Flights land at Nadi International Airport on Viti Levu Island
in Fiji, where you are greeted by smiling Fijian faces sincerely
wishing you good health. Efficient cabs whisk you to your
destinations and the starting points of your awaiting
adventure.
Flights land at Nadi International Airport on Viti Levu Island in Fiji, where you are greeted by smiling Fijian faces sincerely wishing you good health. Efficient cabs whisk you to your destinations and the starting points of your awaiting adventure.
In an area of more than 500,000 square miles in the enchanted South Seas, lay the 330 islands (give or take a few) that make up the Fijian archipelago – of which only about one third is inhabited.
Located just north of the Tropic of Capricorn, the country is slightly larger than California and Nevada combined. Less than 2 percent of the territory is land; the rest is sea. The International Date Line that divides the world into today and yesterday passes though the islands.
The closest major city is New Zealand’s Auckland, located about 1,300 miles to the south. A five-hour flight will get you to Honolulu and an 11-hour flight to San Francisco.
Named the “Gateway to the South Pacific,” Fiji can be considered a creative mix of cultures. The area consists of more than 300 volcanic islands and low lying atolls, white sandy beaches, impenetrable rainforests, shifting sand dunes and reefs teeming with a wealth of stunning marine life.
Fiji islanders today are considered some of the friendliest people on the planet. Centuries past, their fierce reputation as fighters and brutal cannibals had navigators and explorers keeping a wide breadth of the islands. Today Fijians, Indians, Polynesians, Chinese and Europeans live together as separate entities. There has been some political unrest, but never involving tourists. Fiji is considered a safe destination. English is spoken just about everywhere.
Fiji is made up of two large islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, rimmed by groups of islands on both sides. The whole archipelago surrounds the Koro Sea.
The largest island is Viti Levu. Meaning “Big Fiji,” it is the third largest of all the islands in the Pacific and is the hub of the Fijian archipelago. Viti Levu, considered the most developed island in the area, is the home to 70 percent of the Fijian population. The western coast is the haven for most tourists because of mild weather, sandy beaches, upscale resorts and vast areas of sugar plantations. (The eastern side is very damp and green.)
Located on the southeastern shore, Suva – the capitol of Fiji since 1882 and the largest city port – is the home of the country’s highest mountain, Mount Tomanivi, and the longest river, Rewa River. The small island of Bau, the former native capitol, sits off the east coast of Viti Levu and the home of the high chiefs of Fiji.
Vanua Levu, “Big Land,” is half the size of Viti Levu, the second largest island, and supports about 18 percent of the total population. Less developed than its big sister, it is craggy and surrounded by a vast structure of coral reefs. Its source is volcanic with few beaches.
Experienced divers call Fiji the “Soft Coral Capitol of the World.” The waters of Fiji are home to some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. There are three types of reefs here: “fringing” reefs along the coastline, “barrier” reefs separated from the coast by a lagoon and “atoll” reefs, which are circular or horseshoe-shaped.
The Great Astrolabe Reef, Rainbow Reef, Great Sea Reef and the Argo Reef in the Lau islands are considered the most recognized coral reefs in Fiji. This is a diver’s paradise. The reefs are government protected and advance plans should be made to dive here.
During World War II, the Fijians recruited more than 8,000 men to fight alongside the allies in the Solomon Islands. The Fijians were so superior in jungle warfare that they were never noted as “missing in action” – instead they were listed as “not yet arrived” because they would ultimately show up at their unit, sometimes days after a mission.
Sugar and the garment industry, along with gold mining on northern Viti Levu, contributes to the soft economy with fishing, copra, timber, furniture, coffee and the famous Fuji bottled water originated here. Tourism is the main business that is responsible for much of the revenue for the country.
There is a high literacy rate. The University of the South Pacific on Suva runs about 2,500 students. There is The Fiji School of Medicine and the Fiji School of Nursing and a theological college that offer courses in religious studies. Elementary education is also well covered in Fiji.
The best time to go is during the Fiji winter season or dry season from May to October. You can, for the most part, avoid occasional cyclones and hurricanes and there is lower rainfall and humidity at this time. This is considered the high season, so accommodations and air fares will be at their highest rates. November through April is considered the wet season.
If active outdoor activities are your cup of tea, Fiji has it – diving and snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, golf and tennis, sailing, kayaking and river rafting. For the less active, bird watching, whale and dolphin watching and ecotravel tours are available.
When you complete your adventure in Fiji, you will know that there is more than one “Happiest Place On Earth.” Fiji has unmatchable beauty and charming people.
***
FOR MORE INFO
www.bulafigi.com covers everything or call the Fiji Visitors Bureau at (800) 932-3454.
