Fiji and back

Contents

• Introduction
• Destination Facts
• Suva
• Nadi
• Safety & Security
• Money
• Bargains & Basics
• Best Buys
• Worst Buys
• Top Shops
• Shop Smart
• Before you Return
• Important Tips
• Important Information

Introduction

Bula! Burn this word into your vocabulary. The brochures tell you it means Hello! Cheers! Welcome! But the only thing warmer than a sun-induced coma beneath a Fijian sky is the smile from locals as they case a friendly bula your way.

Most visitors head here for the sublime sun and sea. Lapped by cerulean waters, this archipelago encompasses more than 300 islands. Swim, surf, snorkel, kayak or simply wallow in the tepid waters. Fiji's rugged interior is a mass of emerald hills peppered with extinct volcanic craters, giant waterfalls and panoramic views. Explore mountain villages, archaeological sites and colourful Hindu temples, then fast-forward to the present in Suva's multicultural melange. Shop for saris and sulu and dine on fiery curries or fragrant seafood.

Destination Facts

Full name: Republic of Fiji
Population: 840 000
Area: 18 300 sq km
Capital city: Suva
Languages: Fijian, English

For more information, check out Lonely Planet's range of books on Fiji.

Suva

Nestled into a yawning harbour, Suva (pronounced soo-va) is sticky with sweat and industry but it's Fiji's most concentrated confluence of ethnicities and cultures. Swimming in the urban milieu you'll discover the influence of every island and background.

Downtown is a jigsaw of colonial buildings, modern shopping plazas, abundant eateries and a breezy esplande. Dribbled along the hilly ascent behind the central business district are Suva's suburbs, some of which have the best urban views in the country. When the sun is out the city relaxed and ambient and you can easily fill a couple of days visiting the sights and shopping.

Nadi

Nadi (pronounced nan-di) is Fiji's third-largest city and is the country's tourism hub. While not the ideal destination in itself, it is a convenient base from which to to organise your trip around Viti Levu or to the outer islands. The main street is packed with restaurants and souvenir shops, and the produce market and the Swami Temple are well worth a visit. Inland are the Nausori Highlands, and to the north lies the beautiful Sabeto mountain range.

Safety & Security

The Australian Government does not recommend travel to certain parts of Fiji. Travellers should check the smartraveller website for current travel advice. Follow your instincts; if you feel unsafe or uncomfortable with someone, leave. Don't hitchhike. Avoid walking at night, particularly alone and especially in Nadi and Suva. Use your common sense and be cautious of any over-friendly approach, no matter who the person might be. Wearing a wedding ring may deter unwelcome comments or advances.

Remember: travellers are subject to the laws of the country they are visiting. Penalties for possession of drugs in Fiji can result in heavy fines or imprisonment. For example, possession of any amount of marijuana carries a mandatory three-month prison sentence.

Money

Currency: The local currency is the Fiji dollar (F$). The dollar is broken down into 100 cents. Bank notes come in denominations of F$50, F$20, F$10, F$5 and F$2. There are coins to the value of F$1, F$0.50, F$0.20, F$0.10, F$0.05, F$0.02 and F$0.01. Even though Fiji is now a republic, notes and coins still have a picture of England's Queen Elizabeth II on one side.

Changing money: It's a good idea to have a couple of options for accessing money—take a credit card, a debit card, some travellers cheques and a small amount of cash. Banks in larger places like Suva and Nadi can give cash advances on major credit cards and there are a growing number of ATMs around. However, if your plastic cards get swallowed by a machine you'll need an alternative such as travellers cheques.

Going offshore...know the medicine law. It's illegal to take PBS medicine (subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) out of Australia, unless it's for your own use or the use of someone travelling from Australia with you. Penalties are steep; fines of up to $5000 and/or two years imprisonment.

If you do take PBS medicine overseas, follow these simple steps:

• contact the embassy of the country you're visiting to ensure the medicine is legal there
• carry a letter from your doctor with the medicine, stating what the medicine is, how much you'll be taking, and that it's for your personal use
• leave the medicine in its original packaging, so it's clearly labelled with your name and dosage.

For more information about taking PBS medicine overseas, call the Travelling with PBS medicine enquiry line on 1800 500 147, or log onto Medicare Australia's website.

Bargains & Basics

The main tourist centres of Nadi, the Coral Coast and Suva have lots of handicraft shops. Lautoka and Savusavu are quieter and the salespeople are less pushy. You can also buy interesting handicrafts direct from villages, particularly woven goods and carvings.

Traditional artefacts such as war clubs and cannibal forks are popular souvenirs. So too are yaqona bowls, woven pandanus mats, shell buttons, sandalwood or coconut soap, and tapa cloth in the form of wall hangings, covered books and postcards. Don't buy products derived from endangered species such as turtle and avoid the temptation to buy shells. Remember to declare anything made from animal or plant material to Quarantine upon your return. It might need treatment.

Clothing shops in Suva and Nadi have bula shirts and fashion by local designers. There are also vibrant saris and Indian jewellery. Fijian ceramic jewellery is sold in the Government Crafts Centre in Suva.

Best Buys

Potty for pottery Fiji's best-known potters are Diana Tugea of Nakabuta, in the Sigatoka Valley, and Taraivini Wati of Nasilai, on the Rewa River near Nausori. The pottery-making tradition in there villages has been handed down through the centuries. Different areas have different techniques and styles. Both villages receive visitors.

Tugea's clay pots are smooth with a wide belly, open neck and outward curving lip. Used for cooking, the pots are filled with food wrapped in banana or tato leaves. Wati's pots are highly decorative. This style was traditionally used for water storage and was once reserved for use by high chiefs only.

Carving culture Traditional wood-carving skills have been kept alive by the tourist trade, which provides a market for war clubs, spears and cannibal forks. Tanoa, or yaqona drinking bowls, are still part of everyday life. Religious objects, such as yaqona vessels, were traditionally made of vesi, considered a sacred timber.

Choose items without borer holes or obvious insect damage; as with all wooden items you'll have to declare them to Quarantine when you return home. They might need treatment.

Basket cases Most indigenous Fijian homes use woven voivoi or pandanusleaf mats for floor coverings, dining mats and as finer sleeping mats.

Weaving is the hereditary role of the women of certain tribes. The pandanus leaves are cut and laid outdoors to cure, then split into strips of about 1 cm to 2 cm. Mat borders are now decorated in brightly coloured wools instead of parrot feathers. Be aware that pandanus products will have to be inspected by Quarantine and may need treatment or permits that will cost you money.

Crafty designs Masi, also known as malo or tapa, is bark cloth and rust-coloured printed designs. Masi was worn as a loincloth by men during initiation rituals, during renaming ceremonies following killings, and as an adornment in dance, festivity and war. Intricately painted designs are done by hand or stencil and often carry symbolic meaning.

Most Fijian masi is made on the island of Vatulele, on Namuk and Moce in the southern Lau Group, and on Taveuni. Masi is used for postcards, wall hangings and other decorative items.

Bark items must be declared to Quarantine when you return to Australia and may need to be treated.

Worst Buys

When you're shopping, it's important to know what you can and can't bring back to Australia. Common items from Fiji not allowed into Australia include:

• Fresh fruit and vegetables, including raw yams and taro
• Uncanned meat products—for example pork
• Seeds and items containing seeds
• Black coral items, including jewellery
• Cooked breadfruit unless commercially prepared
• Sweets containing milk products—for example Indian milk sweets
• Whole fish.

Some of these items are allowed in if accompanied by an import permit and/or treated by Quarantine (which will cost you money). Talk to Quarantine prior to departure about obtaining and import permits. For more information about what you can't bring back to Australia visit AQIS travel.

Carrying funds in or out of Australia? In 2006, the Australian Government introduced stronger laws to protect Australians from money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Under this new law, you have to report travellers cheques, personal cheques, money orders, postal orders, promissory notes and other bearer negotiable instruments of any amount if a Customs or police officer asks you to.

You still have to report AUD$10 000 cash (or the equivalent amount in foreign currency) using a form available in the Customs area of airports or seaports. Check out the Austrac website for more information.

Top Shops

Don't get so overwhelmed by all the great buys that you spend your money on stuff that won't be allowed back into Australia. Snakes and live chickens are a definite no-no, and anything made from animal products and plant material must be declared to Quarantine (and may need treatment) when you get home.

Suva

Pure Fiji
52 Karsanji St
Phone: 338 3611
This spot is actually a classy day spa, but every Saturday morning you can purchase its exquisite creams, soaps and scrubs made from coconut oil and other natural extracts.

Suva Curio & Handicraft Centre
Stinson Parade
This craft market has endless stalls and is an interesting place to wander through. It can offer some fantastic buys but be prepared to bargain! Not all artefacts are as genuine as the vendor would like you to believe; if your aren't an antique expert, only pay what the object is worth to you.

Wai Tui Surf
Queensland Insurance Bldg, Victoria Pde
Phone: 330 0287
If you're looking for beachwear, daypacks, snorkel gear or surfboards, Wai Tui has lots of name-brand goods to keep you afloat.

Free Shop
1st fl, Garden City, Raiwai
Phone: 359 3201
'Free' stands for 'Fiji Retail Enterprise Engine' and this shop is supported by the UN Develeopment Program. It sells excellent jewellery, clothing and crafts by local artists. Each item is given a small write-up to provide background information on the piece. Prices are also reasonable.

Bob's Hook, Line & Sinker
Harbour Centre, Thomson St
Phone: 330 1013
Sells good snorkelling, diving and fishing gear, whether you want to use it on the beach or take it home.

Government Handicraft Centre
MacArthur St
Phone: 331 5869
Although its goods are generally more expensive than elsewhere, this craft shop sells high-quality work by local artisans so it's a better place to head for a unique piece. Moreover, by you'll assist rural artisans.

Nadi

Jack's Handicrafts
401-403 Queen's Rd
Phone: 670 0744
Unashamedly aimed at the tourist wallet, this outlet of Jack's is colossal in size and contents. Crafts, clothing, jewellery and house items are sold at reasonable prices but it's all fairly mass-produced and you're unlikely to find anything truly unique here.

Fiji Surf
cnr Main St & Hospital Rd
Phone: 670 5960
This little surf shop sells trendy surf wear, boards and equipment. It also repairs and rents boards and give information on surf conditions.

Nad's Handicrafts
Main St, Nadi
Phone: 670 3588
Competing fiercely with Jack's, Nad's has the same stock for the same prices and lures shoppers with a 'Fijian warrior' at the gates.

Handicraft Market
Koroivulu Ave
You may pick up something more authentic at the handicraft market but check out the prices in the shops beforehand to ensure you really are getting a bargain. Be aware that wooden items are unlikely to have been treated and may need to be treated by Quarantine once you get home.

Warning! Endangered plants and animals. Buying products made from endangered species (for example coral, turtle, shell, sea horse and butterfly) could contribute to the extinction of the species in the wild. However, some species can be imported with the right permits - for more information see the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities website.

Note: if you import wildlife products without the right permits, your products may be seized by Customs and you could face stiff penalties.

Prior to travel, you should consult your doctor for advice on how to reduce your risk of illness while travelling, including required and recommended vaccinations and whether booster doses of childhood vaccinations are necessary. Monitoring your health whilst away and when you return is important for your own wellbeing. There is a chance that during your travels you could have been exposed to infectious diseases such as influenza, gastroenteritis or malaria. It is very important that you consult with your doctor if you feel unwell, even after your return to Australia, and consider your recent destinations as a possible source for your illness.

Shop Smart

Before you spend your shopping money, it's a good idea to know what you can and can't bring back into Australia. That way, you keep your travel treasures and save money on any necessary quarantine treatments (or fines).

All food, plant material and animal products from overseas—including many common souvenirs—must be declared for quarantine inspection (and may need treatment) when you return to Australia.

For more information about what needs to be declared to Quarantine visit the AQIS travel website.

Common items from Fiji that you must declare (and might need treatment and/or an import permit) include:

• Shells—bought and found—including shell necklaces; some aren't allowed into Australia
• Fresh flowers and leis—some flowers are prohibited
• Yams and taro—peeled and cooked
• Fish—needs to be de-headed, gutted and weigh less than 5 kg
• Yaqona—powder, sticks and roots
• Coconuts and coconut ornaments
• Items made from pandanus, including mats and baskets
• Rawhide items, including drums
• Wooden items—when you're shopping, avoid items with bark, borer holes or insects.

Hot tip: Indian milk sweets such as gulab jamun made in India or Fiji are not allowed into Australia.

In many cases, declared goods are returned to you after inspection. However, any item that presents a disease risk or is found to contain insects or larvae will be withheld by Quarantine. You'll be given a range of options for the item depending on the quarantine risk. These options include: treatment (for example fumigation) to make the item safe; re-exporting the item; and destroying the item. Most of these options will cost you money.

Before You Return

• Make sure you eat or throw away all fruit and vegetables before you land in Australia—they're not allowed in
• Leave all aircraft food on board, including nuts and snacks
• Make sure you clean all soil from your hiking boots, sports shoes, golf clubs, campling gear, backpacks and mountain bikes—you still have to declare these to Quarantine
• Pack items for inspection together, and keep them at the top of your bag so they can be reached easily
• Wash shoes that have been worn in rural areas including farms, markets and zoos, or near animals such as cattle and chickens.

Important Tips

Before travelling overseas register your travel and contact details online at smartraveller, or in person at the Australian High Commission, 37 Princes Rd (Tamavua), Suva, phone: (679) 338 2211, once you arrive so we can contact you in an emergency.

Check the latest travel advice for your destination at smartraveller before you go. Subscribe to receive free email notification each time the advice is updated.

Take out travel insurance to cover hospital treatment, medical evacuation and any activities, like adventure sports, in which you plan to participate.

Obey the law of the country you're visiting. Don't expect to be treated differently to the locals just because you're Australian, even if local laws appear harsh or unfair by Australian standards.

Make copies of your passport details, insurance policy, travellers' cheques, visas and credit card numbers. Carry one copy in a separate place to the originals and leave a copy with someone at home. Ensure your passport has a minimum six months' validity.

For more travel tips and advice, check out the smartraveller website.

Important Information

With increased quarantine activity at Australia's airports, you'd be mad not to declare all items made from food, plant and animal material. The detector dog's sense of smell (100 times greater than ours), won't miss a beat—and neither will the X-ray machines or Quarantine officers.

Don't risk an on-the-spot fine or prosecution, or worse, threaten our flora, fauna and important agricultural industries with exotic pests and diseases.

Some people don't realise that a lot of things you can get overseas are illegal in Australia and will be seized by Customs if you bring them back. These include blowpipes; BB guns; flick knives; crossbows; nunchakus; knuckledusters; electric flyswats; and cigarette lighters designed to look like weapons; coral; orchids; and reptile skin or ivory goods.

Don't forget to check the Customs website for 'A Guide for travellers—know before you go' or call the Customs Information and Support Centre on 1300 363 263 for advice about your customs clearance and items that must be declared.

Shopping on holidays? If you are 18 or over you are entitled to bring A$900 worth of good back into Australia. This includes goods purchased overseas, in Australia duty/tax free before you left, or good for which a refund of tax has been approved through the Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS). You can also bring back 2.25 litres of alcohol and 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco products. Please note: Customs must verify your TRS purchases at least 30 minutes prior to departure. For details contact Customs on 1300 363 263 or visit their website.

Remember when overseas, you are subject to local laws. Local laws and legal processes can be very different from those in Australia. A violation of local laws may result in a jail sentence, served in a local prison. Consular assistance cannot override local law, even where local laws may appear harsh or unjust by Australian standards. Penalties for drug offences can be severe and include the death penalty.