Facts about Fiji

A brief history of Fiji

The Group of Islands known as the Fiji Islands comprises of around 320 Islands and 522 islets. Around 105 of the islands are inhabited. It has a total land mass of 18,376 km2, and an ocean area of 710,000 km2, about the same size as Texas, or a little smaller than New South Wales.

Fiji was first populated by the Lapita people around 3000 years ago. The Lapitians were a distinct cultural group that are thought to have originated in South East Asia, moved through the Malaya peninsular before populating the south pacific including the Eastern Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.

Abel Tasman stumbled across the Islands in 1643 while still searching for the great southern supercontinent. Captain Cook passed through in 1774 for the first time before making several more visits. The first Europeans to settle in the islands began to arrive in the early 19th century. They were often shipwrecked sailors or escaped convicts from Australia.

In the mid 19th century the missionaries began to arrive and the face of Fiji would change for ever. Christianity was soon adopted by many and the terrifying practice of cannibalism came to a halt in the islands.

In the late 1800’s indentured labour from India was bought to the islands to assist in the development of the sugar cane industry. While the farm workers had the choice of returning to India at the end of their contract, many chose to stay on, and who can blame them for that! Today Indians make up around 44% of Fijis 850,000 inhabitants.

Language

There are three official languages in Fiji, they are Fijian, English and Hindustani. There are two main dialects, Eastern and Western, and many sub dialects. Fijian is actually the Bau dialect which originates from the island of Bau in Fiji’s east. The Bauan were politically very strong at the time of colonisation hence their dialect was adapted as the official language. Most people in Fiji speak several languages and most speak English.

Climate

There is very little change in the temperature in Fiji throughout the year, only between 2 and 4 degrees C. The coolest months are July and August and the warmest months are January and February. Night time temperatures can drop to as low as 18 to 20°C with daily highs around 30 to 32°C.

There are two distinct seasons in Fiji. The wet season, from November until April, and the dry season from May until October. There are also two regions in Fiji, the dry zone and the wet zone. The dry zone in Fiji’s west, where Mantaray Island resort is located, receives less than 1700 mm of rain. In the wet zone, in Fiji’s east rainfall can vary from 3000mm around the coast and up to 6000mm in the mountainous areas.

Much of Fiji’s rain comes in the form of brief heavy localised showers. It does not rain all day every day during the wet season as many people mistakenly believe. Fiji is also exposed to long spells of very dry weather, even as long as four months. During this time the western regions, location of Mantaray Island Resort, may receive little if any rain.

Handy Stuff to know

Power: Fiji operates on 220-240 V and uses a three pin plug the same as in Australia and New Zealand.

International Dialling code + 679

Health

No special vaccines are required for Fiji however many travel vaccination companies recommend vaccinations for Diphtheria, Hepatitis A and Tetanus.

Drinking water – Fiji produces some of the finest water in the world. In fact Fiji water is one the worlds leading producers of bottled water secondly only to Evian. It is safe to drink water in most resorts and main towns however boiling is recommended in rural areas. Many small islands rely on bore water which is not suitable for drinking. Bottled water is inexpensive and widely available.

Malaria – There is no malaria in Fiji

Tropical infections – Small cuts and scrapes can easily become infected, particularly if the cut has be caused by making contact with coral. It’s always a good idea to carry an antiseptic cream, ensure wounds are properly cleaned and treated as soon as possible.

Visa Information

Holders of Passports from visa exempt countries are granted visitors visas valid for 4 months on arrival. Extensions can be made up to 6 months on condition that they hold a valid passport (valid for 3 months) beyond the intended period of stay in Fiji, outward ticket and sufficient funds to facilitate duration of stay.

What countries are exempt from acquiring visas for entry into Fiji?

A. Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Estonia, Germany, Micronesia, Finland, France, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pacific Islands, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, South Korea, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Source Fiji.gov.fj