Just Landed in Fiji? Your First 7 Days

Fiji has two main mobile networks, Vodafone Fiji and Digicel Fiji, with reliable 4G across Viti Levu's towns, Nadi, Suva and the coastal resorts, but coverage thins noticeably on the outer islands and in the interior highlands. Prepaid SIMs are cheap, quick to buy and registered against your passport. Most cafes, hotels and offices offer WiFi, though speeds are modest and outages are common, so a phone data plan is your most dependable connection.

Typical cost: A prepaid SIM or tourist pack runs roughly FJD 30-100 depending on inclusions; standalone monthly data bundles of around 15-20GB cost about FJD 15-35, and small daily 1GB add-ons are around FJD 2.50.

The Fijian dollar (FJD) is the only accepted currency, and Fiji operates exchange controls, so moving large sums in or out of the country requires bank documentation and, above set thresholds, Reserve Bank of Fiji approval. Cards are accepted at supermarkets, hotels, larger restaurants and shops in Suva, Nadi and Denarau, but cash still rules at markets, on buses, with taxis and in rural areas.

Opening an account: ANZ, BSP (Bank of the South Pacific), Westpac and HFC Bank open accounts for residents. Bring your passport, valid permit or visa, proof of a Fiji address and usually an employer letter or a local reference. Opening can take several days, and some banks require you to be a resident rather than a visitor.

Cash: Cash is essential outside the main towns and even inside them for small purchases. Municipal produce markets, minibuses, taxis, kava sellers and roadside vendors are cash-only, so keep a steady supply of small FJD notes and coins on you at all times.

Tipping: Tipping is not customary or expected in Fiji, and Fijians traditionally do not tip. Some upmarket resorts run a shared staff 'Christmas fund' box you can contribute to if you wish, and rounding up a taxi fare is a small courtesy, but it is never required.

Fiji has no general address-registration system for new arrivals, so you do not report your residence to a local council or registry the way you might in Europe. Your legal status is governed entirely by the conditions printed on your visa, work permit or residence permit from the Department of Immigration. Employers typically handle work-permit sponsorship, and your obligation is to keep your permit valid, comply with its conditions and report any relevant changes (employer, address, status) to Immigration. Overstaying or breaching permit conditions carries fines and possible removal, so diarise your expiry dates well in advance.

Where: Department of Immigration offices in Suva and Lautoka handle all permit and status matters.

Getting around Viti Levu relies on metered taxis, cheap and frequent public buses, and shared inter-town minibuses (known as carriers or vans); ride-hailing exists but coverage and reliability are thin compared with larger countries. Buses are the cheapest way to move within and between towns, taxis are affordable and everywhere, and for longer hops many people use the express bus or a domestic flight. Between islands, travel is by Fiji Airways and its regional arm, plus passenger ferries and small charter aircraft.

From the airport: From Nadi International Airport, a metered taxi to Nadi town costs roughly FJD 15-20 and to Denarau around FJD 20-25, using the official rank outside arrivals. Suva is a three-to-four-hour drive south then east along the Queens Road; many newcomers instead take a short domestic Fiji Airways flight from Nadi to Nausori Airport near Suva, or an air-conditioned express coach.

Expats commonly rent furnished or semi-furnished houses and flats in Suva's hillside suburbs such as Tamavua and Namadi Heights, or around Nadi, Denarau and the Coral Coast. Listings appear on Facebook Marketplace and local rental and community groups, through real-estate agents, and very often by word of mouth, so tell people you are looking. Good properties move quickly and the best deals rarely reach the open market, so networking early pays off.

Typical rent: A modest town flat runs roughly FJD 800-1,500 a month; a family house in an expat suburb of Suva or a Denarau property can be FJD 2,000-4,000 or more, and unfurnished long-term rentals are cheaper than short-term furnished ones.

Deposit norm: Landlords typically ask for one month's rent as a bond plus one month in advance, and better properties involve reference checks and a written tenancy agreement. Inspect for water pressure, backup water storage, security and generator or inverter provision, given frequent outages.

Fiji has a public health system with the main referral hospitals in Suva (Colonial War Memorial, CWM), Lautoka and Labasa, plus smaller divisional and health-centre facilities. Public services are affordable but stretched and under-resourced, and complex or serious cases are sometimes evacuated to Australia or New Zealand. Expats generally use private clinics and medical centres in Suva, Nadi and Denarau for routine and urgent-but-minor care.

How to access it: For routine care, walk in or book at a private clinic or medical centre and pay per visit, which is usually quick and inexpensive by Western standards. For emergencies, call 911 for an ambulance, but be aware response can be slow, so knowing the route to your nearest hospital and a trusted private clinic in advance genuinely matters. Carry your insurance details and a list of your medications.

Insurance: Take out comprehensive international health insurance that explicitly includes medical evacuation and repatriation, because serious or complex treatment often means transfer to Australia or New Zealand at very high cost. Confirm the evacuation cover and its limits in writing before you rely on local facilities, and keep the insurer's 24-hour assistance number saved offline.

• Greet people warmly with 'Bula' and make time for small talk; jumping straight to business or transactions is seen as cold and rushed.
• Dress modestly in villages and towns; cover shoulders and knees, and remove hats and sunglasses when entering a village, as hats are reserved for chiefs.
• If you visit a village, bring a bundle of kava (yaqona) as a sevusevu gift for the chief or headman, and wait to be formally welcomed before wandering around.
• Remove your shoes before entering someone's home, and accept offered kava, tea or food graciously, as refusing outright can cause offence.
• Learn a few words of iTaukei and Fiji Hindi ('Vinaka' for thank you goes a long way) and use them with the community you live among.
• Be patient and softly spoken in disputes; raising your voice or showing anger publicly makes you lose face and rarely resolves anything.
• Respect the Sunday rhythm, particularly in iTaukei areas, by keeping noise down and not expecting shops, offices or services to be open.

• Sunday is widely observed as a day of rest and worship, especially in iTaukei communities; many shops close, transport thins out and loud or commercial activity is frowned upon.
• Touching someone's head, or standing over or in front of people who are seated in a formal or ceremonial setting, can cause serious offence.
• 'Fiji time' means appointments, deliveries, tradespeople and official processes routinely run late; build in generous buffers and stay patient rather than confrontational.
• Public displays of anger, impatience or entitlement damage relationships badly; a calm, relationship-first approach gets far more done than pressure.
• During kava (grog) sessions, follow the etiquette: clap once before drinking, drink in one go, clap three times after, and do not walk through the middle of the circle.