The endless pretty beaches and crystal-clear waters had us at Fiji at first sight.
Although sometimes you never know how to prepare someone or yourself for an adventure where I couldn't find anything really to do until I got there. Apparently, I couldn't find really a lot of stuff to do online, but I tried to dig as much as I can.
Anyways, I decided I should give you some fun facts about Fiji that we wished we knew so you can avoid the mistakes and of course have a fabulous time there. Fiji is way different, but it's worth going once!
10 Things to Know Before Going to Fiji
1. Key Words to know: ‘Bula’ and ‘Vinaka’
All-day long you will hear this and sometimes I got annoyed of hearing it constantly. It's great to welcome someone but everywhere I went and random people I would walk down the street always would make say BULA or VINAKA. It was great for 2 days, and then every day I got annoyed of hearing hello. I loved it, but sometimes saying hello 200 times a day is kind of ridiculous.
Bula means Hello and Vinaka is Thank you in Fijian.
Bula means Hello and Vinaka is Thank you in Fijian.
2. Fiji Time
When you get to Fiji you will learn very quickly that you will run on Fiji Time.
This means that they do not run on schedules, so everything might start on time or start 3 hours from the time you go there. It's great if you are not a go go go person like me. I hate being late and doing anything not on time, so it was a little hard for me to do so. I ended up getting used to it, but my boyfriend loved it. He loves not being early or doing anything on time, so it was the perfect place for him.
This means that they do not run on schedules, so everything might start on time or start 3 hours from the time you go there. It's great if you are not a go go go person like me. I hate being late and doing anything not on time, so it was a little hard for me to do so. I ended up getting used to it, but my boyfriend loved it. He loves not being early or doing anything on time, so it was the perfect place for him.
2. There are ATM's on the other islands
If you want to travel to the other islands there is no cash exchange or anything and all want cash. So when you get to the main island be sure to get money at the airport! Some of the high-end hotels will have card exchange, but most of the time you need to carry cash.
3. If you talk to the locals they will tell you things you do not want to hear.
What I mean is, when there is a funeral everything on the island is closed. They keep children away because the chief uses children for a sacrifice for that person who died. Also, sometimes going out at night is scary and people carry machetes.
4. You get sung everywhere you go
When you arrive in Fiji, you will learn that where ever you enter there will be people singing or greeting you with a song.
5. On a Sunday, everyone goes to church
On Sundays always expect Fiji to be shut down for Church. Everyone goes to church every Sunday. I sometimes feel funny going to churches in different countries. In Jamaica, we went to a church and we were the only white people there and they kept staring at us the whole time. So I'm like eh we can skip the church and just chill.
6. Try Kava if you dare.
I didn't try it because I don't usually do drugs, so I had to pass with it, but we saw some tourist drink it and they seemed ok, but who knows.
Kava is a traditional Fijian drink that is made from the ground pepper plant. Kava does have a numbing effect and not spicy from what I heard it. It's a tradition in Fiji for all ceremonies in local villages.
7. FIJI LOVES RUGBY!
You will see the players of Rugby walking down the streets or even playing in the fields.
If you do have an opportunity to see it, you will love it!
Anywhere you go, the Fijian people will tell you to see the rugby game or even see it with them at a restaurant on tv.
If you do have an opportunity to see it, you will love it!
Anywhere you go, the Fijian people will tell you to see the rugby game or even see it with them at a restaurant on tv.
8. To go hiking, you need to do a ceremony with the Chief.
When we went to Fiji, I thought hiking is free, because where I live in Utah it's free to Hike in the mountains. If you want to go hiking you must get them Kava Root ($10 USD) and then do a ceremony with the chief where the hike is. Then you must pay them $30 USD to even hike. Just so you know it's pretty expensive to hike and it's kind of strange to be paying so much to go hiking. We did one hike and we were like no more hikes.
9. Fiji has the happiest people
It's amazing to see how a remote island has the happiest people! Everyone is smiling even if they are having a hard time. I never could tell if anyone had a hard time or not, they were always happy. Even if their house didn't have a roof they all looked amazingly happy!
10. The locals will carry machetes
Yep, you will see the locals walking around the towns or cities and have massive machetes. Don't fear, they won't hurt you they are cutting food for their families. It's interesting to see this.
