Any Travels

Fiji is ideally located in the tropics of the southern hemisphere. It lies on the 180 Meridian where the dawning of each new day occurs.

Over 300 islands make the Fiji group of islands with a total land area of just 18,272 square kilometers. Of the 300 islands, only a 100 or so islands are inhabited by humans and the rest are left as nature reserves.

The two major islands in the group are known as Viti Levu and Vanua Levu.

Almost 80 percent of the population live on these two islands. Still the majority of the population live in the rural areas and the outer islands. Only about 40 percent of the population live in urban areas.

More than anything else, Fiji is an exotic destination. It's the exhilaration of a dolphin arching high into the air beside your boat; the long gliding swoop of an orange dove through the rainforest; the smiles of excited children performing in unison to the beat of a hollow log drum.

Our 333 islands can sizzle with excitement or murmur with the quiet calm of pristine nature. Where else can you swim with huge, harmless manta rays congregating by the shore, snorkel over giant rainbow gardens of soft coral, or scuba dive the White Wall and famous Astrolabe Reef? Fiji is where the Cloud Breaker, the incredible six-meter wave found offshore at Tavarua, draws surfers from around the world. It is also where you can float in the calm, quiet waters of a turquoise lagoon at sunset or walk alone through lush rainforest. It is where the sun shines almost every day and when it does rain, people rush outside for a rainbath in the warm, brief downpour of a tropical shower which ends as quickly as it began. This is where life is lived for the joy of it all, where rushing is rude, and the name of a new friend is never forgotten. Fiji is where people wear flowers tucked in their hair, not to impress visitors, but because they like to.

The Fiji archipelago is at the crossroads of the South Pacific. In the days of sailing ships it was known as The Cannibal Isles and carefully avoided by mariners because of its fierce warriors and treacherous waters. However, in the age of jumbo jets and global travel, Fiji has become the central hub of the exotic South Pacific. More than 85 flights land at Nadi on the main island of Viti Levu every week. From there it is only a quick seven minute hop to one of the offshore island resorts, or less than an hour of flying time to Vanua Levu or Taveuni, the second and third largest islands, where the outside world is quickly left behind.

For those who like to keep their feet on the ground once they arrive, the big island of Viti Levu offers a wealth of tropical scenery, from rushing mountain rivers and waterfalls in the depths of the rainforest, to palm-fringed beaches where time seems to stop. This is where you can fish from the reef in the morning, picnic at the edge of a waterfall plunging into a rocky jungle pool at midday, eat native food cooked in an earth oven in the evening, and then dance to the beat in a swinging discotheque until long after midnight. Along with its pristine tropical beauty, Viti Levu offers several large towns and the bustling capital of Suva, a shopper's paradise and you will never have to travel more than a few hours to get anywhere on the island.

The missionaries brought hymns and choir singing to Fiji, and local church singing is truly divine. Popular local musical artists include Seru Serevi, Danny Costello, Michelle Rounds, Karuna Gopalan, Laisa Vulakoro, the Freelancers and the Black Roses. Cassettes and CDs of local music are available in Fijian stores. Music from Bollywood films (Indian melodramas) is popular amongst Indo-Fijians and local bands play covers of Indian songs. At Indian cultural centres performances are given in traditional Indian music featuring vocal, harmonium, tabla and sitar ensembles.

Dance is still strong in Fiji and the narrative meke performances rest on strong oral traditions. Dances are passed down from generation to generation, and in their strict forms the dancers' bodies are said to take on spirits of the netherworld. Meke accompanied special events like births, deaths, calls to war, marriages and property exchanges. At times of war men would perform cibi with spears and clubs, while women performed dele or wate - dances which sexually humiliated enemy captives. Traditional Indian dances are still taught in Indian communities.

Homosexuality is illegal in Fiji, and as a gay or lesbian couple, public displays of affection are frowned upon. There are, however, plenty of gay-friendly nightclubs and accommodation; check out mygayweb.com for the latest. It's practically unheard of for gay tourists to encounter any problems, but as a solo traveller you should tread carefully in pursuing relationships with locals as this is viewed very dimly by the Fijian government and locals alike.