A gap year in Fiji

Gap years in Fiji

The very name conjures a vision of the tropics: swaying palm trees and towering surf crashing to the shore. Fiji lives up to expectations in every way – you’ll want to tick off every one of its 300 islands before your time is done. The warm, clear waters of the Pacific are irresistible to divers and snorkellers. Inland, the people of Fiji are no less charming. A cosmopolitan jumble of cultures and ethnicities, Fijians celebrate hard and eat well. Choose to spend your GAP year working in Fiji, or just include it in your RTW ticket, and you won’t regret it.

GAP opportunities
Take your PADI exams, coach cricket, or work on a UNESCO site in gorgeous Fiji – the opportunities are varied. There’s no Visa requirement and Fiji affords plenty of leisure opportunities after a hard week’s work (ahem).

If conservation is your bag, you’ll find yourself working on ocean conservation in Fiji. After training as a PADI diver you’ll be expected to work hard with the organisation and your group. If you’d rather work in an orchard in Oz or teach business English in NZ, then include Fiji in your RTW ticket between Australia and New Zealand. It’s definitely worth a stop.

Getting Around
The ‘Feejee Experience’ is a hop-on bus service making circuits of Viti Levu, the largest island of the archipelago. It’s the cheapest but also the most enjoyable way to tour the island. Use it to visit the best beaches, see the sugar cane plantations, or swim in rainforest waterfalls. The FeeJee Experience is designed for backpackers and young travellers; the route incorporates stops at interesting villages and river-rafting hotspots.

For locals, there are three types of bus serving the island: the true local bus service, which you can wave down and request stops from; the express service linking main towns; and the air-conditioned coaches on the Coral coast. For authenticity, wave down a minibus and see where it takes you. You will, of course, want to explore Fiji’s islands: ferries, catamarans and dubious local boats are in abundance. Viti Levu’s main ports are at Natovi jetty (north of Suva) and Nadi.

Introducing Fiji
Fiji has a famously friendly community, made up primarily of indigenous Melanesian and Polynesian with Indian people from a military coup in 1989. It’s the political instability that has put off travellers lately: check with the Foreign Embassy before departure – the latest military action took place just a couple of years ago.

Fiji is universally loved by backpackers, and for good reason. Hurrying is against the Fijian nature, life is leisurely, and timetables are perceived as mere guides to the unfolding of your day. You can live and travel cheaply if you choose wisely, although imported food and wine can put up the price of living.

Your gate of entry into Fiji will probably be Nadi, from which you can head out to the Mamanuca or Yasawa islands – both popular with travellers and tourists. When you’re exhausted from diving or beach parties, catch the bus along the Coral Coast for a visit to Suva, the archipelago’s capital. Colonial in style and boasting one of the world’s most beautiful city settings (on a peninsular reaching out into the Pacific), Suva has only been capital for 130 years. Rich and verdant suburbs thrive in Suva’s wet microclimate, which is a source of much complaint among locals! It’s a great spot for shopping (pick up some tropical fruit at the Municipal Market on a Saturday, and local souvenirs at one of the many handicraft centres) and for taking interesting trips – try Ovalau, where Fiji’s original capital remains.

From Suva it’s easy to connect with a ferry or catamaran and visit some of Fiji’s hidden gems. The islands scattered with villages, but many are desolate: Castaway was filmed on one of them. Villagers (who really do wear grass skirts, by the way) often invite travellers home for a sip of kava. Don’t mistake it for your favourite supermarket fizz. This potent alcoholic drink is made from ground (or chewed) Kava roots, which have been soaked and strained, and the resulting liquid is drunk from a bowl. It’s a traditional welcome, and said to induce mild euphoria, so drink wisely…

Dates for your calendar
Aim to be in Fiji between November and January, and you’ll witness both the stunning celebrations of Diwali and the extended New Year festivities too. Both last about a week in most regions and they’re unmissable!