Travel Advice
for visitors to Fiji and returning nationals

General information and useful contacts

Money

Currency
The Fijian dollar is the basic unit of currency, available in denominations of $2, $5, $10, $20, $50. Coins: 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c and $1. There is no limit to the amount of money to be brought in. Visitors are allowed to take out currency up to the amount imported.


Credit card
Major credit cards are welcomed by most hotels, restaurants, shops, rental car agencies, tours, cruises and travel agents. American Express, Diners Club, Visa, JCB International and MasterCard, are represented in Suva. American Express and VISA can replace lost credit cards and travellers cheques.


Time zones

When it is 9am in Fiji, it is:

9PM previous day

10PM previous day

4PM previous day

1PM previous day

6AM previous day

When your country is on daylight saving add one hour to the above time.

Between November and February, Fiji time moves forward one hour with daylight saving.


Dress

Visitors to Fiji should bring a light tropical wardrobe. Bathing suits, shorts, T-shirts and as they will soon discover "sulus" (known also throughout the Pacific as pareau, lavalava or sarong) are a must for both men and women. The wrap-around "sulu" is Fiji’s most distinctive and versatile form of dress. It is women who obtain the most benefit from the "sulu". There are at least ten different ways in which it can be used, even for evening wear. Ask your resort staff for hints on tying and wearing your "sulu".

Visitors are asked to be careful not to offend local sensibilities. Wearing bikinis and ultra-brief, swimming costumes is fine at the resort but not when visiting villages or shopping in town. At such times it is easy to take a sulu to use as a wrap-around so no offence is caused. Both men and women should be careful to respect local feelings.


Banking

Fiji is well represented by banking groups. These include: The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ), Bank of Baroda, Habib Bank, Colonial National Bank, Westpac Banking Corporation and Bank of Baroda.

All groups have head offices in Suva with branches and agencies throughout Fiji.

Normal banking hours are from 9:30am to 3:00pm Monday to Thursday and to 4:00pm on Friday. All banks are closed on Public Holidays. ANZ operates a 24 hour service at Nadi International Airport's Arrivals Concourse.

ANZ offers ATM services in Suva, Nausori, Nadi, Nadi Airport, Lautoka, and Labasa. National Bank and Westpac offer EFTPOS services in Suva, Nausori, Sigatoka, Nadi, and Lautoka.


Communications

Most hotels have direct dialing facilities. Check with the operator for long distance and international charges, which may also be found in the telephone directory. Please note that the international country IDD code for Fiji is 679. There are no area codes. Thus, when dialling any part of Fiji from overseas the procedure would be: access code (679) plus the Fiji subscriber number.


Moblie communication
Vodafone Fiji Limited, a subsidiary of Telecom Fiji Ltd, operates a GSM digital mobile communication service. It has roaming agreements with Australian (GSM) operators namely Telstra, OPTUS and Vodafone Pty, and New Zealand operator - BellSouth plus UK operator Vodafone Ltd UK.

All mobile customers are advised to check with their network operators for their roaming status before travelling to Fiji.

To find out if you can roam in Fiji with your GSM handset, visit the Vodafone Website for the latest information.


Computers
Data on Fiji - Computer Systems
System Access - Code Countries Available

INTERNET www.bulafiji.com World-wide APOLLO TD*31251 USA & World-wide SABRE N*/FIJI USA & World-wide SYSTEM ONE GGYGFJ USA & World-wide GEMINI TD*31251/Fiji Canada

ABACUS GTIP FIJI South East Asia WORLDSPAN DATAS GTIP FIJI World-wide WORLDSPAN PARS GTIP FIJI World-wide FANTASIA N*/FIJI Australia, New Zealand, Fiji AMADEU GTIP FIJI Europe

Useful contacts


FIJI ISLANDS CUSTOMS SERVICE
Nadi International Airport
Tel: +679 6722191
Fax: +679 6720557

Suva
Tel: +679 3302332
Fax: +679 3302864

Lautoka
Tel: +679 6660722
Fax: +679 6665961

IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT
Nadi International Airport
Tel: +679 6722263
Fax: +679 6721720 fax

Suva
Tel: +679 3312672
Fax: +679 3301653 fax

Lautoka
Tel: +679 6661706
Fax: +679 6668120 fax

FIJI HOTEL ASSOCIATION
P O Box 13560, Suva
Tel: +679 3302980
Fax: +679 3300331

FIJI DIVE OPERATORS ASSOCIATION
P O Box 264, Savusavu
Tel: +679 8850260
Fax: +679 8850344

SOCIETY OF FIJI TRAVEL AGENTS
P O Box 654, Suva
Tel: +679 3302333
Fax: +679 3302048


Consumer complaints

The Fiji tourism industry takes tourists complaints very seriously, and visitor feedback is always welcome. Feedback and complaints should be directed to the Consumer Council of Fiji or the appropriate industry association with a copy to the Fiji Visitors Bureau.

CONSUMER COUNCIL OF FIJI
Private Mail Bag, Suva
Tel: +679 3300792 Fax: +679 3300115

FIJI CENTRAL POLICE STATION
Joske Street, Suva
Tel: +679 3311222 Fax: +679 3304805
Emergency Line 007

TOURIST POLICE SERVICE
A Tourist Police Service desk is located at the Fiji Visitors Bureau’s Information Center on Thomson Street.

Hours are from 8:00am to 4:30pm Monday to Thursday and to 4:00pm on Friday. Saturday’s opening hours are 8:00am to 12:00noon.
Tel: +679 3302433 Ext 215

FIJI VISITORS BUREAU TOLL FREE VISITORS HELP LINE
Call from anywhere in Fiji, anytime ( 24 - hour service ) for emergencies only.
Tel: 0800 721 721

HEAD OFFICE - FIJI VISITORS BUREAU
Thomson Street
PO Box 92
Suva
Tel: (679) 3302433
Fax: (679) 3300970/3302751
URL: www.BulaFiji.com
E-mail: infodesk@fijifvb.gov.fj

NADI AIRPORT
Fiji Visitors Bureau
Arrivals Concourse
PO Box 9217
Nadi Airport
Tel: (679) 6722433
Fax: (679) 6720141
Toll free #: 0800-6721721
E-mail: fvbnadi@is.com.fj

Note: this office is open extended hours and meets all international flights

JAPAN
Fiji Visitors Bureau - Toyko
NOA Building (14th Floor)
2-3 -5 Azabudai
Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0041
Tel: (03) 3587 2038
Fax: (03) 3587 2563
Telex: (072) 32150
Email: info@bulafiji-jp.com


Suggested reading

There are several excellent publications including:

• Frommers South Pacific Comprehensive Travel Guide;
• Smart Bevan’s Fiji;
• Moon Handbooks: Fiji, David Stanley - Avalon Travel Publishing. For more information visit our website: www.southpacific.org/fiji.html
• Fiji A Travel Survival Kit.
• Robert Kay, Lonely Planet Publications;
• Fiji Islands Insight Pocket Guide, James Siers - APA Publications;
• Fiji Handbook, Business Travel Guide, Norman and Ngaire Douglas;
• Reise Handbuch Sudsee, Marie and Ulrich Weissbach (German); and
• Globe Trotter, Toshikazu Umehara (Japanese).
  

For yachties
Michael Calder’s Yachtsman’s Fiji is a professional and extremely well illustrated guide to cruising in Fiji waters.

The Yacht Help booklet is published annually and distributed free from Fiji Visitors Bureau overseas offices.

Artifacts
Fergus Clunie’s Yalo I Viti is published by the Fiji Museum.

Cookery
A Taste of the Tropics, South Pacific Cookbook.
Traditional Medicine
Secrets of Fijian Medicine
Dr. M.A. Weiner
Free Publication
Fiji Magic, detaining what is available, accommodation, day tours, sight-seeing, restaurants and entertainment.
Fiji Calling, similar publication but with several interesting features highlighting the diversity of the Fiji Islands. Excellent map. Copies available from Fiji Visitors Bureau offices overseas.
Spotlight on Nadi and Spotlight on Suva, what to do and see around the Nadi and Suva areas.

History
Journals of Baron Anatole von Hugel by Jane Roth and Steven Hooper, published by Fiji Museum. Fascinating account of a young man’s four years in Fiji from 1875 to 1879.

Fiji and the Fijians Vol.1 by the Rev. Thomas Williams of the Wesleyan Mission in Fiji. First published in 1858 and reprinted by the Fiji Museum.

The United States Exploring Expedition by Commodore Charles Wilkes, first published in 1845 and reprinted in facsimile by the Fiji Museum. An account of four years in Fiji with a wealth of detail of life in the Fiji Islands
.
Natural history
Paddy Ryan’s Fiji’s Natural Heritage.

Pictorial
Children of the Sun by Glen Craig.
Case bound, large format coffee table presentations featuring the people of the Fiji Islands. Copies available at FVB head office, Suva

Fiji - The Uncharted Sea by Federico Busonero.
Case bound, large format coffee table presentation of Fiji’s unique marine environment. Copies available at FVB head office, Suva.