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Mabel Lui

Characterised by white sand beaches and clear cerulean waters, the Fijian archipelago comprises more than 330 South Pacific islands, most of which were formed more than 150 million years ago through volcanic activity.
Early settlers were said to be fierce warriors and cannibals, but a lot has changed since then; much of Fiji’s charm lies in the friendliness of its people and their natural hospitality.
It all begins the moment you arrive at the airport – that will most likely be Nadi International Airport, on the main island of Viti Levu, if you are flying in from overseas – where a group of singers greets arrivals at immigration with a hearty “Bula!” and a traditional welcome song.
The greeting is exchanged often, day and night, even between strangers passing each other on the road.

Although some tourists may cite Fijian hospitality as a reason to return, most first-time visitors head straight for a “scenic tropical getaway” on one of the country’s smaller islands.
There is a wide variety: the more adventurous visitor can easily island-hop or set off on a hike in the mountains, while couples looking for a bit of R&R are spoiled for choice when it comes to luxury resorts.
Those looking for a quick, soft landing might consider Denarau, a man-made island near the airport containing resorts, restaurants and entertainment venues.

If going to Fiji for the beaches and water sports, and not for a family holiday where accessibility and child-friendly activities are priorities, you are better off taking a ferry or seaplane to one of Fiji’s outer islands, or even just driving down the coast.
For novice scuba divers, the easily accessible Mamanuca and Yasawa islands hold the promise of colourful coral reefs, sea turtles and schools of fish.
Fiji’s crystal-clear waters lend themselves exceptionally well to water sports; everything from kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding (even if it can get windy during the colder months) to snorkelling, scuba diving and surfing. The Mamanuca Islands’ Cloudbreak reef break has what are considered some of the best waves in the world.


On the culinary front, signature Fijian dishes include kokoda, which consists of raw fish cured with lime juice and served with coconut milk.
Coconuts are abundant throughout the archipelago; locals can teach you how to use the leaves to make accessories and squeeze milk out from the meat. Root vegetables such as cassava and taro (known in Fiji as dalo) are also frequently used in Fijian dishes.
For more extravagant meals and special occasions, Fijians prepare a lovo, essentially an underground for which wrapped marinated meats are placed over hot coals in a pit. Once covered, the meat slow-cooks until it is tender and full of smoky flavour.

Perhaps even more ubiquitous than coconuts in Fiji is kava, the national drink typically served during a ceremony. Nonalcoholic but mildly sedative – the more you drink, the sleepier you’ll get – this earthy liquid, often described as “muddy”, is made by crushing the root of the kava plant and mixing the resulting powder with water.
Visitors participate in kava ceremonies as part of a welcome into a traditional Fijian village, but before that, you should remember to present the chief with a kava root as a sign of respect.
Though performative, a visit to a traditional village allows visitors to gain a glimpse into the lives of indigenous Fijians, more than half of whom are Christian.
At Tau Village, near Momi Bay, for example, chickens and dogs run free around the village and its church, which stands in the middle of the houses. Birthdays and other occasions are celebrated with a village-wide feast, and guests are greeted by adults and children with welcome and goodbye songs.

Downsides to Fiji
Part of Fiji’s appeal is its remoteness, but that means getting there can be difficult for tourists coming from anywhere other than Australia or New Zealand.
Visitors from the United States are the third largest tourist group in Fiji, though many Americans favour travelling domestically, to Hawaii, instead of flying the few extra hours necessary to reach Nadi.
Fiji is an even harder sell to those from Asia, who tend to prefer more affordable and accessible destinations such as Thailand or Indonesia.
Google Flights is no help in Tourism Fiji’s struggle to attract Asian tourists. A random search might show flights from Hong Kong to Fiji going for upwards of HK$20,000 (US$2,600), with two stops in a 20-plus hour journey, depending on a traveller’s destination island.
However, if you plug in the right dates, it is possible to get from Hong Kong to Nadi for just over HK$6,000 on a 10-hour nonstop flight.

Once in Fiji, public transport can be difficult to come by, as buses mainly run only on the larger islands. You can take a ferry to the outer islands from Denarau, but for trips to and from the airport, and even around the main island, your best bet is to arrange a private car in advance.
Staying on convenient Denarau may make the journey to your Fijian base slightly shorter, but it’s worth bearing in mind that mangrove swamps were cleared to facilitate the construction of its golf course and marina, and the water along the island’s coastline is murkier than elsewhere in the archipelago.
Fiji is reeling from a host of social issues, including racial tensions between indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians, whose ancestors were brought to the islands as indentured labourers by the British in the 19th century, when the nation was a crown colony.
Occasionally, differences between the two groups – economic, sociocultural, religious and land-related – boil over, resulting in four military coups, the last of which was in 2006.

A cloudy future
Climate change is one of Fiji’s most pressing concerns.
In 2016, Cyclone Winston – one of the most intense tropical cyclones ever recorded in the southern hemisphere – wreaked havoc on the archipelago, leaving 44 people dead and 45,000 displaced. Around 40 per cent of the entire Fijian population of 840,000 was affected by the storm, and 40,000 homes were damaged or destroyed.
Climate scientists warn that these storms will become more destructive as the planet warms.
Rising sea levels and coastal erosion caused by climate change also threaten several of Fiji’s largest industries, including agriculture.
Fiji has experienced a major decline in sugar cane production in recent years, with the area under cultivation falling from 5,078 hectares (19.6 square miles) in 2018 to 1,562 hectares in 2022, partly because of climate hazards such as flooding, droughts and tropical cyclones.


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Fiji’s clear waters, white sand beaches and friendly islanders make it a tropical paradise

Fiji’s clear waters and colourful coral reefs are just some of the things that make it a great tropical getaway. Photo: Getty Images

A Fiji Airways plane at Nadi International Airport, where most foreign visitors to Fiji land. Photo: Shutterstock

The Fijian archipelago is known for its cerulean waters. Photo: Mabel Lui

A surfer in action at the Cloudbreak reef break, which is regularly named among the top 10 best waves in the world. Photo: Shutterstock

Kokoda is a signature Fijian dish made with raw fish cured with lime and served with coconut milk. Photo: Shutterstock

Fish cooked in a lovo, an underground oven where food is wrapped in leaves and baked over hot coals. Photo: Shutterstock

Chickens run free at Tau Village, on Viti Levu. Photo: Mabel Lui

Suva, the capital of Fiji. Photo: Getty Images

Women walk past an army checkpoint in central Suva, in 2006, after the bloodless military coup. Photo: AFP

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A green sea turtle in waters near Puerto Galera in the Philippines. Photo: Sarah Gillespie

A shoal of lyretail anthias in waters near Puerto Galera in the Philippines. This diving location might not be as trendy as others in the country such as Coron and Camiguin, but for our correspondent, an experienced scuba diver, it trumps them all. Photo: Sarah Gillespie

Moorish idol fish in the waters near Puerto Galera. Photo: Sarah Gillespie

Sabang, where most of Puerto Galera’s dive shops are located. Photo: Sarah Gillespie

A moray eel at Wreck Point, near Puerto Galera. Photo: Sarah Gillespie

An anemone shrimp at Secret Beach, near Puerto Galera. Photo: Sarah Gillespie

A seahorse at Secret Beach, near Puerto Galera. Photo: Sarah Gillespie

Iraya children in traditional dress at Mangyan Village. Photo: Sarah Gillespie

Iraya weaver Airene Pampilo makes a trivet from strands of nito. Photo: Sarah Gillespie

A colourful sea slug at Verde Island Philippines. Photo: Sarah Gillespie

Two red-horned sea slugs at Verde Island Philippines. Photo: Sarah Gillespie

A green sea turtle at Verde Island. Photo: Sarah Gillespie

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Tizkmoudine in a 14th century Moroccan Berber settlement is 700,000 Heures Impact’s newest luxury destination. For French hotelier Thierry Teyssier, his brand’s impact on  indigenous communities is “more important” than guests’ experiences. Photo: 700,000 Heures Impact

The main swimming pool and kasbah at Teyssier’s property in Skoura, Morocco. Photo: Getty Images

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Foreign tourists take pictures of Mount Fuji at the Lawson Fujikawaguchiko Ekimae convenience store in May, 2024 – before a black screen was erected there to obscure the famous view. Photo: EPA

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The South Pacific country known for world-class watersports, food and hospitality makes for a great tropical getaway despite some downsides


With its beautiful beaches, food and famously hospitable people, Fiji makes for a great tropical getaway for those willing to make the journey – even if the country does have a few bad points.


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