Ok, we are off the Fiji in a week for the first time with 2 small children so is there anything I need to know?
we are staying on the main Island not for from Nadi so are there any places we need to go to or to avoid? Any customs we need to follow ( I dont want to offend anyone).
What about dress code? tipping? shopping/ markets?? etc etc anything really. thanks:) If you're staying in a resort then you really dont need to know much. It's pretty well targeted at foreign visitors, so following the customs and the like wont be that important.
Here are a few tips though:
- Dress casually. Fiji is hot and humid most of the year, and so people dont really go around in suits or formal dress for most occassions. Sandals, shorts (that come down to the knee) and a short sleeved t-shirt or tank top will be fine during the day if you're in town or in a larger town.
People in villages are more conservative, so if you go out there, then a shirt with longer sleeves and a skirt or shorts to AT LEAST the knees is essential. Please dont visit a village in a tank top and mini-shorts. It's disrespectful. (I know that sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people do that, and then wonder why they arent treated very politely by the people.)
Dress clothes dont need to be anything more than a collared short sleeve shirt and a light pair of slacks for men, and the equivalent for women.
Tipping - Except in the most expensive places, you dont tip. It's not the custom in Fiji (It's not the custom in most former British colonies in the Pacific, including New Zealand and Australia.) It is acceptable to leave loose SILVER coins that you get back as change on the table if you'd like, but dont leave more than a dollar. This is important to remember because sometimes tipping causes offense, because it's seen as "giving charity" to proud people. It's best to avoid.
Places to avoid - Nadi is perfectly safe during the day, but crime can be a little bit of a hassle at night. Mind you, it's probably still safer than most big cities around the world, but after dark in Nadi Town, take a taxi. They're cheap (Make sure you agree on a price before going with the driver, or get him to use the meter if he has one) so it's worth it.
Also, dont just "turn up" to rural villages. These places are still quite traditional, and to visit one, you really need to pre-arrange it with the Village Headman or go on a tour. Taxi drivers in Nadi will probably offer to take you to one if you like, but just try and make sure it's ok with the Villagers themselves. There is no need to do this if you go on a tour with your resort or travel agency. Just dress conservatively.
Personally, I wouldnt do any "tour" that a taxi driver offers you. Sometimes these are good value, but unless you know exactly what you want to see and how you want to see it, it's best to use a reliable travel agent or your hotel. This is because the taxi's sometimes run commission scams where they'll drive you around to different "tourist sites" (Read: Gift shops) where you'll be set upon by salesmen trying to sell you souveniers. The driver gets a commission for this, and you'll end up wasting a day.
If you do know exactly what you want to see, you could consider taking the bus. The local buses in Fiji are really cheap, safe and a good way to see the local side of life. Bare in mind though, that they arent the most comfortable ride in the world though.
- Shopping and bargaining: Fiji has some really nice handcrafts made out of wood. If you'd like to buy one, just make sure you can get it back through your countries quarantine section when you come home. (This is often a challenge for people returning to Australia and New Zealand since the quaratine laws are so strict.)
Dont pay the first price someone asks you for for souveniers. Bargaining is expected and fun. Fijians arent vicious bargainers and it's often treated as a chance to have a chat. So be friendly, make a few jokes, make small talk before getting down to the discussion about money. This will often get you a better price.
On the same note: Fijians are really relaxed people and like to stand around and chat. It's polite to make small talk with someone before asking them for directions or help. This of course means things take a lot longer to get done in Fiji than they do in other countries, so also get used to things running on "Fiji time". That is: Dont stress out if bus or driver is up to half hour late. It's just the way it works there.
Food: The food at all the big resorts is totally fine to eat, and usually to the same standard as you'd be used to at home.
In town the food at the local restaraunts is cheaper than in the resorts though. Every town (Especially Nadi) has Indian restaraunts, but sadly traditional Fijian food is hard to find. The Indian food is quite good and safe to eat, but it can be pretty spicy and it might upset young children's stomachs, so be a little careful.
And that's about it. I really love Fiji and hope to go back. The people are so friendly and relaxed, it's fantastic. Have fun!
P.S Rebecca makes a good point about the carvers putting your name on the wood without you asking them to. This has happened to me before. Just remember that you do not have to pay for it, and they know it. They wont call the police because the police wont do anything about it (unless they are being paid off by this guy on the side.)
Just walk out if they try this scam on you. That last person really covered it well. One more thing that I want to add from my knoweledge is, beware of some of the woodcarvers in the cities, from my experience Nadi. I know of a person who went into a woodcarvers shop and had not purchased an item, but the woodcarver asked them what their name was and then carved it into a piece of wood. Then when the person would not pay for it they got really mad and even called the police.
My husband and I also had kind of a weird experience in a carving shop where we felt like the guy was up to no good.
Just a head's up.
You don't have to go into one of those shops to buy a carving, you can get it in another shop. |
