Small Islands near Fiji

In Fiji - smaller islands - travel guides and tourist information

If it'?s 12:00 in England, it'?s 11:00 on the islands. The large islands have both luxury and basic boarding houses, most of which are enchanting and welcoming. It' possible to spend the night on the other side of the lake, but it is best to make sure in advance.

Journey to the remotest Fiji Islands during your South Pacific tour.

Fiji is an islands of 322 stunning islands. They are a real heaven, with the icons of palms blowing under the eternal bright light against the background of the green rain forest. A sunbather can observe a Pacific dolphin sundown on the skyline or take in a hot dawn to the sound of Fiji's tropical birdlife.

There is a wealth of local cultures, from cooking to art, which makes a Fiji trip one of a kind. Some 8,000 years ago, the first humans who came to the islands that are now Fiji located there. There was a second settler movement some 3,500 years ago, bringing along an old potter's shop named Lapita-Ware, whose unmistakable styles have contributed to its first inhabitant to this day.

In 1634, the Fijian people came into touch with Europeans when the discoverer Abel Tasman from the Netherlands came to the islands in his quest for the "Great Southern Continent". When Europeans occupied the islands in the 19th c., King Cakabau handed over his empire to end the war and the shedding of blood; in 1974 he left the islands of his people to the British in the historical capitol Levuka on Ovalau.

They forced the British into island colonisation, built flower farms and brought workers from India to work. In 1970 Fiji achieved autonomy. Fiji's formal policy system is a representational parliamentarian democracy; the prime minister serves as prime minister, the president as leader of a multi-party system with executives, legislature and judiciary.

Fiji's Commonwealth of Nations affiliation has been terminated. The New Zealand High Commissioner was last deported from Fiji. Fiji's people are mainly indigenous Fijians of Polish and Melanese ancestry. Regardless of ethnic origin, travellers will find that the natives radiate a tangible sense of proudness about their Fijian people.

Visitors to Fiji will be amazed when they listen to English as their native tongue. In some areas, the tribal tongue Bauan is also used. It has a fine handicraft tradition that has developed from French and Melanese origins. Canoeing is particularly important in Fiji and travellers to Fiji may be fortunate enough to travel in a classic woodcane.

The Fiji trip can also include a show of the classic meat, an artistic genre that includes a speer for men and a special dancing for woman, as well as an important historical experience in Fiji. In Fiji there are several other types of dancing, many with obviously polynesic influences.

Travellers looking for the Fiji sport circuit will find the land renowned for its players in rugby. Celebrity and plenty of football matches are common, although football is becoming more and more common on the islands. Fiji cruises with local cuisines. The majority of travellers will be glad to find plenty of exotic fruits such as Guavas, mangos and pineapples.

The island is home to a rich variety of food, as well as a great blend of regional dishes with global cuisines. It is a wonderful place with a wonderful tropic atmosphere, which makes it a heaven. Though it is difficult to tell the temperature apart, Fiji has two different times of the year.

Whatever the time of year, the sea breeze in the evenings can be fresh and chilly, so travellers should take a lightweight coat or overcoat. There are 322 islands and over 500 small islands in Fiji. There are only about 100 of these islands inhabited, the remainder are protected areas. Though Fiji is a little smaller than the state of New Jersey, its islands have unbelievable coastlines stretching for kilometres.

Nearly 80% of the world' s inhabitants live on the two biggest islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. Both islands, shrouded in rain forest, are large enough to accommodate a few hills with tops of over 4,000ft. Although not the best place for sand beach, Viti Levu has a stunning cityscape.

Suva, the country's capitol and world centre, is also situated on this isle. Mamanuca is probably the place where the best sands are. The area is more resort-oriented, so travellers looking for a more remote place should go to the Yasawa Islands. Patients will find calm lakes and abandoned coconut trees that do justice to the name of the paradise of the isle.

Most of Fiji's islands are small and fringed by wide seas, so there are few terrestrials. However, travellers will most likely see geckoes and colourful greenbacks. Yaduataba Islanders may be fortunate enough to see the indigenous (nowhere else in the word found) crested iguana, which is able to alter its colour.

The Riesenboa is another stroke of luck in the rain forests of Fiji. Travellers can also see a mangus or a huge tad, both of which have been brought to the islands and are not native to them. The islands' shortage of land-based fauna more than makes up for in the outdoors.

It is home to over 100 birds, many of which prefer the large Vita Levu islet. Cruising to Fiji will most likely find several types of parrot, lorikeet, fantail and honey eater over it. A number of areas of the islands have been designated as nature reserves to preserve the unique nest gannet, a nice non-airworthy flight.

Travellers to Fiji should also be fortunate to see declining tortoises. A number of programmes have been set up locally to revive the tortoise populations and some nice female cubs that lay their nests on the sands. The Fiji water is home to an unbelievable variety of other aquatic creatures, from delphins and shark reefs to various types of stingrays and a rayhead.

One half of Fiji's land mass consists of unspoiled forrest. Rainforests cover the bigger islands, although hard-woods, such as sandal wood and cauri, are widespread. It is home to more than 2,000 native plants, many of which are medical. Cruising to Fiji will also unveil the vast range of islands' large scale of corals, which are home to an incredible variety of game.

Fiji's abundance of indigenous nature and the threat to it from trade interests have resulted in the protection of the wildlife through the National Trust. In 2001, 64 botanicals, four mammals, nine birds and six reptiles were regarded as threatened.