Pacific Islanders making up the remaining 3%
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.
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.
