Reviews of Fiji

[suexxx]

Hi everyone. Would love to read some reviews that went to Fiji as we are going to book a cruise soon. I don't know where to look. Pleaseeee help me AGAIN. Suexxx

[johndon]

Hi SueXXX

 

We are going to Fiji on Dawn Princess out of Sydney on 1`st October and also dont know much about Fiji. Will also wait for someone to post a review.

 

Johndon

[mummyrose]

Good Morning All

My first impression of Suva.....its nothing like the pics at the TA.....quite the oposite...

We done the Fijian Jewels last June and it was our first cruise....There were a number onboard who refused to get off......mumbling why does the ship come here.....

Having said that we done a ship tour out to the fire walking and it was great getting out of the city and seeing how the fijian folk live....We came back in the Suva.....(you dock right there) and walked the main street....until a man employed stopped us walking up a side street for saftey ....he guided us back to the ship....so we went....

 

At Port Denarau it was very neat and tidy....we did a excursion with our CC group out the sleeping Giant, orchid garden and some driving around.......This time we are doing a shore tour to one of the islands with princess....

 

Dravina ISland is a pretty place for walking,a big hill there for great photos.......clean waters great for swimming....the locals take you on a ride around the island in there boats....$10 each takes about half hour....there are 200 islanders on this island they have great stalls etc....

 

Hope this helps a little........

[Kinkacruiser]

Hi Mummyrose,

I've not been to Fiji , so would you say it's much like Vanuatu or New Caledonia?

Now a little further on are the Cook Islands (featured on Getaway last night). That's a dream place, like Fr Polynesia and also hugely expensive.

Cheers,

Anna

[mummyrose]

We never got into New Caledonia because of the swine flue....I have been told its really dear there...hopefully will this time....also been told the people are rude there???

 

Maybe its alot like Vila......one thing I think puts people off would be the smell....of the fruit/vege/etc markets that is right there on the wharf....We made the mistake of doing (Vila) a cruise here on the barge......(nothing wrong with the cruise)but we got to see where all the rich Austrailians live etc.....not the real culture....

One thing I wasnt to keen on with Suva are the pushy Indians (no offence)....that crowded you in to their little shops and you couldnt get out very easy....got to the point I would let Hubby in and I stayed out.....Then he would say to them he would come back later.....They seemed to let him go a bit easier this way.....

There were 2 department stores on the main street.....jacks and also TAppos???..

Clothes wise yes would be little differents between Suva/Villa except Villa had more....

[suexxx]

Hi all. Thanks for your feed back. Keep it coming. Suexxx

[rkmw]

Hi all. Thanks for your feed back. Keep it coming. Suexxx

 

hi sue, i know a taxi driver in Suva and he can pick up in Port Denarau also...he is resonable with his prices....other CC members have used him and if you require his number you can text him....send me an email if you require him bobm888@bigpond.com

 

we will be in Suva in May and we have booked him again

 

as an example to see the Sleeping Giant in Port Denarau Princess and P&O charge $99 for 4 hours and he could do the same thing for around $30

[suexxx]

Hi rkmw. Will email you for that information soon. Suexxx

[Goodyab]

RKMW....

we are doing the 5th Feb 2011... Rhapsody of the Seas Cruise...

Any advice on day tours at Suva and Latoka would be appreciated.

I would love to get in contact with the recommend driver for advice and recommendations for things to do and see in Fiji when we visit.

Thanks

Cheers

Angie :)

[maxx]

we recently spent 4 days at Port Deanarau....the marina is the hub for all boats/ships. All island trips leave from there. The beaches are pretty grim, dark sand, the area is built on canals. The marina is quite small but the restaurants are nice, we had a great pizza there. Don't expect a great shopping experience, it's very quiet & small.

The resorts are accessable from the marina by walking, approx 15 mins easy walk, or on the bus...$5 for an all day pass which travels from the marina to all the resorts. The resorts are really lovely.

We didn't do any day trips so can't comment there.

It's also about 20 mins from Nadi.

[rkmw]

RKMW....

we are doing the 5th Feb 2011... Rhapsody of the Seas Cruise...

Any advice on day tours at Suva and Latoka would be appreciated.

I would love to get in contact with the recommend driver for advice and recommendations for things to do and see in Fiji when we visit.

Thanks

Cheers

Angie :)

 

hi Angie, send me an email, my details are bobm888@bigpond.com

 

we are thinking about the cruise ourselves.....maybe

 

rkmw

[Neicy& Ron]

As you may well have heard, Suva is not the greatest place to visit.

 

We have been there twice and on the first visit we walked around town and was disgusted at the filth and general state of the city.

 

On our second visit however we had a wonderful experience.

 

The brief version is we hired two mini buses (10 in each) and headed out of town towards Nandi. After about 25 minutes in the buses we stopped at a random village on the left side of the road. It had a large clearing in the middle and had a pale blue painted community hall.

 

Some on our buses had brought tennis balls to hand out to the children. When we stopped children came from everywhere and greeted us and were so happy to recieve the gifts.

 

From there we continued to a resort and had lunch and the group decided that the village was so nice that we would go back.

 

We detoured to the general store we we stocked up on Gifts and a box of staple biscuits to give them.

 

When we arrived back at the village once again the families came from everywhere and I handed out the biscuits to the mothers in the group.

 

One of the mothers told me that I had to visit this elderly gentlemen in the house on the hill. It turned out to be the chiefs house. He was such a nice man and was extremely thankful for our generosity to his people.

 

He told me that if ever I returned to Fiji to visit and spend a day with his people who would take us to their beach and share a meal with them. They were such nice people. As I left he said may god be with you....and he meant it.......I felt so humble.

 

I will go back one day and I wont waste my money on commercial tours or seeing the city of Suva. These are humble people who are not effected by political unrest.

 

In stead of wasted a couple of hundred dollars on tours...go to the supermarket near the wharf load up with staple foods and balls and bats for the kids and go the the village...if you are interested I will find out its name.

 

Well worth the visit.

 

Regards

Ron

[Ripeka]

have only visited the nadi side of the main island of Fiji but have visited the islands off to the west of mainland several times. It is the islands (NOT the mainland) that have the beautiful white sand. Beaches are horrible in and around Nadi; a lot of everything else is third world; shopping is virtually non-existent. If you get any opportunity to engage with the local indigenous people eg by visiting a village (not indians), they are just lovely and I always find the indigenous people are the highlight of any trips to Fiji. Dont think Suva is any better from a beach point of view. Dont know whether any of the big cruise ships visit the islands or whether the stops are just on the mainland. If just on the mainland (Nadi, Port Denerau, Suva) dont expect picture postcard tropical island stuff.

[subaru94]

As you may well have heard, Suva is not the greatest place to visit.

 

We have been there twice and on the first visit we walked around town and was disgusted at the filth and general state of the city.

 

On our second visit however we had a wonderful experience.

 

The brief version is we hired two mini buses (10 in each) and headed out of town towards Nandi. After about 25 minutes in the buses we stopped at a random village on the left side of the road. It had a large clearing in the middle and had a pale blue painted community hall.

 

Some on our buses had brought tennis balls to hand out to the children. When we stopped children came from everywhere and greeted us and were so happy to recieve the gifts.

 

From there we continued to a resort and had lunch and the group decided that the village was so nice that we would go back.

 

We detoured to the general store we we stocked up on Gifts and a box of staple biscuits to give them.

 

When we arrived back at the village once again the families came from everywhere and I handed out the biscuits to the mothers in the group.

 

One of the mothers told me that I had to visit this elderly gentlemen in the house on the hill. It turned out to be the chiefs house. He was such a nice man and was extremely thankful for our generosity to his people.

 

He told me that if ever I returned to Fiji to visit and spend a day with his people who would take us to their beach and share a meal with them. They were such nice people. As I left he said may god be with you....and he meant it.......I felt so humble.

 

I will go back one day and I wont waste my money on commercial tours or seeing the city of Suva. These are humble people who are not effected by political unrest.

 

In stead of wasted a couple of hundred dollars on tours...go to the supermarket near the wharf load up with staple foods and balls and bats for the kids and go the the village...if you are interested I will find out its name.

 

Well worth the visit.

 

Regards

Ron

Sounds wonderful we have been to Suva a few times last time arrived late so only had the evening there, would be interested to know the village did you organise the buses like you do taxis, hope you understand what I mean.

[Gaznjo]

all I can say is "arts village Suva" great day... organise your own group of 6 -8 ... we had 8 ... they came and picked us up. in our tour we watched them prepare our lunch.. cooked in the ground ... then watched the show... ( princess turned up then... left straight after ) then we had a tour of the chief hut along with kava... then we ate lunch ... then we had a boat tour around the village... then they took us back to the ship... cost us $75 fiji plus transfer ( not much more ) ... alot cheaper than princess..

 

it was a good day... especially those fijian dancers with the skin coloured undies underneath the grass skirts... made me look twice LOL.... loved suva LOL

 

joanne

[robinph]

As you may well have heard, Suva is not the greatest place to visit.

 

We have been there twice and on the first visit we walked around town and was disgusted at the filth and general state of the city.

 

On our second visit however we had a wonderful experience.

 

The brief version is we hired two mini buses (10 in each) and headed out of town towards Nandi. After about 25 minutes in the buses we stopped at a random village on the left side of the road. It had a large clearing in the middle and had a pale blue painted community hall.

 

Some on our buses had brought tennis balls to hand out to the children. When we stopped children came from everywhere and greeted us and were so happy to recieve the gifts.

 

From there we continued to a resort and had lunch and the group decided that the village was so nice that we would go back.

 

We detoured to the general store we we stocked up on Gifts and a box of staple biscuits to give them.

 

When we arrived back at the village once again the families came from everywhere and I handed out the biscuits to the mothers in the group.

 

One of the mothers told me that I had to visit this elderly gentlemen in the house on the hill. It turned out to be the chiefs house. He was such a nice man and was extremely thankful for our generosity to his people.

 

He told me that if ever I returned to Fiji to visit and spend a day with his people who would take us to their beach and share a meal with them. They were such nice people. As I left he said may god be with you....and he meant it.......I felt so humble.

 

I will go back one day and I wont waste my money on commercial tours or seeing the city of Suva. These are humble people who are not effected by political unrest.

 

In stead of wasted a couple of hundred dollars on tours...go to the supermarket near the wharf load up with staple foods and balls and bats for the kids and go the the village...if you are interested I will find out its name.

 

Well worth the visit.

 

Regards

Ron

 

I agree whole heartedly with everything you said, that is what seeing these islands is all about seeing the culture and meeting the people, we always take lollies and gifts for the children,seeing their little faces light up is really worth while, It doesnt matter if it is an island in Fiji, Vanuatu, or New Caledonia. they are all the same full of happy smiling faces that are greatful for small things which are nothing to us who have so much in comparrison.:)