Fiji: Overview

Fiji is just poor enough and culturally different from Western countires to be interesting, yet rich enough so that it's not a major hassle for travelers. The people are very friendly and it's small enough to get around easily. Rating: a guarded strong thumbs up.

SPECIFIC PLACES:

• Savusavu. Head straight to the Hot Springs Hotel (F$4.5 from airport) and book into the dorm at F$20 per night (F$25 with continental breakfast). Great hot showers, excellent harbor views from the veranda, and Savusavu draft on tap (F$2 a glass). The Hot Springs usually has some kind of music on Friday and Saturday nights, so don't expect to sleep until 1 am. Dance with the locals, business people, and travelers alike.

  I took the "Red Prawns" tour (F$38). It was a pleasant day trip. Be forewarned that you walk through the ocean/reef for 30-40 minutes so wear appropriate shoes, shorts, etc. Hang out at the Copra Shed and talk with the yachties. There's a good, inexpensive Chinese restaurant in the middle of town. It's the one upstairs, but I forgot the name. Savusavu is a one street town, but a pleasant mix of locals, expats and travelers, and a nice place to just hang out and relax.

• Lautoka. I stayed at the Cathay Hotel for a few nights. The dorms are cheap but right next to a busy street so extremely noisy. The fan rooms are stuffy and not a particularly good value. Breakfast is OK, but all other food was terrible. There's not much to see or do in Lautoka except catch a flick and experience a typical Fijian city.

• Suva. I stayed at the Travel Inn on Gorrie Road. Good value for the price but rooms tend to be noisy. It's within walking distance of downtown which I found to be a big plus as you don't have to rely on taxis or busses. The atmosphere for some reason was not condusive to meeting other travelers. Cooking facilites are available, but utensils are limited. Check out the old commercial section of downtown Suva, and take a walk around the University of the South Pacific. I didn't do too much else there.

  The Raintree Lodge is set in the hills above Suva, and as Suva gets a lot of rain to begin with, the Raintree truly lives up to it's name and expect plenty of wet weather. Though the setting is very tranquil, I found being so far out of town an inconvenience.

• Coral Coast. I stayed at the Beach House Guest House for a few nights. Friendly and easy to meet other travelers, but has nothing to do with Fiji. The restuarant food is expensive by Fijian standards. There are cooking facilities available if you wish to use them.

• Taveuni. Note that Taveuni is filled with American tour groups for diving. (Whether this is good or bad depends on your personal perspective.) I did the 2 hikes in Bouma National Heritage Park and can recommend them both. Bring swimming gear for a refreshing swim at the waterfalls.

  If you stay in Matei you will want to buy your own food at the local stores as the restaurants are quite price. Matei is mainly pricy resorts for divers, but beautiful and peaceful. The main town, Waiyevo (sp?), has more shops and inexpensive Indian restaurants, so is less expensive and more convenient, but is less aesthetically pleasing. I looked at the budget rooms at Kaba's Guest House, which were basic, but OK.

  The problem on Taveuni is that the inexpensive local busses run only 2-3 times a day, so either you plan your day around their limited schedule, or take the outrageously priced taxis. Ask around for the local mini vans/shared taxis for a just bit more than the local bus.

• People speak English! And I'm not just saying this as a native speaker, but because English is the default travel language. Almost all signs are in English, and virtually everybody speaks at least basic English, and most are fluent. Note that they speak with a heavy Fijian accent, and may have trouble understanding your English, but in general, it's very easy to communicate with the Fijian people.
• Fiji is multicultural. I liked the fact that Fiji has a large Indian minority (about 45%), along with a smattering of Chinese and Westerners. The two main groups, the Fijians and Indians, though they have dramatically different cultures, to a large extent balance each other out. The Indians bring a business sense and hustle and bustle, while the Fijians are more laid back and mellow. The Indian-Fijians have been here a long time and have developed their own Fijian flavored Indian culture. This of course is a gross simplification, but if you visit you'll see what I mean.
• You can drink the water and eat the food. Certainly in all the main cities there is no problem with the water or eating food from any small restaurant or "take away" cafe. I ate from the smallest hole-in-the-wall places and never had any stomach problems. British fish and chips, Indian curries, and Chinese fried rice type dishes are the main fare you'll find.
• Fiji is reasonably priced. Accomodations, food, and transportation, are usually not too expensive. Of course, if you want to stay in U$100 a night resorts, you can, but there are plenty of backpacker places, too.
• There is great public transportation. There are inexpensive busses and taxis going just about everywhere you'd want to go to. The local busses are not in the best shape, and of course stop for every person flapping their hand, but they are usually extremely inexpensive. Express busses are in much better shape and you'll make decent time when going long distance, though none are air-conditioned and don't expect luxury seating. The main roads in the cities and around the large islands are paved (sealed).
• Fiji is generally safe, especially during the day. The only time I felt uncomfortable was walking around the larger cities (i.e. Suva and Lautoka) after dark - and even then it really wasn't too bad. Smaller towns and villages are very safe as far as I could tell, especially for travelers.
• The people are friendly. It is quite easy to strike up a conversation while waiting for a bus, in a restaurant, etc. People are genuinely interested in talking with you, and there are few aggressive touts (except for Nadi).
• Internet Cafes and are available in the major towns, and ATMs are found just about everywhere.
• There is no malaria, and dengue fever is rare. There are no poison snakes, spiders, dangerous animals, or nasty plants such as poison oak and poison ivy.
• There are plenty of tropical islands and water activities to satisfy the biggest beach lover. Seek and ye shall find.

THE BAD: No place is perfect.

• Theft is a major problem. Be extremely careful at all times and keep all your possessions in locked environmetns. There also seems to be an increase in personal crimes, such as muggings, in two of the main tourist cities, namely Suva and Nadi. Use normal caution.
• Fiji is hot and humid. It also has lots of mosquitoes, so bring lots of repellent.
• As Fiji is so small, once you've seen one city we've seen them all.
• If you are looking for ancient cities and culutral ruins, you won't find much.
• Once you get off the main city roads you are back on bumpy pot-holed dirt streets, a reminder that Fiji is still very much a developing country. This is a minor inconvenience, however, as it's rare you'll be traveling these areas.
• There is a bit of back-biting between the different ethnic groups, but generally everybody gets along fine.
• Once in a while the lack of technology and "Fiji Time" make it frustrating to get things accomplished. Then again, if everything was all-efficient, it would be a boring place to visit!

Comments? E-mail me at [email protected].

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