A fine time in Fiji
Fiji is one of our closest neighbours, with much more than just a short flight to recommend its 300-plus sun-kissed tropical islands, says Brian Johnston.
Not long after you step off the plane at Nadi airport, you’re sure to hear the word Bula! The traditional Fijian greeting – literally, meaning “health” – is generally delivered with a warm smile (if not a big grin) that speaks volumes about the heartfelt nature of the welcome.
By anyone’s reckoning, the sunny nature of the Fijian people has to be the nation’s greatest asset – which is saying quite a bit in a country that offers much more besides: a rugged hinterland of tumbling waterfalls and muddy rivers, a magnificent coastline fringed with beaches and a smorgasbord of offshore islands, idyllic getaways brimming with blue lagoons and swaying coconut palms.
It comes as little surprise, therefore, to find that tourism here is on the up and up. Several new hotels and resorts have opened in recent times and many others have been refurbished. The island group’s array of resorts must offer the greatest range of accommodation of any destination in the Pacific. Whether you’re after a rustic getaway on a sleepy island where you can dig your toes into the sand and watch sunsets from a bar sheltered with banana leaves, or seeking a five-star resort to pamper you with spa treatments and fine dining, you’ll find it in Fiji.
Most visitors fly in to the airport at Nadi on the main island, Viti Levu, many venturing no further than Nadi’s vicinity. Not that there’s anything wrong with that: there’s certainly plenty to keep you busy in this part of the island, and a great assortment of resorts, notably in the enclave known as Denarau Island – also the site of a top-flight golf course.
Still, anyone with the time should venture farther along the coast. Head north on the King’s Road and you’ll find Indian towns and rugged mountains covered in dense green vegetation in what is, arguably, the most beautiful part of Viti Levu. Head south along the Queen’s Highway and you’ll find that the surrounding landscape becomes more serene; sugarcane rustles and beaches front shallow lagoons.
Most people make it no farther than the excellent resorts strung along this stretch of coast but, if you continue, you’ll end up in the capital, Suva, on Viti Levu’s east coast. It has a vaguely colonial air and quite a bustle, this being the economic centre for the entire South Pacific and a melting-pot of Fijian natives, Indians, Chinese and Europeans.
If time permits, it would be a shame not to head out to one of the islands, where you’ll find some of Fiji’s best beaches, snorkelling and scuba-diving sites. Closest to Nadi are the Mamanuca Islands, some of which can be reached via daytrips from the main island, though most are worthy of longer stays than that. These islands get the least of Fiji’s rain and near-continuous sunshine, attributes that have attracted plenty of resort developers. Some of the islands have villages; others are mere specks in a vast ocean.
North of here, the Yasawa Islands have what are probably the best beaches in Fiji, and a scenic beauty that have made them the “unspoiled” destination for backpackers and romantics alike.
But wherever you choose to go in Fiji, you’ll be sure to hear a friendly Bula!
Photography courtesy Fiji Visitors Bureau
Travel Facts
Getting there
- Air Pacific flies from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Nadi, and from Sydney direct to Suva. Phone 1800 230 150 or visit www.airpacific.com
- Qantas (13 1313 or visit www.qantas.com.au) and Pacific Blue (phone 13 1645 or visit www.flypacificblue.com) also fly to Nadi from various Australian ports.
Getting around
- Avis has car hire at Nadi International Airport. Phone +679 672 2233 visit www.avis.com/fj
Where to stay
- See our following accommodation story for listings of recommended hotels and resorts.
Tips
- Australian and New Zealand visitors obtain permits on arrival for a stay of up to four months. You must have a password valid for six months beyond your return date, and a return or onward flight.
- At the time of writing, AU$1 = 1.37 Fiji dollars (FID) approx.
- Fiji has a warm, humid and tropical climate year-round, with higher temperatures between June and September. Most rain falls in the summer (December to March) but showers are usually short and intense.
Further information
- Contact the Fiji Visitors Bureau for general travel information. Phone 02 9264 3399 or visit www.bulafiji.com
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