Featured Country: Fiji Welcome to BootsnAll's first Australasia Newsletter! As we publish both this and our other regional newsletters, you'll learn about different countries throughout each region, and we'll focus on one country per newsletter. For this debut Australasia Newsletter, we'll give you info and resources on Fiji, from Fijian organizations to BootsnAll articles and advice from our own Insiders. Located in the South Pacific island group of Oceania, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand, Fiji is a group of mountainous islands and a tropical hideout for tourists and travelers. Fiji is relaxed, laid-back, a place great for doing nothing at all but soaking up sun and surf. The main arrival and departure point is Nadi, on the western side of Fiji's main island Viti Levu and opposite the capital of Suva. From there you can also get to New Zealand and Indonesia, and other Pacific islands such as French Polynesia, the Cook Islands and Vanuatu. Slightly smaller than the U.S. state of New Jersey, Fiji's 832,000 people live between the surrounding Pacific and Tomanivi, the highest point at 1,324 meters (4,344 feet). The island's recent past as a British colony (Fiji gained its independence in 1970) has resulted in a culturally diverse populace of Fijians (Melanesian and Polynesian), Indians, Europeans, and other Pacific Islanders. Christianity, Hinduism and Islam are the major religions, and while English is the official language, Fijian and Hindustani are spoken as well. Dosh-wise, the official currency is the Fiji Dollar (FJD), and there are 100 cents to one dollar. Current exchange rates (approx.): US$1=FJD$2.29 AU$1=FJD$1.18 CA$1=FJD$1.46 GB£1=FJD$3.26 EU€1=FJD$2.04 Well, those are a few nuts and bolts. Keep reading for more info on Fiji, as well as other travelers' experiences there. What's in this issue? Airfare Deals Featured Content Featured Message Board Thread What Our Insiders Say Links & Resources Tell a Friend and/or What Do You Want? AIRFARE DEALS Brought to you by the BootsnAll TripPlanner Plan and book your round-the-world or multi-continental trip! By the way, we're not talking about air-hotel-and-car-rental stuff, but multi-destination air tickets, so packaged to help get you a better deal. Perhaps you don't like trains or buses; perhaps your schedule is tight; in any case, use BootsnAll's TripPlanner to build your itinerary, not only for getting to Australasia, but for flying from country to country. Here are some examples we found: $1977 US Los Angeles - Papeete (Tahiti) - Rarotonga (Cook Is.) - Nadi (Fiji Is.) - Auckland - Bangkok - Tokyo - Los Angeles $2578 US London - Cape Town - Mauritius - Melbourne - Auckland - Nadi (Fiji Is.) - Papeete (Tahiti) - Los Angeles - London $3524 US Sydney - Auckland - Nadi (Fiji Is.) - Los Angeles - Sao Paulo - San Jose - Miami - New York City - London - Delhi - Mumbai (Bombay) - Bangkok - Sydney Now, log on to the TripPlanner and put together an itinerary of the places you want to see! More Specials & Deals The only thing better than flying to Australasia, is getting a bloody good deal on the ticket. We work with other companies to bring you low, hard-to-beat round-trip fares, to help you fly not only to Australasia, but to wherever you want to go: BootsnAll Farebeater Hotwire Cheap Ticket Links Back to top FEATURED CONTENT A tropical island, friendly people and, hey, did we mention tropical island? Fiji's caught the attention and itinerary of more than a few BootsnAll writers: Suva, Fiji Islands Travel Guide - From how to get there to what to do, Hudson Mitchell gives you the skinny on Suva, capital of the Fijian islands, and the city of Nadi. Bula Fiji! - The friendliness and hospitality of the Fijian people. Even heavy rain and choppy seas couldn't wash away the smiles from Andrea and Dale's faces. Follow them through Fiji, and around Oz, NZ, SE Asia and the Pacific in their Pursuit of the Endless Summer travelogue. Falling Down Mountains in Fiji - Whenever he travels, Jeremy Hart seems to get hurt. It's almost a law of nature that he gets injured an average of two times per trip. If you would like to submit an article on your travel experiences, check out our Writer's Guidelines, then send it along. Back to top FEATURED MESSAGE BOARD THREAD Tahiti vs. Fiji How's that for a dilemma? Personally, we say when given a choice, take both, but on the Australasia and the Pacific Discussions board, nlc is asking for some help in deciding between the two. Which would you go to, if you could pick only one? Log in or register your handle, then jump into the discussion and throw down your two cents on Tahiti vs. Fiji. We have another board set up just for Insiders' tips on Fiji, so be sure to look those over too. And be sure to check out the other discussions on our boards as well: http://boards.BootsnAll.com/ Back to top WHAT OUR INSIDERS SAY BootsnAll Insiders are a great source of information, and they can tell you what the guidebooks can't. We asked some of our Insiders for their take on Fiji, and here's what they had to say: Ian Collingwood, Go North Get off the beaten track in the Fiji Islands. The Northern Islands offer excellent value and plenty to do. Stay in Savusavu Town for less than $20 a night at the new Beachcomber Driftwood Village. Use this as base to explore the region. For those wanting to scuba dive, you can arrange this through the Jean Michel Cousteau Resort (you don't have to be staying there to dive with them). There are packages available locally from FJD$199 per person for 3 nights, including domestic flights from Nadi Airport. Alternatively you can get there by boat/ferry from Nadi or Suva. Hudson Mitchell, The Good, The Bad & The Ugly When in Fiji there are a couple of things that you must be very careful of: Never travel in mini-buses that travel the coast between Suva and Nadi and vice-versa. Very dangerous and can be at times reckless drivers. If you are after handicraft, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, buy handicraft off the people (aka sword sellers) who approach you on the streets of Suva, Nadi or any town for that matter. There is always a designated Handicraft Centre. The quality is much better and the prices reasonable. When in Nadi check out the following department stores: Tappoos, Prouds & Jacks. Great range and wonderful service. Mike Lucarelli, Diving in Fiji: Outer Island SCUBA I arrived in Fiji by working on a sailboat with a bunch of VERY experienced SCUBA divers. They had been all over the world, most recently in the French Polynesian and Tongan Islands. Fiji was considered the best of this group. After gathering recommendations, we planned to hit 4-5 islands over the course of a few weeks. We started at Gao island, the Nigali pass. It was so amazing that we spent extra time there, rearranging schedules. Next was Albert's Place at Kandavu. The diving on the outer edge of the reef just north of the eastern pass was so amazing we were again rearranging schedules and staying over. You get the idea... other places you can't miss are Bega Island just off Pacific Harbor, and rumor has it that Taviuni has some amazing diving. If you are to go to any of these first three recommendations, have your expectations up there! Also, be prepared to spend time (leave your watch behind) in the villages drinking excessive amounts of kava. It is a semester's worth of South Pacific culture. When drinking kava, notice how the islanders value silence. These aren't the only tips we've gotten in. For more Insiders' tips on Fiji, check out the tips we've posted on our message boards. Back to top LINKS & RESOURCES Use the following sites to learn more about Fiji, what it offers to travelers, and how to plan your trip. SavusavuFiji.com Nadi too hectic? Head to Savusavu and enjoy its laid-back lifestyle – sailing, diving, gamefishing, bird-watching, hiking. But be careful: it's so relaxed you might not want to leave. Nadi Hotels Sort out your hotel accommodation for Nadi, before you even arrive. Our BootsnAll Farebeater will help you find some great deals as you start exploring Fiji. FijiVillage.com Are you a "far-flung villager"? Follow the latest headlines in Fiji, participate in message board discussions, and learn about some of the individual people through their own profiles. Legends Firewalkers, sacred turtles, the Shark God – learn more about Fiji's history and culture through its traditional legends and stories. Back to top WRITE AN ARTICLE If you have a story of your own that you would like to submit on Fiji, have a look at BootsnAll's Writer's Guidelines: http://writers.BootsnAll.com And then send it along. We're always looking for new content and new perspectives, and we hope to get yours soon. TELL A FRIEND If you feel that BootsnAll.com is a valuable resource, or that others might think so, please tell your friends about us. As many of you know, we respond personally to every email we receive in an ongoing effort to build a true traveller's community. Many have responded positively. If you have comments both positive and constructive, we would love to hear them. Tell us what we have done well and how we can improve. We would appreciate it greatly. Back to top