![]() Fiji was incredible! We've compiled a short list of things we loved about Fiji and think would be useful when traveling to Fiji! 10. What to Wear Fiji is a conservative country when it comes to attire. We were reassured on the resort to wear whatever we like but when entering the villages there are some considerations we could make to respect their culture. When off the resort wearing bikinis, bathing suites and overly revealing outfits is not recommended and seen as disrespectful. You'll see men wearing a pocket sarong called a pocket sulu. It fits just past the knees worn with a tropical or loose fitting button up shirt. Women will wear long skirts past the knees with shoulders covered. Pants are seen as a foreigners wear although most of the young people will wear pants and t-shirts to work and change for village affairs. It's no problem for tourist to wear pants and conservative tops off the resorts. 9. Eat you heart out! Fijians eat a lot of fish and for good reason, they have an amazing selection at their door step. Definitely try some of the local catches served with some cassava and taro. Kokoda (ko-kon-da) is a local dish worth trying if you like sushi! It's raw fish served in coconut milk with spices and tomatoes; makes for a great lunch on a sunny day! Coconut, pumpkin and pineapple are also very abundant and delicious. If you are driving around Fiji you'll see lots of snack stands and food stalls along the road which are worth a stop to get some truly local flavours. 8. Drink it down Fiji has some great local alcoholic bevies worth trying. There are three major beer brands easily found, Fiji Bitter, Fiji Premium and Fiji Gold. Fiji Gold was a nice light beer not unlike Coorslight but better. Fiji Premium has a bit more flavour to it and Bitter is a bit hoppier. If you're not a beer drinker Fiji offers some great Rums made from the sugar cane grown in abundance. You can't go very far in Fiji without smelling the burning sugarcane fields. Kava is a must try when in Fiji too! It's a traditional drink made from Kava root mixed with water and some herbs. It tastes like muddy water and makes your mouth numb but definitely worth the experience. It's not just the drinking of the Kava that is worth it however, it's the clapping and ceremony that goes with it. Find some friends while in Fiji and ask a local they'll sort you out! Water is not suitable for drinking in Fiji. Fresh filtered bottle water is easy to find however. Fiji water and other's are produced locally. Purchase water in bulk off the resorts at a local supermarket where they're way cheaper. You can get a 2L bottle for under 3 FJD vs on our resort for 8 FJD! 7. Soak it in The weather in FIji is beautiful most of the year though try and avoid travel November to February during Cyclone season. Last February Fiji saw their worst Cyclone in recorded history and the damage was still apparent 7 months later during our visit. Blue tents dotted the villages, donated from China. Trees still knocked down and new power lines still being put up from the miles of lines that had fallen. During our visit in September the weather was a gorgeous 27 degrees and fairly windy. Because of the wind the water wasn't as clear as it would be in peak season, March and April. That being said it was still fantastic snorkeling! 6. Snorkeling Bliss Fiji offers some of the worlds best soft coral snorkeling and diving. Unlike their far off neighbours in Australia there is little fear here. While there are sharks in Fiji they are mostly reef, bull and some tiger sharks with very few attacks recorded per year. You can actually dive with bull and tiger sharks in certain parts of Fiji. We were advised there are no jellies to worry about and any jellyfish we did see don't sting. We didn't see sharks or jellyfish thankfully. 5. Talk the Talk Fiji' has 3 official languages with English being one. You'll find most people will speak Fijian to each other but can speak English no problem. While you can speak English to get around we recommend trying Fijian. It is a great language and fun to speak, worth using a few words during your visit! Bula (Boo-la) means hello but is used for lots of situations. Instead of saying cheers to a drink they'll say Bula! Vinaka (Vee-Nack-a) means thank you but again you'll hear it used more generally. You say Vinaka they'll usually say it back instead of you're welcome. You'll hear Bula Vinaka said a fare bit as well. The main language spoken and written in Fiji, where we get Bula from, is actually just one of many dialects spoken and known around the 14 provinces in Fiji. It became dominant after it was the dialect chosen to translate the first version of the Bible into Fijian when British missionaries came in the 17th century. 4. Cannibal Past Fiji has been populated as far back as 1600 BC. It's history is rich with stories of cannibal chiefs and survival. Not far from our resort at Wananavu in the village of Rakiraki you can visit the grave of the last known cannibal chief Udre Udre who's said to have eaten between 600-1000 people! This estimate comes from the number of rocks he collected, claiming that each stone represented a person he had eaten. These stones are now beside his grave located just off the Kings Highway. The theory on cannabalism in Fiji's past comes in part from the story of how people first landed on these remote islands, by boat. To survive the long journey scholars believe they would have started eating their dead. This later turned into something much more linked with their beliefs and hierarchy. For example, lower chiefs would provide body parts to the head chief after a battle which explains how Udre Udre could claim to have eaten so many. Cannibalism was not a subject I was prepared to bring up despite my intrigue but was relieved when some of the native Fijians we met brought it up themselves. Seen as a taboo subject and very unrelated from current day Fiji they now offer tours to Udre Udre's tomb and re-tell his notoriety. This is likely an easier subject for them to talk about now because most of the country is Christian. The people we spoke to often referred to the old religions as demon worshipping. 3. Current Day Fiji One of my travel rules is to never bring up politics or religion unless they do first. Thankfully they did and were very open about their past and present. Since 2006 Fiji has been united under 1 Fiji meaning anyone who lives in Fiji is Fijian. Prior to 2006 there were two governments 1 of Fijian Chiefs and one of British. There was more segregation of people as well with there being Native Fijian, Hindu Fijian etc. Everyone we spoke to seemed really happy with this change, to be united under 1 Fiji. Fiji is more than 50% Christian, churches can be easily seen in every village as you drive through. The church's are open to all during service so long as you respect their dress codes and are there for worship. We were advised that walking in to the churches to see them was frowned upon. Hinduism is second highest with over 40% and the remaining population is scattering of other religions. Only 0.4% of Fiji is non- religious! This would put Chris and I in the vast minority. Most shops are shut on Sundays because of this focus on religion with the exception of major hotels so plan ahead! 2. Gratuities
It's a horrible feeling to be unsure if you're cheaping out on a tip or if it's really not expected. In Fiji tipping is neither customary nor expected. However despite this there are times we feel compelled to give a bit extra for extraordinary service. At Wananavu Resort they had a fantastic idea that instead of tipping throughout your stay you had the option to contribute to their Christmas Funds Box. This money then benefits everyone working at the resort, not just the staff who interact with guests directly. We loved this idea and gave what we had left in Fijian dollars to this box at the end of our stay. 1. The People The people are in our minds,are what makes or break our overall experience in a new place. We met some fantastic people during our short stay in Fiji, both locals and fellow travellers. The locals in Fiji are warm, friendly and exited about sharing their culture. You can really get a sense from visiting the villages and meeting locals that they have a strong sense of community and caring for each other.
1 Comment
Derek Bains
9/19/2016 05:03:49 am
Looks like a great start guys! Definitely jealous of warmth and water.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Nicole & ChrisWe've left our jobs to travel the world! Categories
All
Archives
March 2017
|