Fiji is located in the South Pacific, east of Australia and south of the Equator. There are approximately 333 islands in the Fiji archipelago, the two largest are the extinct volcanoes of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. Fiji is where you swim with huge, harmless manta rays, snorkel over giant rainbow gardens of coral or scuba dive the White Wall and famous Astrolabe Reef. It is also where you float in the calm turquoise waters and walk alone through lush rainforest. The sun shines almost every day and when there is a brief downpour people rush outside for a warm rain bath. Fiji is a place where rushing is rude, a new friend’s name is not forgotten and people wear flowers tucked in their hair just because they like to. The principle languages are Fijian and Hindustani, but English is widely spoken.
Fiji Climate
Fiji is a tropical destination that’s warm year round. June through August is considered winter in Fiji with lows in the 70’s and highs in the low to mid 80’s. This is also the dry season with humidity at comfortable levels for the most part. December through March is summer time in Fiji with lows in the mid 70’s and highs in the mid to upper 80’s. This is also the rainy season and its more humid. May and September are transitional months between the seasons. Fiji is blessed with moderate temperatures, moderate humidity and sunny days year round.
How to Dress in Fiji
For the daytime, shorts, tee shirts, sandals and swimsuit are usually all you need, rainwear for the wet season is suggested. Dress modestly when away from your resort or hotel. Always carry a sulu (sarong, lavalava, pareu) to cover bathing togs or shorts and halter tops.
Getting to/from the Airport
Allow plenty of time. We strongly suggest arriving 3 hours prior to your international departure and 3 hours for your connecting flight home.
Required Documents for Fiji
Passports are required for travel to Fiji and must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended stay. Visa’s are not required for citizens of the U.S. or citizens of Common Wealth countries. Please inquire if you are traveling from other countries.
Fiji Packing Tips
Avoid wearing shoes, clothing, and jewelry that contain metal. Don’t bring wrapped presents. Carry on baggage may be limited to one carry on bag plus one personal item. Personal items include laptops, purses, small backpacks, briefcases, or camera cases. All gels and liquids must be in 3oz containers or less and placed in a clear plastic zip-top one quart bag. One zip-top bag per person. Keep the plastic zip-top baggie out of your hand carried bag, as you will need to place it in a security bin for screening. Exemptions are larger amounts of required medications, baby formula and diabetic glucose treatment, which must be declared to security officers at the entrance to the check-point for screening. Checked baggage is limited to two per passenger. Do not over pack. Each checked bag may weigh 70 pounds if traveling internationally without incurring additional fees.
Security Screening Tips
We recommended you check in 2 hours before your scheduled departure. Only passengers holding boarding passes will be allowed through the security checkpoint. All passengers will need to provide a valid state or federal government-issued picture identification at time of check in, and is required at security checkpoints. Knives and other cutting instruments, club like items such as baseball bats, golf clubs, pool cues, are prohibited beyond the security checkpoint. If your bag is selected for secondary screening, it may be opened and examined on a table in your presence. Passengers are required to take off their shoes before going through metal detector.
Approximate Flight Times
From Nadi to London is 27 hours 45 minutes (plus connection/stopover time), to Los Angeles is 9 hours 30 minutes and to Sydney is 3 hours 45 minutes.
Meals on Board the Aircraft
Meals and beverages (including alcohol) are complimentary on flights from U.S. gateways to Fiji. As the flights are generally overnight in both directions you will be served a light dinner/snack shortly after departure and breakfast prior to arrival. A wide range of special meals for travelers with religious, ethnic and dietary requirements are available on both carriers flying to Fiji.
During your flight
Chew on gum, yawn or suck on hard candies to help relieve the pressure that builds in your ears. Drink plenty of water. Do light stretching exercises. The relatively low humidity in the cabin can increase allergy or asthma symptoms. Take preventative measures as necessary.
To combat jet lag
Reset your watch to the destinations time as soon as you get on the plane. Eat before you get on the plane so hunger does not prevent you from sleeping on the flight. If you’re using a blanket, buckle your seat belt over the blanket. That way, a flight attendant checking seat belts won’t awaken you. If it’s daytime when you arrive but nighttime at home, don’t sleep.
Flying during pregnancy
It is generally recommended that women not fly at all during their last six weeks of pregnancy. Some airlines require pregnant passengers to provide a doctor’s statement and women should always consult their obstetricians before traveling.
Traveling with Children
Consider a red-eye flight. This increases the chance that children will be able to sleep through the majority of the trip. Bring toys the children have never used, the newness will hold their attention longer. Bring plenty of juice. Finger foods are a great distraction. When traveling with your baby, give him or her a bottle or pacifier to suck on during takeoff and landing. This will help normalize pressure on the ears and keep your baby comfortable.
Travelers with Special Needs
Please advise your airline in advance to arrange any special services to ensure assistance. Most airlines transport personal wheelchairs including folding, collapsible or non-folding manual wheelchairs, and electric/battery powered wheelchairs and electric powered carts.
Fiji Time
When it is 9am in Fiji, it is: 9pm in London previous day, 10pm Frankfurt previous day, 4pm New York previous day, 1pm Los Angles previous day, 6am Tokyo same day, 9am Auckland same day, 7am Sydney same day.
Currency
Fijian Dollar (F$) = 55 cents. Notes are in denominations of F$50, 20, 10, 5 and 2. Coins are in denominations of F$1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents. Currency exchange is available at the airport, at trading banks and at most hotels. ATM’s may not accept foreign credit cards. MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club and Visa are accepted at a number of establishments. If using travelers checks, travelers are advised to take travelers checks in Australian Dollars or Pounds Sterling to avoid additional exchange rate charges.
Transportation
The most common way to get from the airport to your resort destination is by pre-arranged transfers. Taxi’s are available at most resort hotels or can be arranged with a phone call. Check with the resort to see what the average fare would be to your final destination and negotiate the fare with the driver before departure, often times you can arrange with the driver to return and pick you up after your excursion. Rental cars are available and an International Driving Permit is required. Driving is on the left side of the road and once outside of the towns driving is in rural areas, so watch for animals in the roadway.
Travel to Fiji
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