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The Fiji Islands have long
been known as an exotic holiday destination as they’re located in the
South Pacific Ocean, about 1200 miles north of New Zealand. There are
over 300 islands that make up the nation, with just over 100 of them
being inhabited by a total of close to a million people. However, most
of the residents live on the two main islands which are Vanua Levu and
Viti Levu. The city of Suva, which is situated on Viti Levu, is the
largest city and the country’s capital.
Fiji gained independence from the United Kingdom in
1970, but its history goes way back, to about 3500 to 1000 BC when the
islands were used by settlers and traders. This led to a combination
of many languages and cultures, but over the years the islands slowly
developed their own way of life and culture. The main religions on the
islands are Christianity, Hindu, and Muslim.
There is some spectacular scenery on the islands as
they’re quite mountainous, with many of the peaks being blanketed by
thick tropical forests. Along with the capital of Suva, there are some
other fine towns to visit on Viti Levu, such as Nadi, which is where
the international airport is located, as well as Lautoka, which is
home to a seaport and large sugar mill.
Over on the island of Vanua Levu, you might want to
visit Savusavu, and Labasa. There are also several other groups of
islands and individual ones that are quite interesting, such as de
Taveuni, and Kadavu, which are the nation’s third and fourth biggest
islands respectively. The Mamanuca Group and Yasawa Group of islands
are also popular with visitors, as are the Lomaiviti Group, and the
Lau Group. Because of
its location, the country gets its fair share of good weather
throughout the year with a tropical marine climate. The warmest time
to visit is between November and April. Things get a little bit cooler
between May and October, when the average temperature drops to just
over 70 degrees Fahrenheit. However, most of the rain falls on the
islands during the warm season, especially further inland.
Fiji has many natural resources, and along with
fishing, it makes for quite a well developed nation with a pretty good
standard of living. The tourist industry is also growing and that’s
helping to create more jobs for the citizens.
Since the country’s history is so long and storied and
was tied with Britain, the culture has become filled with interesting
indigenous, Chinese, Indian, and European traditions. This diversity
has lead to a variety of languages, politics, and cuisine, with much
of the food coming from the sea. You’ll also see the combination of
influences in things such as the islanders’ dress, architecture,
crafts, arts, dance, sports, and music. The biggest sport in Fiji is
by far rugby, and the nation has been quite successful at it over the
years with its national team. Scuba diving is popular with visitors
because of the excellent coral reefs.
Fiji’s indigenous culture is very noticeable throughout
the islands and is just seen as a normal way of life for the
inhabitants. It’s interesting to see how well the ancient cultures of
India and China have blended so well with those of Europe and other
Pacific neighbours, such as Samoa, and Tonga.
Getting around the islands is pretty enjoyable as the
bus routes are extensive and dependable. The official languages are
English, Hindustani, and Fijian. The islands of Fiji offer a lot in
the way of culture, history, scenery, activities, and cuisine and it’s
no surprise that tourism is growing on a yearly basis. |
Fiji
