News from Fiji - Find Your Feet Fiji

What to eat in Fiji

Lonely Planet refers to Fiji as the “melting pot” of the Pacific. This is due to its variety of cultures and ethnicities. The cuisine is no different. Find the right place to eat in Fiji. A “Hit and miss” approach can result in an upset stomach or a bad experience. Contact us for help.

Fiji is unique in its ability to properly prepare and serve so many different tastes, represented from all around the world.

#fijifood #expatlife #fijiexpat — One of my favourite places for a quick lunch while out and about

Cuisines from around the world

Whether you’re looking for something straight from the local islands and onto your plate, or if you’re trying to find food that feels like home. We at Find Your Feet Fiji know how to cater to your needs and can give you all the tips and tricks for finding the best restaurants, cafes, or even grocery stores to buy your own ingredients.

Different occasions

As well as knowing all the best places to eat, Find Your Feet is able to cater to your social needs. For example, there is one place where you will take a work colleague out for coffee, and a different place where you might take your kids out for a Sunday morning breakfast.

Cooking Classes

If cooking is your thing, or even if it’s not and you want to get better, learn to include local food in your dishes. There are many different types of cooking classes available in Fiji, teaching cuisines from all over the world. This is a great way to meet new people, learn a new skill and try local and international food.

Dietary requirements

Managing diets is a challenge, without the added pressure of doing it all in a new country. We recognise this and want to make your life easier. For example, finding the right grocery store that serves your ingredients, or knowing where to look at the local markets.

Let’s get started!

Whether it’s booking a private tour, or including this in your orientation. We are dedicated to making you feel more at home straight away, especially in the kitchen!

Want to live in Fiji?

There are many people who want to live in Fiji. Sometimes it is a tourist who just doesn’t want to go home. Sometimes it is a move to Fiji to live and work. Whatever the reason, Find Your Feet Fiji is here to help.

We’re here to help, ensuring a safe and quality lifestyle is established as soon as possible. Schools, accommodation, and safety are the key features for anyone who wants to live in Fiji.

Tropical looking cocktail
Fiji expats
Fiji living
Suva isn't paradise

#Fijiliving #Fijiexpats — Living in Fiji isn’t all cocktails & beaches

Expectations vs Reality of living in Fiji

Living in Fiji certainly isn’t sitting under a palm tree drinking coconut flavored cocktails. Whether living in Nadi, Suva, or an outer island, there are challenges and benefits to where to live in Fiji. With over 300 islands to choose from it can seem overwhelming. Having an insight into the pros and cons of living in different areas can really define any “Where to Live” decisions.

Suva vs Nadi: Where should I live in Fiji?

The largest island in Fiji is Viti Levu (Viti=Fiji, Levu=Big) hosts the largest two cities of Fiji. Suva is the capital on the Eastern side while Nadi is the main Tourist centre, larger airport and is situated on the west of Viti Levu. People who live in each city cannot imagine living in the other. There are definite pros and cons of each. One person described it well in a Facebook post.

Fiji Map with Suva and Nadi — Main island Viti Levu Capital Suva

This is from a post on Facebook when asked whether to live in Suva or the Nadi, Lautoka side of Viti Levu:

It’s such a tough question to answer on limited info, is your employer paying your rent? Do you have kids? Do you enjoy outdoor activities? What’s your budget? I love Lautoka (it has nostalgic value) but it’s about as interesting as watching paint dry. It’s safer than Suva, has nice-ish surroundings for exercising but is hotter than hell, has like 2 naff nightclubs and about 3 decent restaurants (and the term “restaurant” is really pushing it), the Northern Club (frequented by bar flies), one decent supermarket/mall and limited expat community/activities and a pretty crap hospital (according to feedback). If you choose to work in the west (and that decision is predicated on who you are working for and what you’ll be doing), go for Nadi (but long commute) or Vuda (closer to Lautoka 12km and nice, 3 mainland resorts, decent man-made beaches and an awesome marina/restaurant/bar, no supermarkets) but not heaving with excitement). Or Sabeto, near Nadi Airport, has beautiful mountain views and fresh water rivers to swim in, a spanking new supermarket and a quiet rural-ish lifestyle, close to the airport and all of Nadi for the expat/social life. Denarau is waaaaay expensive and super overrated, has 7 resorts in a row (good bar and food choices if a little pricey), a grey beach but pretty surroundings, a golf course. Wailoaloa is Nadi party central so pretty good location to hang out. There are some nice houses and flats along the back road etc to rent. Suva is on the other side of the island, and is the capital, bigger city with way more options of everything – restaurants, sports, expats, activities but less access to resorts. It rains more, yes, and humidity is 88% with a temperature feel of 34C today but in Nadi and Lautoka, the heat can be far more overwhelming and in cane cutting season, you can look forward to terrible driving conditions and soot everywhere.

My advice

Before moving to live in Fiji I would recommend understanding a bit more about what is happening here currently. There is a good newspaper The Fiji Times that is accessible on the internet. Or watching some nightly news programs will also give you a good flavour of Fiji. Fijian Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) has a good website with daily news as well.

Find Your Feet Fiji has had a number of consultations at an hourly rate to answer many individual questions so you can make the right decision. Sometimes the work decides for you, sometimes you can choose. There are many living in Fiji aspects that will remain the same no matter where you land.

Just remember, we’re here to help. Contact us to alleviate some of the questions.

Pet Relocations to and from Fiji

After reading about Holly Alexander losing her dog on a ship when moving from Tasmania to Queensland in Australia my heart went out to her. We have been moving lots of pets in and out of Fiji. It is always stressful for the owners, which is why they use Find Your Feet Fiji to make it as easy as possible.

Recently <2018> we flew our dog from Fiji to India. Siobhan helped me to do all the procedures in Fiji. Fiji government didn’t have much experience to export pets to India, so there were so many uncertain things on our way. I was very worried because my dog is very old and disabled. Siobhan made an extra effort to make sure everything would go well. Siobhan is hard working, reliable and very practical. I would highly recommend her as a pet agent if you want to fly your pets.
Sashiko

Working with pet travel companies all over the world we have moved furry family members to all corners of the globe near and far. The longest route was 3 cats and a dog from Fiji to Wales, the longest travel time was Fiji to Ethiopia. The shortest has been from Nadi to Vanuatu. We love receiving happy photos of reunifications.

We import and export pets to Fiji and from Fiji all over the world.
#pettravel #expatpet #fijipet #expatlife — Furry Friends all over the world

Move pets in and out of Fiji

Bringing pets to Fiji always has lots of questions. What is life like for a pet in Fiji? How will they cope with the weather and other animals here? How long do they have to quarantine? Can I visit them in quarantine? What food is available? Importing and exporting pets to and from Fiji is different for every single pet. We can answer all of your questions and stop those sleepless nights worrying!

Cat transport from Fiji.
#pettravel #expatpet #fijipet #expatlife — Sox getting a birds eye view of his new home 2019

Moving country is stressful for owners. Leaving Fiji is sad. Knowing that Find Your Feet Fiji will look after all the requirements for your pets is one less thing to worry about. Living with Fiji bureaucracy can be a test of patience! We simplify that by knowing the procedures required as well as realistic timeframes.

Export dog from Fiji.
#pettravel #expatpet #fijipet #expatlife — No quarantine in Sri Lanka, Lila could go straight home

Siobhan made it seem easy! I left my dog behind in Fiji for a few months while I got setup in my new post in Sri Lanka. While I worked on getting the import certificate on this end, Siobhan handled all the details of getting my pooch ready for the long journey from Fiji: the vet appointments (shots, tests, treatments), Bio Security (export certification), researching valid flight paths for live cargo and booking the shipping. When the time came, she prepped the crate, drove my dog to Nadi and personally checked her in for the long flight(s). Three months after I arrived, my Fijian pooch “found her paws” here in Sri Lanka – she arrived safe, calm, and healthy. I couldn’t have done it without Siobhan. She provides an invaluable service and no one in Suva is doing it as well as Find Your Feet. Five Stars*****!!!!!
Dave

Pets and COVID-19

Being separated from a beloved pet isn’t easy. Families have told me it is like leaving a child behind! Being organised early is the best advice I can tell anyone. Contact us to start the organising and let us get your pets where they need to be with their humans.

Pet dog to Vanuatu from Fiji #pettravel #expatpet #fijipet #expatlife — Oscar checking out Vanuatu, September 2020

Siobhan proved a terrific help when we moved our beloved dog Oscar from Fiji to Vanuatu this year <2020>. Siobhan proved very efficient when dealing with biosecurity arrangements. I would recommend Siobhan services for anyone needing help to navigate a move to/from the Pacific
David

Old cat export from Fiji, Dog going for walk in the snow, cate happy in her new home.
#pettravel #expatpet #fijipet #expatlife — Cats and dogs getting used to their new environments, December 2020

Safety in Fiji

Accidents happen, unfortunately, even in Fiji. Some may say especially in Fiji!! When an emergency situation arises it is best to have a plan ready to put in action. Expats moving to Fiji usually have health insurance as part of their job package, our family certainly does. However, it is the pre-hospital care that is a bit hit and miss., to say the least.

Our family had a traumatic incident a few years ago. We rang the ambulance and were told there was no ambulance. There was no calm voice talking us through anything over the phone, we may as well not have rung at all. Unfortunately this is a common occurrence.

When a balcony fell off the side of a building a few years ago, there were critical injuries. When the ambulance was called no one answered. A long wait, a few more phone calls and someone offered to send a van! Finally after the arrival of the ambulance the patients were scooped up and sent to the hospital. Sadly, there was no treatment at the site or pain relief for the bumpy ride to hospital.

I have signed up for Emergency Medical Services. When speaking with my daughter who made the phone call to the ambulance and telling her about this cover, she said “Tell everyone. Everyone needs this in Fiji”. St Johns Ambulance do the best they can with what they have, however it is nothing like an expat from a developed nation would expect in an ambulance.

So here is the link http://ems.com.fj/affiliate/ff1 it is the sort of thing you need to know about before you actually need to use it. For the price of less than a family meal at a mid-range restaurant per month, it is good peace of mind.

Staying Safe

For other safety tips check out Find Your Feet Fiji’s previous article which covers other safety aspects of living in Fiji.

Emergency Numbers

One of the reasons that pre-hospital care is not ideal is that Fiji does not have just one emergency number. In the front of the phone book there is a page of emergency numbers. Find Your Feet Fiji definitely recommends going “old school” and having a phone book at home.

emergencies in Fiji
#expatliving #fijilife — Page 1 from Fiji Phone Book

Googling “Emergency Numbers in Fiji” brings up a list of numbers as listed here:

Medical Tours

For people who would like to know about dentist options, doctors, 24/7 pharmacies and other medical information please book a tour with me and I can show you around. It is the sort of knowledge that will help you settle safely into living in Fiji.

Let’s go local next holidays

There are so many fantastic specials that it is hard to keep track! Love our Locals Fiji lists all sort of accommodation and activity deals. The hardest part is choosing. It is awesome to see many people taking advantage of the deals and boosting the Fiji Tourism sector.

Schools in Fiji on a four term year are enjoying school holidays this month. Schools such as International School Suva and Nadi, Multiple Intelligence School, The Learning Centre, Champs International and so on. This is a great opportunity of having a holiday in Fiji.

I get many questions on best resorts, excellent activities tastiest restaurant, and the list goes on. There is no one right answer for all. If anyone would like guidance in choosing a place then they can use Find Your Feet Fiji at an hourly rate. Let’s face it, there are different recommendations for people who want a kids club and a swim up bar to those who want a village experience.

Some people are returning to Fiji and spending two weeks in quarantine so they might not be interested in spending time in a hotel. However filling in holidays with easy day trips means you can support local businesses and still sleep in your own bed.

When considering an activity or accommodation I find it easiest to use a spreadsheet. Remember to outline all the inclusions so there are no last minute (and expensive) surprises. Contact me either through my facebook page or via contact us and I can help you with what to include on your own spreadsheet.

Find Your Feet Fiji has been in contact with a few places who have offered specials if you mention Find Your Feet Fiji when booking. Some are still deciding on their specials but others who have already committed to looking after our Find Your Feet friends are listed here.

Vomo Island are offering a room upgrade if available when mentioning Find Your Feet

Sheung at Coconut Beach Resort cbrbookings@gmail.com

Castaway Island is quickly becoming a favourite since opening in August.

Intercontinental were one of the first resorts to open up for great local deals.

Fiji Beachouse ticks a lot of boxes. For people mentioning Find Your Feet Fiji they will throw in free access to SUP Boards. Also, you can do some shopping and get great coffee at The Projects Collective.

Volivoli Beach Resort has free school holiday activities for the week beginning 21st September plus 25% discount on menu and it’s happy hour every hour!

Off the beaten track is Namosi Eco Retreat. Mentioning Find Your Feet Fiji will get you a free 30min massage. Call Danny on 7779099

For those people not bound by school holidays there are plenty of great offers outside the term dates.

Suva Scuba is doing all sorts of amazing dives around Fiji.

Simon from Volivoli Beach Resort has a fishing competition on Saturday 24th October. Let them know you are a Find Your Feet Fiji customer and they will definitely look after you.

There are live-aboard vacations, interior trips with Talanoa Treks and the list goes on.

Find Your Feet Fiji has great reviews. We help people so they can get the best out of Fiji.

I contacted Siobhan recently to get some local knowledge on a quick visit to Nadi. We wanted to get off the tourist track and eat where the locals eat etc. I asked find you feet and she directed us to a fabulous local restaurant that could not have been better for us. I would not have found this little treasure without her guidance.

Opening up Fiji

Living in Fiji during a global pandemic is something I never imagined! Well… no one saw this coming. B.C. (Before COVID!) impacted boarders lots of people left to home countries. Sometimes it was a decision made by employer, other time individual preference. Either way, the “remainers” are enjoying Fiji being COVID-Free.

However, we are seeing impacts on the economy through job-loss and it is devastating.

It is wonderful to see the Blue Lanes being used. By escaping a Southern Hemisphere winter, these yachties are also supporting the people of Fiji. Some may choose to live in Fiji for a bit longer to wait this pandemic out!!

According to Port Denarau’s CEO Cynthia Rasch, Fiji is the only country at the moment that is opening up something like Blue Lane.

#expatlife #fijiliving Living in Fiji — Blue sky, warm water? Yep, that is winter in Fiji

How can I get to Fiji?

If you are wondering how you can explore Fiji once you have arrived please ‘contact me‘ and I will be very happy to help. For those still dreaming of winter in Fiji, here is a video with lots of useful information.

People expect snorkelling, swimming and general Fun-in-the-Sun as part of life in Fiji. On the other hand, there is lots to do on land in Fiji. From markets to hiking to exploring rivers Find Your Feet Fiji can help identify what sorts of activities will best suit you.

Exploring further afield

If you are already living in Fiji but do not own a boat however you would like to sail or motor around Fiji then let me know and I can point you in the right direction. There are a lot of small businesses who have some amazing specials on at the moment. I can meet with you (either phone or over coffee!) and put together a personalised short-list of adventures. That will allow you to spend more time enjoying the trip and less time on wasted research.

Getting sick in Fiji

Most of us are used to the “Travellers Trots” when arriving in a new country. When something serious is diagnosed it can be daunting. It is October aka Pinktober so it is still recommended to continue with normal medical screenings. Remember early detection is vital.

The Fiji Cancer Society page suggests to put a pink ribbon on your profile pic to show you have been screened for breast or cervical cancer or that you pledge to make it a priority this year.

Pinktober is a good reminder for all of us. Just because we are all “living in paradise” on a “permanent holiday” (please add your own sarcastic voice!!) doesn’t mean we can ignore our own health.

I recommend ensuring you, your family and your staff are all checked regularly. If something comes up in general screening in Fiji and there is an option to go overseas to have a second opinion I would recommend that. On a personal level I had something picked up here in Fiji. I was lucky enough to have insurance to get a second opinion. I jumped on a plane and was given the all clear within a week. Phew.

reminder of pinktober
Sick in Fiji
Cancer in Fiji — Get those puppies checked!!

When it comes to domestic staff they become family members. The idea of one of them or their family being sick is awful. They will not have the option of jumping on a plane. That is why early detection is vital. Most doctors here tell me that people will try everything else before western medicine. That results in late detection which then reinforces the concept that “nothing can be done”.

Taking your staff and their families to the doctor is a good idea. The time spent and support that you give will ensure their well being. The education in the past was not based on awareness, so helping spread the word for NCDs like cancer is really helping Fiji overall.

Activities in Fiji

What can you do in Fiji? Fiji has a great reputation for sun, sand and water activities. However living here is a different story! Many new people have been heard to say “There’s nothing to do here.”

Rule #1
If something is on, go to it.

This was a rule I made up fairly recently and shared with a friend. Her teenaged kids were used to plenty of freedom and plenty to do in their last posting. I recommended to her that she explained to them that if there is something going on in Fiji (even if it is not something you would normally like to do) then go along. You don’t have to stay, you don’t have to commit or even enjoy it. However, giving it a go will probably end up with seeing people you know and possibly enjoying yourself!

Whether you are looking for things to do after work or things to do while your partner is at work, there are all sorts of activities to keep occupied, but sometimes discovering them can take time. That is how I can help you.

Settling into a new country can be tricky. Finding activities that fit your new life here is imperative to settling in quickly. Being able to find “your tribe” can be a bit hard to do. A Find Your Feet Introductions package can definitely make things a lot less stressful. When you know what to expect and what is expected of you then it is much easier to put the correct foot forward with confidence.

Various sites recommend different ways to Find Your Tribe. It boils down to a few simple rules:

Know yourself

Give some thought to how you would like to spend your time. Is it evenings and weekends after work? During the day? Things to do with your partner? Activities your children can do with or without you?

Put yourself ‘out there’

Try new things. It can be hard if you have never done something before to give something new some time. Developing a new skill can be challenging, but the old adage of “Everyone has to start somewhere” is valid.

I am not suggesting when you move to a new country that you should let go of all things sensible. Rather, I am suggesting perhaps one step from the normal.

Attend Meetings

Perhaps in your last living place you avoided meetings. Nevertheless attending meetings in Fiji could lead to something you are interested in joining. Perhaps it is a religious meeting, or a social club, a wine tasting or a creative writing group. Coupling this with the last rule of trying something new will open doors for you.

Ditch the judgement

We are all constantly looking at the world from our own perspective. The sooner you look for commonalities and leave the judging out then you will find people much more receptive to being in your tribe.

Volunteer and Commit

As Fiji is a developing nation there are plenty of groups who rely on volunteers to commit their time to help make an activity great. It could be a sporting group or using a new skill to help others. Volunteering in an area with like minded people will help develop friendships that last forever.

How do you start?

The best place to begin is by booking in some time with Find Your Feet Fiji to establish your interests. There are hourly rates and individualised packages which will save so much time on the trial and error rate of a new country.

Some things coming up in the next few weeks are listed below. Remember Rule #1 for Living in Fiji – If something is on, go to it.

Thurston Food & Music Festival this Saturday

Learn a new skill. This is incredibly cheap and a valuable skill.

Keep an eye on Find Your Feet Fiji on Facebook and Instagram as things are often posted there on request from organisers.

Where to eat in Fiji

When traveling in Fiji you can choose to eat where you are staying or venture out. Living in the Fiji is the same. You can eat at home or head out to a restaurant. The choice of supermarket has increased ten-fold in the last decade.

The fresh food markets in Suva and Namaka (Nadi) have excellent fruit and vegetables. If you are doing a tour in your new country we can recommend when to go to the market & when to avoid it! When I first moved here I loved the hustle and bustle of Saturday, but now I prefer to go when the vegetables have just arrived, but the crowds have not.

Oliver Scarf from Nanuku Auberge Resort recently wrote an article on food in Fiji. He has some good tips and recommends places to eat. Click here to read the article. This article is fairly recent so not much has changed on restaurants. To get the latest “hot spot” for eating or shopping I will be able to keep you up to date.

Shopping in Fiji

When you book for Orientation in your new city I will personalise your tour This will help you find all the hidden gems that will help you settle in and feel at home in Fiji. Knowing things like gluten free options or where to buy a cake topper make shopping a lot faster. Some people like to focus on speciality shops others try to get everything under one roof.

The Indian influence on food in Fiji means we have access to some delicious curries. Excellent cooking courses, restaurants, Hindi language and legumes to enrich our lives. I have a couple of favourite places to buy lentils and spices. I can definitely include these on our tour.

Shopping for food in Fiji does not have the range that Tesco or Woolworths in developed nations. Often to get the best of everything you will have to combine some ordered food (like fish delivered to your house) specialty shops for imported goods and a supermarket for the staples. There are definitely places I would not recommend!

Suva market video from Youtube

Resorts in Fiji

Before you move to Fiji you imagine that your new life will be filled with tropical sunsets and cocktails with little umbrellas. The reality isn’t quite so instagramable. However, resorts in Fiji are readily accessible for weekends away. Either just to escape the house and work or to utilise a long weekend.

The simple part is leaving home. [Thank you to our housekeepers who tidy up after the whirlwind of packing for a weekend away.] Is the dog fed? Are there any tradespeople coming to do work? Do I need to turn the computer off at the powerpoint?

The hardest part is choosing where to go. It can take hours working out location, transport, activities available, what is included and so on. This is where Find Your Feet Fiji can really help you.

Looking at the video below will give people an overview of some of the island groups in Fiji. It does not give any details for resorts in Fiji. It is definitely worth looking at – just for the pronunciation mistakes!

Finding the right resort in Fiji for you

Would like advice on which resorts in Fiji might suit your family? Sounds simple right? However, every family is different. One family may want kids club, another may have older kids. Sometimes there are visitors with no kids or different aged kids to your own – how can you possibly decide?

There are hourly rates for Find Your Feet. By detailing some of your requirements I can cut down the ringing around and emailing time. Do you want to drive yourself or hire a driver? Does one of your party members get seasick? There any many things to consider before even getting a shortlist. Contact me, I will be able to help you.