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Specialties: Drift Diving, Live-aboard Diving. Fiji
is known as the “Soft Coral Capital of the World.”
The Fiji
islands are located in the Pacific Ocean about 1750 miles
northeast of Sydney, Australia. The archipelago is comprised of
over 300 islands scattered across 80,000 square miles. The two
main islands are Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. Only a third of the
Fiji Islands are inhabited, leaving 200 islands and their waters
untouched by civilization. The Fijians are among the
friendliest and most hospitable people in the world, greeting
with a warm Bula!
Throughout
Fiji are accommodations suited to every budget and traveler.
From private island resorts like the celebrity haunts of Wakaya
and Vatulel to an authentic and traditional Fijian bure
(boo-ray). A bure is a thatched-roof cottage, usually round in
shape which has a high-peak roof and breezy, open-air design.
Some dive purists feel the only way to fully appreciate Fiji’s
waters is by live-aboard boat. Many remote sites are only
accessible by live-aboard and dive passengers enjoy their
mobility and luxury. Fiji has fringing reefs, atolls, and
lagoons lavished with everything from tunnels, grottos, to sheer
drop-off walls.
Topside
attractions include the Orchid Island Fijian Cultural Center
outside of Suva and the Fiji Museum in the Thurston Botanical
Gardens in Suva. At the cultural center, visitors ride in
dugout canoes making stops at typical Fijian villages where
villagers make bark cloth, weave baskets, make chief’s bure, and
participate in other traditions. Also on the site is Bure Kalou,
a 50-foot native temple. Throughout the grounds are traditional
dances, crafts shops and places to picnic.
Best
Diving Months: Fiji’s winter from May to September.
Water
Temperature: Water temperatures range from 78°F to 80°F
year-round.
Underwater
Visibility: Visibility in Fiji is generally between 50-150
feet and especially good in the winter. Soft corals require
plankton for feeding, so there will always be plankton where the
corals are the lush. Visibility is superb on the outer
reefs.
Airport
Info: Nadi (nahn-dee) on the west coast of the main island
of Viti Levu. Inter-island air is available for flights to
other islands, as well as high-speed hydrofoil service.
Documents
and Customs Regulations: A passport is required of U.S.
citizens as well as a round-trip or onward ticket.
Language:
English is the official language although Fijians speak Fijian
and Hindi.
Climate:
From June to October is winter in Fiji and the air temperature
ranges from 68°F- 73°F. In the rainy summer months from
November to May, air temperatures range from 73°F to 86°F.
Government:
A republic, governed by a prime minister, and divided into 16
regional ministries.
Electrical
Current: 240 volts, with three-pronged Australian-type
outlets. Converters are required for American appliances. Some
live-aboards and resorts supply converters.
Current Weather:
Get current weather from Weather.com
Currency:
The Fijian Dollar (FJD). Credit cards are accepted at most
resorts. Get
current exchange rate from XE.com
Current Time: The
Fiji Islands (GMT +12). Travelers coming from North
America will cross the International Date Line.
Get current time from WorldTimeServer.com
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