Fiji Travel Information for Matangi Island Resort
fiji weather - fiji money - fiji airlines - electricity fiji visas - fiji climate- exchange rates - fiji shopping

See also Matangi Maps for the location of the Fiji Islands and Matangi Island.

Where Are the Fiji Islands?

World Map Showing Fiji Islands

Nadi International Airport in the Fiji Islands is approximately 10 hours flying time from Los Angeles, 6 from Hawaii, 4 hours from Sydney, Australia and 3 hours from Auckland, New Zealand.

Some flights from Australia and New Zealand go directly to Suva, the capital as do some inter-island flights within the Fiji Islands.

 

Fiji Air Flights

Fiji's national carrier, Air Pacific, offers regular flights between Fiji and 13 major cities including Los Angeles as well as Honolulu, Vancouver, Narita, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. Pacific Blue also offers regular flights between Fiji and all major cities in Australia and New Zealand.

Fiji's international airport is situated in the town of Nadi, on the Western Coast of Viti Levu. Access to outer islands like Matangi require additional but short transfers by air and sea.

Matangi's neighbor, Taveuni Island, is serviced by two Fiji airlines, Pacific Sun and Air Fiji, with regularly scheduled flights from Nadi and Suva, the two major international airports in Fiji.

Both Fiji airlines operate daily services with a flight time of approximately ninety minutes from Nadi or 60 minutes from Suva.

Domestic Fiji air flights are a grand opportunity to view the majestic islands of Fiji, and see the extensive coral reef systems surrounding them. You may want to have your camera handy for a few aerial photos.

Domestic Fiji flights can be coordinated with international flights, and both can be arranged through our offices. We coordinate transfers from the Matei airport on Taveuni Island to Matangi Island.

A mini-bus will meet you at the Taveuni airport, and will take you on a scenic, 20-minute drive to the boat landing, where one of Matangi's boats will meet you. This is a wet landing, so please be prepared to wade to the boat. The water taxi takes about 20 minutes to get to the resort.

 

Fiji's Government

Fiji is a soverign democratic state. A former Brisitsh colony, it gained independance in 1970 and subsequently became a republic in 1987. It is a member of the Commonwealth and conforms to all major United Nations instruments relating to land rights, customs, traditions and cultural inheritance. It has strong diplomatic ties with the governenments of the western world which have their Embassies and Consulates in Suva, Fiji's capital city.

 

Fiji's Electricity

In Fiji, the electricity is 240V. Fiji uses the same three prong plug used in Australia and New Zealand.

Electricity is provided 24 hours per day (except for when maintenance is being done on Matangi's generators).

The resort provides 110V plugs in the activities center for charging batteries.

 

Fiji Visas, Fiji Departure Tax, Customs Allowance

A valid passport and a ticket for onward travel is required for all persons visiting Fiji. Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond the intended period of stay.

Fiji visas are granted on arrival for a stay of 30 days for citizens of Commonwealth countries and nationals of: Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Columbia, Denmark, Ecuador, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Mexico, Nauru, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, W. Samoa. Pre-arranged Fiji visas are required for nationals of other countries.

The Fiji departure tax when leaving Fiji is $20, in Fijian money. Children under 12 are exempt. Please be prepared to pay this amount in cash upon your departure at the Nadi airport.

Visitors are allowed duty free concessions of: 500 cigarettes or 500 grams of cigars, or 500 grams of tobacco, or all three but not exceeding 500 grams together. Two litres of liquor or four litres of wine or four litres of beer are allowed. Up to $400 per passenger of any duty assessed goods.

 

Fiji Currency

You will not need cash at Matangi, but the Fijian dollar is the basic unit of currency used in all commerce throughout the country.

It is available in denominations of $1, $2, $5, $10 and $20 and $50 and coins of 1¢, 2¢, 5¢, 10¢, 20¢, 50¢ and $1. There is no limit to the amount of money that may be brought into Fiji.

Approximate rates of currency exchange are: One United States dollar buys Fijian $1.80. One Australian dollar buys Fijian $1.20. One New Zealand dollars buys Fijian $0.97. One thousand Japanese Yen buys Fijian $20.00.

You may want to check the current Fiji exchange rates and those for other South Pacific islands.

 

Time in Fiji

Fiji is 12 hours ahead of Greenwich time.

 

Fiji Weather & Dress

The Fiji weather is tropical and the resort is relaxed and casual.

Pack light, as casual clothing is the dress code for the resort. Some guests prefer to dress up a bit for dinner, but Matangi is very casual, and Fiji resort wear or beach resort wear is appropriate at all times.

In the winter months from June - October the Fiji weather can be cool on some evenings, you may want to bring a windbreaker and a pair of long pants.

Matangi stocks a limited supply of toiletries, casual designer fashions, film, batteries, various pharmaceutical items and gifts in the Boutique. There is no other shopping on the island, so be sure to pack any special items you require.