|


























| |
| Solar Eclipse Cruise 2012
- In addition to the wonderful cruise aboard the Paul Gauguin, I stayed
in Fiji before and after the cruise.
|
|
2010 - As part of a cruise from Vancouver to Auckland, the Volendam
made two stops in Fiji -
Suva and
Dravuni Island |
| 2004
- An opportunity for a return trip to Fiji presented itself, and I took advantage
of it - mainly to reunite with the Fijian family I had visited some 29 years
previously. This trip only gave me a few days to explore Fiji, however
I covered some new ground:
|
1975 - Fiji was the destination of
the first major trip I took by myself as an
adult. In addition to experiencing a tropical country, I was also visiting
a Fijian family who my family had known previously. Canadian Pacific Airlines
(since renamed Canadian Airlines, and now merged with Air Canada) offered some
package deals which were good value, including air fare, local
transportation, and hotel accommodation for a vacation which lasted almost
three weeks.I visited the two main islands:
 |
Viti
Levu - is the biggest island in the group, and has the international airport of Nadi
located on the West Coast.
Most resorts are located on the Coral Coast (between Nadi and Suva on the SW
coast). I visited the capital of Suva which is located on the rainy
South Coast. While in Suva, I took a
Boat trip and visited with my
Fijian Family.
|
 |
Vanua
Levu - is the second-largest island, and has the small town of Savu Savu, a
small airstrip, and numerous resorts. I stayed at
Namale Plantation - most
of my experiences on Vanu Levu are based from here.
|
|
Fiji Links
- try some of these links to gain a perspective on the Fiji islands.

Fiji has gone through three coup d'etats, with the
latest one occurring in 2006. The coups were caused by racial tension
between the native Fijians and the indigenous Indians. Both racial groups each
represent about half the population, but the Fijians have title to about 80% of
the land. Since the latest coup, the native Fijians have absolute political right to a majority in the government,
and rights to assemble in groups is severely restricted. There continues to be
significant friction between these two racial groups, and tourists may not be
immune to the problems this causes. If you are
planning a trip to Fiji, it would be prudent to check with your foreign affairs
department beforehand. Canadian Foreign Affairs:
Travel Report for Fiji.
Given the above cautions, should you still travel to Fiji?
JoeTourist says "yes". There appears to be little concern among Fiji's
citizens about security problems. During my visit in 2010, families
with kids were wandering the parks and streets in Suva, everyone appeared to
happy and relaxed, and the usual Fijian friendliness was still very evident.
During my visit in 2012, I found Fiji completely calm, and everyone seemed very
happy and open.
I consider walking down a street in Fiji to be much safer than walking
down a street in North America or Europe.
| |
|