Fiji Island is not just an island, it is an adventure! A country in the South Pacific Ocean, it offers a lot of excitement for fun lovers with its white sand beaches, fragrant gardens, turquoise land waters, beautiful flowers, a lush rainforest with many coconut palms, botanical gardens and waterfalls. Fiji has a lot of islands scattered in it, about 300 with about 100 being inhabited. Its coral reefs make the island such a beauty to behold. If you’re thinking of visiting this Pacific island paradise, there are few things you should know.
The food? Delicious!
Ask specifically for Indo-Fijian delicacies. The influence of the Indians on the natives resulted from the migration of Indians to Fiji as indentured slaves during colonial rule by the British. Spiced roti, curries, dhal, chutney are some of the traditional meals you can get for between $1 to $3. There’s still that spice of pacific island food like root crops and crab in the Indo-Fiji foods, which shows the heavy influence of the Pacific on these Indians. Want to have a variety of seafoods, or vegetarian friendly dishes? Then the Wicked Walu Seafood Restaurant is your best shot. Sazanami Restaurant also has nice delicacies.
But hey! Be careful not to have—if at all—much reef fish. You see, reef fishes are sometimes, in certain periods of the year, infected because of the occasional toxic bloom on corals which the reef fishes feed on. It’s best to dine on sea or deep-water fishes like marlin, mahi, or tuna. Similarly, its important that you have food only when it’s hot, and water only if it’s filtered or boiled, as certain food poisonings are associated with the Pacific.
The adventure? Incredible!
If you want to really see the best part of Fiji, it’s usually off the tourist trails in your guide. There’s more to this centre of attraction than just coral coasts; there are places you can visit which would draw you closer to the traditions of the locals besides just fanciful aesthetic centres of attraction. For instance, in Beqa Island in Fiji, there is a fire walking ceremony where men perform a ritual where they walk across fired, hot stones. The outskirts of Levuka, Fiji’s old capital in Ovalau Island has mangroves with topography for hitchhiking.
When not indulging in traditional cultural activities of the locals, check out the exciting excursions at Nadi Tivua, where snorkeling and barbeque takes fun to a whole new level! Taking a canoe ride down the Navua river, or a trip to the cloud 9 floating platform are also fun excursion points on the island of Fiji. Joining in on the Malamala beach club and experiencing the cultural nights heightens the fun that the island offers.
The cost? Pretty high!
But be warned, Fiji Island is an expensive place to travel around. Because it has many fine places to see, tourist rides to these places are notoriously expensive. The resorts, too, clandestinely lure visitors with low accommodation prices but often come with compulsory meal packages and activities. But if you have a strict budget you want to maintain, then you may resort (no pun intended) to local guest houses, also known as Airbnbs. Nonetheless, you would find Warwick Fiji to be a great lodging choice as it was the Traveller’s Choice Winner in 2019.
So, before you decide whether to visit Fiji Island or not, do your math. Count the cost; if cost isn’t an issue, you’re in for an adventure of a lifetime!