Fiji Travel Planning: authenticity is at the heart of what drives us.

Planning a holiday in Fiji? Get ready for sun, sea, and some of the friendliest people around. While English is widely spoken in Fiji, knowing a few Fijian phrases is a fun way to connect with locals. Below you'll find some handy Fijian words and phrases to help you fit right in!

​Go With The Family

Go For The Culture

Go For Your Health

​​Go for the Kava!

Welcome to Fiji with a kava ceremony entering villages. From less formal kava ceremonies for guests at some resorts, etiquette demands bringing gifted kava as respect to the village. Traveling with a group, it is prearranged to present kava to the chief and mataqali (village elders)! 

Kava Etiquette

. SAY "Bula" then clap your hands once before accepting your drink. 
. After drinking the cup (bilo) of Kava (one gulp only-no sipping) hand the bowl back to the person who presented it to you and ​clap with cupped hand three times again. (clapping sound should be hollow, not sharp)

. Terms of Endearment: "low tide" - a small cup of Kava; "high tide" - filled cup of Kava.  

. It is acceptable to decline Kava -put your hand up and shake your head when it is presented to you. It is no insult to your host/no explanation needed.

Go For An Island!

​​Go For The Food!

​Go For A Cruise

  • Luxury Island Cruising
  • Blue Lagoon Cruises
  • Captain Cook Cruises
  •  Aranui Cruise
  • the Yasawa Islands
  •  the Mamanucas
  • a white sandy beach
  •  coral atolls
  • lagoons every morning 
 
Cruises​
. 3-nt Southern Yasawa Isl. 
. 4-nt Nothern Yasawa Isl. 
. 7-nt Yasawa & Mamanuca Isl. 
. 7-nt Colonial Fiji Discovery 
. 7-nt Fiji 4 Cultures Discovery 
.​ 11-nt Lau & Kadavu Cruise
 
Activities
Kayak ~ coconut husking ~ basket weaving ~ tropical buffet lunches~ fine dining ~ kava ~  spa ~ villages visits ~ music & entertainment ~ combine cruise and island stay ​​
  • ​ bet on a good crab
  • enjoy sunset canapes
  • order champagne breakfasts
  • visit the sacred red prawns
  • visit a pearl farm
  • enjoy your privacy
  • dive with sharks
  • go deep sea fishing
  • sea kayak coral reefs
  • leave your bure once in a while!
  • a sunset island catamaran
  • Pure Fiji Spa treatments 
  • picnic on a deserted sand bar
  • choose a bure, bungalow or villa
  • outdoor open-air showers
  • have a traditional Fijian wedding​
  • ​#getabure  #betonagoodcrab

Go For Adventure

​Go For A Bure!

Go For The Diving
​Go For Snorkeling

‘The Soft Coral Capital of the World’ and ‘The Best Shark Diving** in the World.’ Fiji diving is world class catering to all ages and qualifications. The most colorful reef ecosystems on earth and outer reefs boast some of the best pelagic ​and shark dives in the world!    Diving in Fiji has so much to offer: wall dives, swim-throughs, caverns, canyons, incredible blue water, unforgettable encounters. 

** Beqa Lagoon, Fiji: A famous shark dive site where you encounter up to 8 species of shark at once: tigers, bulls, sicklefin lemons, more

Go For "I DO" in Fiji

  • ​​No minimum stay req'd  
  • Fiji marriages are legal
  • Symbolic weddings
  • Passport, Birth Certificate
  • Parental consent -21 yrs
  • Divorce papers if applicable​​

Go For A Fijian  Traditional Wedding!

15 Things You Should Know Before Visiting Fiji

1. Tipping Is Not Expected
2. When Visiting Small Villages, Bring a Gift
3. Consider the Best Time for Visiting Fiji
4. It’s Okay for People to Roam Around With Machetes
5. Learn Some Fijian Words Such as ‘Bula’ and ‘Vinaka’
6. Adapt to Fijian Time
7. There Are No Cash Machines
8. You’ll Hear Music All Over Fiji
9. There Are a Lot of Islands
10. One-On-One Babysitter Services Are Frequent Free Benefits for Families
11. Learn to Differentiate Between Single and Taken 
12. Kava Ceremony Etiquette Is Important
Design Your Fiji Trip With Our Local Designers!
13. Avoid Shopping on Sunday
14. Don’t Sit Under Palm Trees
15. Snorkelling With Reef Sharks Helps Support the Conservation Effort
Ready to Plan Your Fiji Adventure?

​Fijian Pronunciation: Fiji has over 300 regional dialects, with the Bauan* dialect being the most widely spoken. Here's a quick guide on how to pronounce Fijian words like a local. ​
Fijian Alphabet Pronounciation

A is pronounced as ‘ah’ as in ‘car’
E is pronounced as ‘eh’ as in ‘head’
I is pronounced as ‘ee’ as in ‘see’
O is pronounced as ‘oh’ as in ‘or’
U is pronounced as ‘oo’ as in ‘moon’ 

B has a subtle ‘m’ sound before the ‘b’ sound, ‘mb’ like in ‘bamboo’ 
C Is pronounced ‘th’ as in ‘thanks’
D has a slight ‘n’ sound before the ‘d’ sound, similar to ‘sand’
G is pronounced as ‘ng’ as in ‘rang’ 
Q A noticeable ‘g’ sound, as in ‘angry’ 
* The Bauan dialect, Eastern Fijian language is spoken on Bau, a very small island off the south-east coast of Vitilevu (main island of Fiji), almost entirely occupied by three villages (Bau, Soso, Lasakau) - a total population of less than 1,000.

​Now that you’ve got the basics, give these common and useful Fijian words and phrases a try! 
 
 
Word/ Phrase  Word & Pronunuciation    Meaning

Greetings:
-Hello                Bula     (mm-boo-lah) 
Meaning ‘hello’, Bula is a wish for ‘life’ and ‘good health’ and can be used at any time of the day.
 
-Good morning    Yadra   (Yahn-drah) 
Say this instead of Bula if you meet someone in the morning.
 
-Goodbye           Moce    (moh-theh) 
Use to farewell someone in Fijian.  It can also mean ‘to sleep’. 
​
-See you again!   Sota tale (So-tah Tah-leh) 
A common farewell expression if you’re plannning to meet the person again.

​Common Phrases 
-Yes    Io    (‘ee-oh’) 
Meaning yes – a simple but useful word 

-No     Sega (Seng-ah) 
Meaning ‘no’, a simple but useful word
Basic Etiquette 
-Please          Kerekere      (Keh-reh-keh-reh) 
Use to politely request someone’s help or to use something.
 
-Thank you    Vinaka       (vee-nah-kah) 
Meaning "thank you."  A simple must-know for showing appreciation.

​ -Excuse me    Tulou    (too-low) 
Respectfully bow your head, stoop slightly and say this when passing someone in a house or crowded space.
 
Introductions
- My name is…Na yacaqu o   (Nah yah-tha-goo- or)                  Add your name to the end of this phrase. Eg. If your name is John, say "Na yacaqu o John." 

- I’m from… O au mai… (O-yau-my) 
Add the name of your country to the end of this phrase. Eg. If you’re from Australia, say “O au mai Australia” 

Common Questions and Statements 
Where is..? I vei na…? (E-vey-nah) 
A handy phrase to use when you want to know where something or someone is. 

-What’s this? A cava qo? (Ah thah-vah-goh?) 
Say this phrase and point to something close to you that you want to know the name of. 

-How much..? E vica (E vi-tha?)  

- I want to go… Au via lako… (ow vee-ah lah-koh) 
Add the name of a place at the end of this phrase. 

-Town:  Tauni

-Store:  Sitoa
 
Exclamations 
-Excellent!    Wananavu!   (wah-na-na-voo) 
Say this to express that you are pleased with something. 

-Beautiful   Totoka! (Toh-toh-kah) 
Say this to describe something that you think is pretty or beautiful (eg, view, dress, girl etc).  
​
-No worries    Sega na leqa! (Seh-gha na le-ga)
Meaning all is well or no worries. Just enjoy the moment.
​
Go ahead…start with Bula and you are guaranteed to make a new Fijian friend. ​