BELOVED FIJI

Fiji, the Crowning Jewel of the South Pacific

Fiji is the dream of the world, a place where you can relax without a care in the world.  Fiji is a group of romantic and peaceful tropical islands at the heart of the South Pacific, at midpoint between the equator and the South Pole.  When the late Pope John Paul II visited Fiji, he described Fiji as “the way the world should be.”

The enchanting Fiji Islands is like no other place on earth.  Inside Fiji’s pristine jungles one can find over 1,000 species of tropical plants, about half of which are indigenous or rare endemic species that do not grow anywhere else in the world.

Over one-third of the species of birds of Fiji’s jungles, bush, and forests are also endemic, and cannot be found anywhere else on earth.  At the same time, while there are peaceful and exotic local inhabitants of Fijian jungles like the Shining Parrots and Crested Iguanas, there are hardly any harmful predators or dangerous animals.  Fiji, an archipelago of resplendant natural gems in the South Pacific, is a land of abounding blessings, and is often referred to as the world’s last paradise.  As a result of Fiji's unparalleled natural purity and beauty, it has powerfully established itself as one of the most presitigious names in global tourism.  

Concierge.com, the online luxury travel guide of Condé Nast Traveler Magazine, described, "Fiji is the kind of place Hollywood cinematographers dream about and for which betrothed couples cash in CDs so they can afford a sexy picture-book honeymoon. It is a wonder of unspoiled beaches, water the color of a Siamese cat's eyes, and by all accounts, the friendliest people in the world. While most Westerners are seduced by the idea of doing absolutely nothing in one of the most gorgeous places in the world, it is possible to have a sporting vacation in the archipelago."  

The popular Millenial travel and online media site Culture Trip also adds, “Find your piece of paradise in Fiji… Sunsets in Fiji are nothing short of magical.”

Travel Online Australia has also reported, "Fiji is the land of broad smiles, flashing white teeth, gentle relaxation and absolutely no stress...  You won't be able to escape the friendliness of the people or the sheer natural beauty - swaying palms and warm, clear water.  Fiji has long been a favourite destination for honeymooners and couples and it's becoming increasingly popular for weddings or the re-affirming of vows.  There is no doubt that Fiji is the best place for an unforgettable wedding and honeymoon."

In the words of Global Surf News by Surfvillage, "Renowned as one of the friendliest places on earth, Fiji is the very definition of paradise."  

The Straights Times of Singapore also reports, “Blessed with soft, dazzling white sand and waters so clear they glow, Fiji’s beaches will make you feel like you have wandered into a dream.”

David Stanley, of the Moon Traveler's Handbook series, summed it up thus: "Fiji is the largest and most popular vacation destination in the South Pacific, with the best selection of things to see and do.  Fiji is a place where you can really relax.  In a word, Fiji is a traveler’s country par excellence."

During our almost 30 years in the gorgeous Fiji Islands, we have seen time and time again that the hearts of the People of Fiji are as pure, noble, and beautiful as the environment in which they live.  The readers of the influential Conde Nast Traveller magazine once designated the people of Fiji as “the friendliest people on earth.” As Fiji’s warm climate soothes our bodies, the bright and welcoming smiles of the people of Fiji touch our hearts.

 

Fiji Facts

Location: Between Longitudes 177 West and 175 East and Latitudes 15 and 22 South

Region: Pacific Islands

Compositions: About 333 tropical islands

Climate: Southsea Maritime Climate, without extremes of heat or cold

Total Area: 1.3 million sq-km of South Pacific Ocean;  Land – 18,333 sq-km (Viti Levu 10,419 sq-km, Vanua Levu 5,556 sq-km)

Population: Approximately 902,900 (as of 2021)

Languages: English, Fijian, Hindi, Rotuman

Currency: The Fiji Dollar

Land: 8.06% Freehold Land; 82.9% Native Land;  8.8% State Land; 0.24% Rotuman Community Land

Time: 12 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, and on the 180° Meridian - the Earth’s starting point of time

 

Fiji’s Hidden Paradise- Vanua Levu

Totoka Fiji Villa Estates is located on the northern coast of Vanua Levu, which is renowned for its remarkable purity of nature and beautiful sunny climate.

Vanua Levu, Fiji’s second largest island, is on the international dateline, and hence is among the first land in the world to greet the sun every day, and the first to celebrate every New Year. 

Vanua Levu, as the emerging new Mecca for exotic and deluxe nature, eco, and adventure tourism (NEAT) market in the South Pacific, holds an immense capacity to proactively diversify and further expand its upscale & luxury segments of the tourism industry.  

Vanua Levu possesses powerful intrinsic comparative advantages for large-scale landmark tourism developments in terms of unparalleled natural purity and breathtaking beauty, superb international marketability of properties, as well as some of Fiji’s friendliest and most hospitable people.  

Vanua Levu of Fiji has been gaining remarkable popularity in the Environmentally Conscious and AB demographic groups of numerous key Northern Hemisphere markets, including USA, Korea, Japan, Germany, UK,  Canada, and recently Dubai, as a remarkably untainted, beautiful, and exotic ‘tropical lifestyle upgrade’ destination, and currently offers some of the most generous Tax-Free business operation incentives in the world.

The legendary award-winning diver, ocean explorer, and filmmaker Stan Waterman has marveled, "Fiji is the color of our dreams," and Jean-Michel Cousteau has chosen Vanua Levu as the place to develop his world-class diving resort.   

The star attraction of Fiji's underwater wonders is the Great Sea Reef of northern Vanua Levu, the world's third largest barrier reef, and home to countless endemic species of marine life.

Vanua Levu is where Fiji’s most pristine and authentic natural environment can be witnessed and experienced.  Travel Weekly, a magazine favoured by tourism professional, identified Vanua Levu, Fiji, as the “Best Island for Eco-Tourism” in the South Pacific.  They acclaimed, “Fiji’s second-largest island is an eco-paradise, with lush tropical rainforest, white coral beaches and mangrove coasts, a thriving coral reef and an abundant marine life.”  Vanua Levu is where the world longs to be. 

 

Culture & Arts

The indigenous people of Fiji boast a rich and beautiful culture that emphasises principles of respect, sharing, hospitality, and wise stewardship of nature.  The indigenous People of the Fiji Islands, who were once some of the most powerful, feared, and intrepid warriors throughout the South Pacific over a century ago, have wholeheartedly embraced the virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love as taught in the Bible, and presently, according to the latest national census, about 99.2% of the Indigenous Fijians are Christians. 

The ancestrally inherited DNA of outstanding courage, power, and athleticism of the indigenous Fijians have been channeled and transmuted in a positive direction into more contemporary and constructive arenas including a wide variety of modern professions, art, music, and sports. 

For instance, in the highly physical and fast-paced sport of Rugby- Fiji's favorite national pastime- Fiji's celebrated national team in the sevens code, widely acknowledged as the greatest rugby sevens team in the world, was the 2018-19 Season World Champions of the IRB World Rugby Sevens Series, which is broadcast in 147 countries. In August 2016, the Fiji Rugby Sevens Team made history at the Rio Olympics by winning every match and by dominantly, confidently, and gloriously triumphing 43-7 over Great Britain in the Finals to emerge the proud Olympic Gold Medalist in Rugby Sevens. Fiji’s national team repeated the remarkable feat at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics through a 27-12 win over New Zealand, sealing an inspirational second consecutive Olympic Gold Medal for Fiji and for the ardent Fijian Rugby fans worldwide. Fiji's national team- whose members have sometimes practiced with scrunched balls of paper or coconuts in place of rugby balls as youths- find deep in their hearts, and in their inspiring faith in and love for God, the power and the passion to outperform and outcompete other teams with substantially larger budgets and much more advanced training facilities, such as those of England, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and France. 

The American photographer and filmmaker Gary Yost, who filmed Fiji's beautiful island of Vanua Levu for 8 weeks with sincere awe and admiration, and produced the documentary The Beauty of Fiji Can Make You Cry, noted, "In just 140 years, Fiji has come from being the world’s most recent cannibal/warrior culture, to being renowned as the happiest place on earth."

Yost also observed, "What struck me right away was how music is so entwined into so many aspects of their lives, and how music and dance are their oral and movement history. It’s how they pass on their history, and how they spend time together—whether it’s farming or playing rugby. The first time I saw a rugby team singing a prayer after they’d won the game—these were big guys, super masculine, and yet they’re all holding hands and singing this beautiful prayer." 

The fact that many important areas of Fiji remain so pristine, beautiful, safe, and sociologically stable- when most of the rest of the world has allowed short-term oriented economic interests to inflict irreversible and poisonous pollution on the natural environment, to adulterate the societal norms and moral values, and to often marginalize the traditional indigenous populace- owes much to the profound sagacity, courage, and wisdom of their ancestors, who succeeded in securing for their descendents the inalienable ownership of some 90% of Fiji's land, as well as to the prescient, responsible, and prudent leadership of the Government of modern day Fiji, who proactively formulate and implement many constructive policies that help to conserve Fiji's pristine natural environment and to safeguard the beautiful and precious traditional cultures of its People.  

The second largest demographic group in Fiji are Fijians of Indian descent, whose ancestors played- or more technically, were forced by the former colonialists Britain to play- a central role in the establishment of the sugar industry in Fiji since the late 19th Century.  Furthermore, they have made valuable contributions to the development of many other important industries in the country, for well over 100 years.  While fully integrated into the rest of the Fijian society, Fijians of Indian descent also proudly and faithfully retain, cherish, and pass down over generations their own culture, languages, religions, history, and traditions.  

Today's harmonious and modern Fiji, comprising the modern and sophisticated Fijians of indigenous i-Taukei descent, of Indian descent, of Rotuman descent, of Asian descent, and of European descent, among many others, jointly shape, contribute to, and enrich the collective Fijian society by respecting, appreciating, and celebrating the broad diversity of cultures and traditions, and by freely and openly sharing of their own special cultures, knowledge, and talents to collaboratively and synergistically build together, and protect together for posterity, the most pristine, beautiful, prosperous, and socioculturally dynamic island nation on earth.  

While spending time in Fiji, whenever you are invited or have the opportunity, why not attend and share your blessings at a cultural wedding ceremony, learn the fascinating and ornate art of mehndi, or join in the art of traditional Fijian wood handicraft, pottery, traditional dances called meke, yaqona (kava) tasting ceremonies, and singing of a melodious and harmonious Fijian song?

 

Travel Information

What clothes to pack for Fiji?

Because of Fiji’s warm and mild subtropical climate, which averages between 26°C to 31°C throughout the year, short-sleeve shirts, shorts, comfortable dresses, swimming suits, and stylish hats are the most useful and popular fashion.  We recommend that you include some warmer clothes as well for the cooler evenings. 

You can also purchase natural round-brimmed hats woven from coconut leaves at various handicraft stores in Vanua Levu, which can also be good souvenirs for those envious friends and relatives still back at home.

Regardless of gender or age, one of Fiji’s most comfortable and beloved fashion item is the sulu, which is a Fijian version of a wrap-around sarong printed with cheerful tropical colors. 

Coming to Totoka Fiji

Once you land in Fiji’s Nadi (pronounced nahn-dee) International Airport, there is a diverse and exciting range of transfer options to get to Totoka Fiji.  If you want the best balance of speediness and enjoyment, a memorable possible option would be the seaplane, which could fly over the beautiful Fiji seas and colorful coral reefs, and land right off the coast of Totoka Fiji Villa Estates. 

Another excellent option is to connect to Fiji's major domestic airline, Fiji Link, the domestic subsidiary of the international carrier Fiji Airways, and land at the Labasa or Savusavu Airport.  The drive through the rainforest mountain ranges from Savusavu to Totoka Fiji is renowned as one of Fiji’s most spectacular scenic drive courses. 

Charting a helicopter or a yacht can also be great alternative options for some families or groups of friends, if you want to do more serious in-depth exploration during your travels. 

Fiji Entry Requirements

Fiji welcomes visitors, and to facilitate easy entry, everything has been done to make the process as pleasant as possible.  For entry into Fiji, the following are required:

  • A valid passport for at least six months beyond the intended period of stay

  • A ticket for return or onward travel

  • Compliance with COVID-19 requirements

  • Visa, if not from one of visa-exempted nations

For a list of nations whose citizens do not need to acquire visas for entry into Fiji, please see ‘visa-exempted nations’.

Visa-exempted nations

Entry visas are granted on arrival for a stay of up to 4 months for nationals of:

Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cook Islands [NZ passport holder] Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Commonwealth Dominica, Estonia, The Federal Republic of Germany, the Federated States of Micronesia, Finland, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Holy See (Vatican), Hong Kong [SAR] Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lesotho, Luxemburg, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Nauru, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, The Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Romania, Russia , Samoa, Serbia, Slovak Republic, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & The Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, United Kingdom of great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Fiji Resident Permit on Assured Income

Once you purchase and own the Totoka Fiji Great Sea Reef Villa Estate Lot for your vacation home, you may apply for and acquire the 3 year Resident Permit on Assured Income, if the principal applicant is 45 years of age or older, meets other straight-forward basic requirements, and can receive an annual remittance of FJD 30,000 for a family of two (2) or less, FJD 40,000 for a family of up to five (5) members, and FJD 50,000 for family of more than five (5) from overseas.

However, it may not be necessary to acquire the Resident Permit unless you permanently wish to live in Fiji.  The 4-month visitor’s permit is granted upon entry into Fiji to citizens of the visa-exempted countries.  Visitor’s permit can further be extended for another 2 months, which adds up to a total stay of 6 months per visit. 

 

Say It in Fijian

Good morning             

     Ni Sa Yadra (nee sah yahn-dra)

Hello                         

     Casual: Bula! (boola!)

     Formal: Ni Bula! (neem-boola!) or Ni Sa Bula (nee-sahm-boola!)

Goodbye                    

     Casual: Moce (mo-they)

     Formal: Moce Mada (mo-they mahn-da)

How charming             

     Isa! (ee-sah!)

My name is…               

     O yau o… (o yaoo o…)

I’m from…                   

     O yau mai… (o yaoo my… )

It was delicious!           

     Meleka sara na kakana! (mehlehka sahra nakakah-na!)

I’m hungry                  

     Au viakana (aoo vee-ah-kahna)

Yes / No                               

     Io (ee-oh) / Sega (sehng-ah)

I’m on holiday             

     Au gade (aungahn-de)

Thank you/Good!                    

     Vinaka (veenaa-kaa)

How much is it?           

     E vica? (Eh veetha?)

A beautiful house         

     Na vale totoka (naa va-lay toto-kaa)

Come!                       

     Lako mai! (lako-my!)

Fijian Pronunciation

  • “a” is “ah” as in father, but shorter.

  • “b” is “mb” as in bamboo.

  • “c” is “th” as in this.

  • “d” is “nd” as in candy.

  • “g” is “ng” as in singer.

  • “i” is “i” as in sit or “ee” as in Fiji.

  • “o” is long "o" as in corals.

  • “q” is “ng-g” as in mingle.

  • “u” is “oo” as in lagoon or scuba.

  • eg. Ni Sa Bula: nee-sahm-boola