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Fiji

Fiji
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Fiji islands are the essence of tropical paradise – with white sandy beaches, swaying coconut trees and pristine waters. Revel in the world class resorts, snorkel, dive, surf, visit the villages, and enjoy Fiji’s most precious assets, her smiling locals and their welcoming ‘Bula’.

People

The friendly Fijian people will captivate your heart. You’ll come as a guest and leave as a friend. Where the Fijians say Bula, meaning Hello, welcome and enter my heart for my paradise is yours. Where you will visit tranquil villages as honored guests

Language

English is the lingua franca, but Fijian and Hindi are also taught in schools as part of the school curriculum. Indigenous Fijians have their own dialects and you can tell where one comes from, from their dialect. Indians too have their own, and generally speak a distinctive Fiji-Hindi dialect. This is not the same as the one spoken in India.

History

According to Fijian legend, the great chief Lutunasobasoba led his people across the seas to the new land of Fiji about 3,500 years ago. Most authorities agree that people came into the Pacific from Southeast Asia via the Malay Peninsula. Here the Melanesians and the Polynesians mixed to create a highly developed society long before the arrival of the Europeans.

Fiji was first discovered in 1643 by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman. Captain James Cook sailed through the region in 1774 and further exploration was made in the 18th century. Major credit for the discovery and navigation of the islands is given to Captain William Bligh who sailed through Fiji after the mutiny on the Bounty in 1790.

The first Europeans to live among the Fijians included shipwrecked sailors and runaway convicts from the Australian penal settlements. Traders and missionaries arrived in the area by the mid-19th century. Cannibalism practices in Fiji quickly disappeared as missionaries gained influence and Christianity spread in the islands. Wars ceased abruptly and western clothing was adopted.

In 1874 Fiji was ceded to Great Britain. Epidemics nearly wiped out the population and it seemed as if the natives were doomed. The colonial government worked to implement health campaigns and the population picked up again. In the 1880s large-scale cultivation of sugarcane began. Over the next 40 years, more than 60,000 indentured laborers from India were brought to the island to work the plantations. Fiji became independent on October 10, 1970.

Today Fiji’s position as a central player in the South Pacific has been strengthened by developments in sea and air communications and transport. It is now home to many races – Indians, Europeans, Chinese and other Pacific Islanders living in harmony and keeping their own cultures and identities. Fijians represent just over 50 per cent of the total population and continue to live in villages and do things on a communal basis.

Currency

The official currency is the Fijian dollar (FJD).

Weather

Winters in Fiji (May – November) are drier with temperature ranging from 65°-90°F. The summer season (December – April) is the wetter more humid season with temperatures ranging from 72°-96°F.

Health Requirements

Proof of yellow fever or cholera immunization is required if arriving from an infected area

Visa Requirements

A valid passport for at least six (6) months beyond the intended period of stay and a ticket for return or onward travel to another country, which he/she is authorized to enter, is required. Entry visas are granted on arrival for a stay of 4 months or less.

Tipping & Porterage

Tipping is not customary, nor required. In lieu of tipping individuals at resorts, each resort will have a “Staff Christmas Fund” box available so their guests can contribute to the staff as a whole.

Credit Cards

Credit cards are widely accepted.

Money

The Fijian dollar is divided by 100 cents
Coins: 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1
Notes: $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100

Electrical Appliances

Voltage is 220 AC/50 cycle. If you are traveling from a part of the world where your appliances are 110v you will need a voltage transformer

Water

Tap water is not only safe but delicious too! Of course, bottled water like Fiji’s world renown Fiji Water and newest export Pure Fiji as well as others are of course available everywhere.