Imagine waking up surrounded by a sparkling blue ocean, your island paradise ringed by a sandy beach backed by swaying palms; that’s Fiji. Over 300 islands make up this South Sea paradise with word-class accommodation, the best diving and snorkelling experiences and the warmest welcome imaginable. Whether you just want to laze under the sun, explore the rainforest or indulge in island hopping, you can do it here. For the adventurous there’s the opportunity to cruise these wondrous islands too. Whether you visit for a main holiday or a stopover, there’s nowhere better… and you will be back.

Where is it?

Fiji is a country in the South Pacific, located within the continent of Oceania. It is an archipelago made up of 333 islands, but the two main islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, account for nearly 90% of the population! The capital of Fiji is Suva, situated on Viti Levu.

It takes roughly 3 hours to fly from Auckland, New Zealand to Nadi airport, or just under 5 hours from Melbourne, Australia.

When is the best time to go?

The Fiji Islands enjoy an ideal South Seas tropical climate with warm, pleasant temperatures year-round. It is the perfect destination, especially for those who want to escape the winter at home.

Temperature range in summer: 24 - 36 C/ 80 - 100F (December – February).
Temperature range in winter: 21 - 26 C/ 74 - 84F (June – August).

The larger islands have mountain ranges lying across the paths of the prevailing winds resulting in greater clouds and rainfall on the eastern sides generally from December through April. The western sides are drier, with clear skies for most of the year. The smaller outer islands tend to be mainly dry and sunny year-round.

Where to go?

Where you go in Fiji depends on the experience you want to have, but wherever you go, you’ll be surrounded by the same friendly locals and stunning coastal landscapes. For something different to the two main islands, consider the below:

• The Mamanuca Islands: These small island offer the ideal family holiday location with delightful beach resorts, safe swimming lagoons, snorkelling from the beach, lots of activities, lively kids club, fantastic weather and just a 40-minute ferry ride from Nadi Airport.
• Outer Islands: For those looking for a bit more adventure, and don’t mind extra travelling to get there by small plane or boat, there are several fantastic outer island resorts.  Here, you can experience the real Fiji with the resorts offering a quiet ambience, usually with excellent snorkelling, hiking trails and the opportunity to visit an authentic Fijian village.
• Yasawa Islands: These islands are a good choice for a more intimate beach holiday  – you won’t find motorised watersports here or kids clubs, but the beaches are wonderful, usually with snorkelling reefs right off the beach.  The islands take around three hours to reach by passenger boat.

What to do?

Landlubbers and water babies alike will enjoy exploring Fiji’s breath-taking beauty from above or below the surface. There really is something for everyone! Fishing, horse riding, jet boating, jet skiing, kite surfing, off-road driving, canoeing, parasailing, snorkelling, diving, windsurfing… the list goes on and on! If you’re looking for something in particular to do in Fiji, just ask us and we’ll do our utmost to accommodate your plans.

Here are some of our recommendations:

• The Island of Rotuma: 450km north of Fiji is the volcanic island of Rotuma. The people of Rotuma have a vibrant Polynesian culture and a history and language that are distinct from Fiji. The island has beautiful white sandy beaches and the rich volcanic soil produces a wonderful supply of fresh fruits and root crops.
• The Beqa Firewalkers, an authentic part of Fijian culture, are performed at both major Coral Coast and Nadi hotels. Make sure you catch them performing!
• The Fiji Museum in Suva holds a remarkable collection of archaeological and historical artefacts. Other sites on Viti Levu include the Kula-Eco Park, Tavuni Hill Fort, Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park, Momi Bay Historical Park, Ka Levu Cultural Museum, Arts Village and Abaca, Viseisei and Navala villages.  Nadi is the home to the Sri Siva Subramaniva Temple, a standout example of Madrasi style architecture and is the largest Hindi temple in the Pacific.

Good to know:

Time zones: Fiji is exactly 12 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Fiji is the first country to see the dawning of each new day.

Religion: As a multi-cultural nation, the population of Fiji is made up of significant numbers of followers of all major religions.  Visitors will find Christian churches, mosques, and Sikh and Hindu temples throughout the country. Visitors are more than welcome to join the locals for Sunday worship and it's highly recommended, even if you're not that religious. 

Clothing: Visitors to Fiji should bring light tropical clothing - swimwear, shorts, T-shirts. Traditional ‘sulus’ (known also throughout the Pacific as pareau, lavalava or sarong) are popular with visitors – both men and women. Sulu is Fiji’s most distinctive and versatile form of dress. Visitors are asked to be careful not to offend locals; wearing bikinis and ultra-brief swimming costumes is fine at the resort but not when visiting villages or shopping in town.