Fiji Fun

Photo credits - kalevkevad

Visit a Traditional Village

You should take an opportunity to go and visit a traditional village. These trips can be arranged or you might just be invited if you make friends with the locals. If you go, stop by a shop and pick up some kava root, the traditional gift guests bring. On arrival, you’ll be offered a coconut shell full of yaqona, to be swallowed in one full gulp. It’s considered homeopathic in some countries, so enjoy it – it is rude to turn it down.

Afterwards, you’ll be invited to sit and chat with the villagers. This is may seem quite casual but it’s the traditional way for the locals to get to know each other. The best part is the children, who love guests and love their photo taken!

Photo credits - makani5

Walks and Waterfalls

Fiji has so many fantastic waterfalls it’s worth heading out to see a few; there are walking tours in many areas that include a waterfall option. Waterfalls are mostly on Viti Levu and Taveuni. The World of Waterfalls site has a great map showing you where all the falls are. You can join a waterfall walk with many of the forest tours, such as the Bouma Falls and Lavena Coastal Walk .

Photo credits - derekkeats

Scuba Diving

Given its remote destination, Fiji is a diver’s paradise. But it’s not just coral; check out the shark dive in Pacific Harbour (not for the amateur nor the faint of heart). It’s too adventurous for me so I can’t report first-hand! If something far more ‘light’ is your interest, then ask your accommodation to book a snorkelling trip. Great spots are ubiquitous and most resorts have special rates with a local operator, so ask if you can get a discount. One of the nicest places is Somosomo Strait where you’ll find the Great White Wall and Rainbow Reef.

Photo credits - timoshea95

Other Must Dos

Beyond those favorites, there are a couple more must-do experiences. You’ll love the ZIP Fiji experience, similar to the ever-so-popular ZIP options in South America (Costa Rica and Brazil come to mind).

And don’t miss out on the shopping! Ladies, check out the black pearls. One the reign of the Cook Islands, Fiji is now in on the game. In Savusavu Bay you can buy what they call Fiji Gold, very uniquely yellow-ish pearls. You can also pick up colourful clothing, arts, and crafts – just shop carefully because many crafts are imported and mass-manufactured.

Photo credits - Alex Kehr

If You Go

Fiji is unfortunately becoming more well-known for violent crime, especially in Suva. Be sure to use extreme caution at nightfall and take heed to any advice/warnings of your accommodation. The fact remains, though, that the Fijians are some of the warmest, friendliest people in all of Asia, so don’t let that impede any trip to Fiji.

Whale of a Time

Every year up to 3000 humpback whales use Hervey Bay as a stopover during their migratory return from Antarctica. Sheltered from the currents and winds by Fraser Island, the bay’s waters are calm and mild. After the tempestuous Southern Ocean, the location provides a place for whales to rest and develop layers of blubber for the next migration south.

Tourists flock to Hervey Bay between August and November, when sightings are virtually guaranteed to occur. Several operators provide whale-watching tours from the town’s Urangan Harbour to Platypus Bay, but MV Spirit of Hervey Bay is the only vessel with underwater viewing windows. This ensures passengers can witness the antics of these 15-metre, 40-tonne creatures both above and below the waterline.

On the day I went in search of whales, I learned that the whales are apparently relaxed by the warm temperatures and untroubled by the tourist activity on the water.

To see these magnificent mammals dive and surface was memorable, to see displays of tail and fin-slapping or breaching was spectacular – a real privilege. When surfacing took place right beside the boat it was a heart-stopping encounter of mutual curiosity. There was constant communication between whales in each pod, which could be heard if the tour operator submerged a microphone in the water. Mesmerized, there wasn’t a sound from anyone on-board the boat.

5 Ways to Travel Australia

Australian holidays are all about long journeys and adventurous travel. You could just lounge on the beach or have a city break in Sydney during your holiday to Australia, but you would be missing out. Australia is one of the best countries to explore on a longer journey, with vast tracts of unspoilt wilderness and an amazing variation in the scenery that you’ll encounter. Not only are there plenty of sights to see on a journey through Australia, there are numerous ways to travel.

Whether you prefer a train, a car, a horse, scuba flippers or just your own two feet, you are sure to find an Australian holiday journey that suits you. Here are five amazing ways to explore the country..

The 12 Apostles, Victoria, Australia

Ride-in Victoria
Victoria is a popular Australian holiday destination, especially for nature lovers; the dramatic and diverse landscape includes alpine mountains, arid plains and wet, temperate Gippsland. This was horse riding country back when the settlers first arrived, and this remains the best way to explore this beautiful part of Australia. There are plenty of horse riding holidays available, ranging from centre based and beginners holidays to arduous cross country trips for the more experienced rider.

Drive-along the West Coast
A driving holiday on Australia’s West Coast allows you to explore a wonderful and comparatively untouristed part of the country. Unlike the more populous East Coast, you can drive for miles and miles without seeing a soul, but there’s plenty to keep you occupied; on the classic route from Perth to Exmouth, highlights include feeding wild dolphins in the sea at Monkey Mia, scuba diving at Ningaloo Reef (smaller but just as exciting as the Great Barrier Reef) and exploring the stunning scenery of Kalbarri National Park.

Beautiful sandy beaches of Wineglass Bay, Tasmania

Walk-through Tasmania
Known as “the Natural State“, over a third of Tasmania is covered by national parks, giving you an idea of just how much amazing countryside there is to explore here as part of a holiday to Australia. It is a land best seen on foot; highlights for the eager trekker include Cradle Mountain, Wineglass Bay, the Western Arthur Mountain Range and Freycinet National Park.

Catch the train-from Adelaide to Darwin
The famous Ghan train (a shortening of Afghan Express, named after the Afghan camel trains that trekked the route before the railway was built) crosses the entire length of Australia, north to south, in just 48 hours (though of course, you can make stops along the way!) Started in 1878 and not fully finished until 1929, a ride on the Ghan is an unforgettable journey for your holiday to Australia, taking in some of the best scenery the country has to offer alongside highlights like Adelaide, Darwin and Alice Springs. For train lovers on an Australian holiday, this is the journey to take.

The Great Barrief Reef, a scube divers paradise

Dive-to the Great Barrier Reef
A journey to the Great Barrier Reef may be one best measured in metres rather than miles, but it is a journey as epic as any of the other Australia holidays on this list. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef in the world, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and is a scuba divers paradise.

If you go diving while on holiday in Australia, you will enter another world, a hive of biodiversity, beautiful coral reefs, and a huge variety of wildlife, including dolphins, turtles and over 1,500 species of fish. It certainly won’t be the longest trip that you’ll take while on holiday in Australia, but it will certainly be one of the most spectacular.

About the Author. Kieron Sellens. Kieron Sellens is the marketing manager of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AiTO). With AITO’s selection of superb Australian holidays you can tailor-make the dream trip down under.