My second layover from Costa Rica to Australia was in Fiji for 4 hours. I had never been to a Pacific island nation before so I decided to extend my 4 hours to 4 nights!
I flew with Fiji Airways which had great service and the food was delish. I would recommend watching Elvis and Don't Let Go. Fiji requires all visitors to bring proof of their Covid vaccination.
I stayed on the main island of Viti Levu. The first thing that hit me was the humidity. And I came to appreciate the green landscape and the friendly locals. The three main languages of Fiji are English, Fijian, and Hindi. In 1874, the British annexed Fiji and forced the locals into slave labour. By 1890, Indian indentured labourers were favoured over Melanisians, and now, Indo-Fijians make up almost 40% of the population.
Many of the locals I met asked me the same series of questions:
Do you have a partner?
Are you Christian?
Do you drink alcohol?
While the rest of the country may operate on 'Fiji Time', I visited during the wet season where there is exactly one hour of rain every day at 3pm. I have never seen weather be so consistent!
The mosquitoes were pretty annoying though; they carry dengue fever, so make sure you bring repellent.
I stayed at Bamboo hostel on Wailoaloa Bay (which I believe has a new name now). The staff were very friendly, although the facilities were average and it lacked a kitchen. It is also not very conveniently located for shopping and public transport.
While I did enjoy my down time, Fiji is not the place for solo, young travellers. It's best for couples and families who can afford to spend a bit extra to stay in the resorts.
I had an incredible surf lesson with Godfrey at Natadola beach. Natadola is the best beach on Viti Levu and is perfect for surfing and snorkelling.
I tried kava for the first time which is a ceremonial drink made by mixing water with the powdered root vegetable. As it's a cultural practice, you show respect by covering your knees and shoulders, and often removing your shoes. You can choose to have a high tide (full cup) or a low tide (half cup). Then you say some words and clap before drinking it all in one gulp. It is supposed to be a sedative, but I didn't feel anything.
In terms of food, I had a delicious roti pasty which comes from the Indian cuisine.
I went on a half-day tour with WesterZaif Tours. Our guide was Samu and he took us to the Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami Temple which is the largest Hindu temple in the Pacific, although, it is often closed for worship. We also went to the Sabeto Mud Pool (which was great for my sunburn) and to the Garden of the Sleeping Giant (named after the mountains which look like a sleeping man). There we did a walking tour of the orchid garden that was founded in 1977.
Nadi International Airport is very small and quiet. I was told to arrive at 5am for my 8am flight, but even 6am would have been plenty. While most people crowd around the gates and food court, there is a quiet area which bed-like seats in between Gate 7 and the Duty Free area.
Notes:
- I was no longer the token Aussie...Fiji is very popular among Australians
- Fijian tap water is technically drinkable, but it made me feel a little queasy so I'd say drink with caution
- Unfortunately, not all my experiences in Fiji were good. I had wanted to do some shopping in Nadi when a 'friendly' man approached me on the way to the ATM and asked if I'd like to see his shop. I went in and was cornered by five other men who practically made me tap my card for a seriously overpriced wooden bowl. Then he proceeded to chase me down the street. It was awful. The next day, I saw the same thing in a different shop for about four times less which made me feel humiliated. I told my hostel who contacted the Tourist Police. They drove me back to the shop with the bowl and amazingly, got the men to return the money. Lessons learned: if possible, don't pay for things you don't want & always ask your hostel for shop recommendations
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