Fiji has a population of close to 900,000 people who are distributed across 332 islands (over half of the islands are not inhabited), whilst most of the population lives on the main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, which account for approx. 87% of Fiji’s population. Approximately 55% of the population is of native Fijian decent, whilst there is a large Indo-Fijian (38%) population, who are descendants of Indian contract laborers brought to the islands by the British colonial powers in the 19th century. More detailed information about Fiji in general can be obtained in the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiji

The Fijians are pretty easy-going, but if you are invited into a village, it is important to dress appropriately and wear modest clothing (men should always wear a shirt and shorts and women should dress conservatively covering their shoulders at least and wear a long skirt) and take off your hat (wearing one is an insult to the chief) when in the village. It is important to remove your hat and sunglasses when entering a village as a sign of respect. Always leave your shoes outside the door when entering a home and keep in mind that it’s also insulting to touch someone’s head – which can be tempting when you are surrounded by wide-eyed, smiling children.

When visiting a village, it is customary to present a gift of kava, which is also known as “yaqona”. The gift, (a “sevusevu”), will cost less than F$20 for a half kilo. If you are accompanied by a guide, he/she will look after that. The sevusevu is presented to the traditional head of the village (“Turaga Ni koro”). After it’s been pounded into powder and mixed with water, it is usually served in the head person’s house.

Fijians are the friendliest people in the world. Your respect for their customs and traditions will not only make you a welcome guest in their villages and homes, but add another dimension to your Fijian holiday.

A multi-racial, multi-cultural nation, the population of Fiji is made up of significant numbers of followers of all major religions. Visitors will find Christian churches, mosques, and Sikh and Hindu temples throughout the country. Visitors are more than welcome to join the locals for Sunday worship and it’s highly recommended, even if you’re not that religious.

Going to Church on Sunday is an enriching and respectful experience and will give you a good insight into how the Fijian village culture is structured and why the people are so friendly and family-focused. You may not understand many of the words, but the singing and ceremony will stay in your memory. Waidroka is always happy to help, together with our local staff to ensure you can visit a local service if desired.

Fiji has three official languages under the 1997 constitution; English, Fijian and Hindi. As English is spoken by most people, it is the main official language, whilst native Fijians speak Fijian and the so called ‘Indo-Fijian’ population speaks mostly Hindi.

Fiji’s time zone is Greenwich Mean Time + 12 hours. Difference between time in Sydney and Waidroka Bay is -2 hours. Difference between Los Angeles and Waidroka Bay Resort is -19 hours. Daylight savings is from the end of October until the end of January.

Fiji has a warm tropical oceanic climate. There are two seasons: The rainy season, is from November to April and coincides with the hot and humid months. You can expect May to November, our cooler months, to range from 20° to 29°c. Between December and April, the temperatures register from 22° to 33°c. During winter (June-September) it can sometimes get cold enough for long pants and long sleeve shirts as well as gets quite cool at night time. Waidroka is located in the south of Viti Levu where humidity and rainfall tends to be higher.

For more specific information you can visit the Fiji Meteorological Service on the following link: http://www.met.gov.fj/page.php?id=100

Tourist visas will be issued on arrival at the airport in Fiji for travelers from most countries (do check if your country is on the list), on the condition that the tourist holds: a valid passport for at least 6 months, a return/outbound ticket and re-entry/entry visa to a country of their own. Visa’s are issued for a duration of 4 months initially and can be extended for up to six months by applying through the Immigration Department:

http://www.immigration.gov.fj/index.php/visa

Fiji is free from malaria, yellow fever and major tropical diseases.

There is an effective medical system in place with government and privately run hospitals, clinics, surgical centers, dental service and pharmacies. Suva Private Hospital is located approximately 1.5 hours from Waidroka and has the best medical facilities within Fiji with close to western standards. Our local Doctor is located in Pacific Harbour about a 30 minute drive away; the doctor will make in-house visits to the resort. The services can be claimed on most insurance policies. First aid kits and first aid qualified staff are at Waidroka Bay Resort.

The Suva Private Hospital is also the base for Fiji’s 24 hour available HYPERBARIC recompression chamber for divers.

Fiji is a country where cars drive on the left side of the roads (like Britain and Australia. Fijian drivers have their own rhythm, and road signs are often disregarded. So be aware of what’s going on around you. A valid driver’s license from an English-speaking country or an international driving permit is needed to drive in Fiji, both of which need to be obtained in your home country before traveling to Fiji. The minimum driving age is 21, regardless of what it is in your home country. Roads are a mixture of paved and unpaved; the majority are two lanes, but locals often disregard this when overtaking other vehicles. Always drive slowly and carefully and watch out for locals walking on the road sides during day & night (be careful as at night time they appear out of nowhere).

Car Rental: We can arrange for a car rental agency to bring a car to the resort should you need one during your stay. It is advised to shop around and stick to the larger companies as they will have better quality vehicles.

Bus: There are a series of buses and minibuses running along Queens Road between Nadi and Suva. The timetable for these buses is found on the Information Board in the Reception area. You just need to book a taxi from the Resort to the bus stop in Korovisilou.

Taxi: We have a very friendly and reliable local taxi company we work with. Transfers to and from the resort can be organized though reservations and day trips can be quoted and organized through reception.

Families and children are most welcome at the resort, whilst we do not have organized kids-clubs, we have activities which can be tailored for children of any age and staff which are incredibly child friendly. Games, movies, cultural learning activities with local staff, snorkeling and pool games are just some examples of what we have to offer. We are also able to cater for children’s dietary preferences and offer babysitting (see below).The rooms are screened so there’s no problem with mosquitoes. We have cots and single beds. A double bed, cot and single bed fit comfortably into each room. Most land based cultural & adventure activities on offer are also suitable for kids and Waidroka is in general a real adventure for children.

The Fijian culture and Fijians in general are regarded as one of the friendliest & happiest people, which also crosses to their love of children and Fijian women are simply natural moms and therefor just natural and great babysitters. Waidroka offers babysitting service, which can easily be arranged on a daily basis and is coordinated on-site between the parents and the babysitter. Babysitting on a an hourly basis cost $ 5.00 FJD and is paid directly to the babysitter.

We accept all American Express, Visa and Master Cards. Our standard retail prices are 5% higher than the ones quoted and this should be borne in mind by those wishing to settle by credit card.

Waidroka Bay Resort deals predominately in Fijian Currency and we take cash and credit cards. We do accept other currencies and exchange rates are very reasonable, as we offer this as a service to our guests and definitely do not see this as a way to make profit!

The closest Cash Point and Bank is located in Pacific Harbour which is only a 30 minute drive. It is suggested to change currency or draw cash from a cash point before your arrival at the resort. Normal banking hours are from 9:30am to 3:00pm Monday to Thursday and to 4:00pm on Friday. All banks are closed on public holidays.

The electrical current in FIJI is 240 volts AC with 50Hz with the same plug design as Australia. If you are coming from a region with 240 volts you will not need any special converters and if your plug design is different we will be able to supply you with a ‘Fiji Plug Adapter’.

If you are coming from a region with different voltage (for example the USA has 110 volts) then you will need a power converter which you will have to bring along to ensure you are converting the voltage output according to your equipment need.

Most modern electronic devices (computers, cameras, chargers etc…) have a voltage range and it will say so on the equipment stating something like: Input 100-240V, which means a power converter is not necessary.

Please double check your needs and requirements before your journey and if necessary ask us before you leave for your vacation. Simple adapters for different plug designs are available at Waidroka. We can supply you with electrical adaptors but not current conversion transformers.

Laundry service is available at Waidroka for $ 25 FJD per load.

Water at Waidroka Bay Resort comes from a natural reserve and our water is fresh and free of chemicals. We provide filtered and cooled water refills in the main house for FREE. We generally do not recommended to drink water in your rooms or from taps around the resort (as is the norm throughout the Pacific), however the water is absolutely fine for showering and brushing teeth.

Tipping is by no means expected in Fiji and the locals would not be offended, however it is highly appreciated, especially at the resort. The staff at Waidroka Bay Resort work extremley hard to ensure you enjoy your stay and we do provide a tip box for the local staff only. The managers, dive masters and surf guides who take care of you during your stay are tipped separately/directly by guests wishing to do so.

As with traveling anywhere else in the world, travel insurance is highly recommended. Insurance is necessary to ensure you are covered in the event of any type of disruptions to your holiday, delays, losses, injuries, illness etc… Insurance can cover accident, loss caused by cancellations, loss of luggage, personal property, medical expenses, medical evacuation and weather disruption / cancellations (including activity cancellations).

Anyone intending on participating in diving activities must ensure their insurance covers them for scuba related activities and has appropriate ‘depth’ coverage.

Below are some links to insurance providers:

http://www.worldnomads.com/travel-insurance/ https://insurance.statravel.com.au/ http://www.travelguard.com/

Waidroka offers a Wi-Fi service in and around our main building. This signal stretches out to the pool area in terms of signal strength, but is meant to be for the restaurant, bar and main building facility where the signal strength is excellent.

Waidroka offers phone service at reception for the use of guests to any destination worldwide at appropriate charges. The main mobile providers (Vodafone and Digicel) are also offering GSM coverage and one can enquire and rent SIM cards and a variety of other services for their own phones if necessary right at arrivals at the airport.

Visitors from many countries, and subscribing to various networks, can use their own GSM handsets in Fiji. Mobile customers are advised to check with their network operators for their roaming status before travelling, as roaming capability must be ‘turned on’ in your home country.

For specific Surf Break Information you can download our Surf Break Info and have a look at the extensive surf section on our website.

Ocean Water Temperature– Water temperature reaches a low of 24 degrees Celsius (74 degrees Fahrenheit) around July and August and a high of around 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit) in February and March. We surf mostly with just rashguards, or a 0.5mm wind/rashguards and boardshorts.

Safety– whilst surfing, safety is of paramount importance to us for our valued guests. We have experienced surf guides on the boats and in the water on our surf trips. Each boat has a licensed driver, life jackets, first aid and communication equipment to reach the resort at any time. The boat moors nearby each specific surf spot.

Surf Seasons– May through August is the season for bigger surf as the winter swells are usually larger. The wet season from January through April is great for cleaner, but a bit smaller swells (of course there are larger swell patterns here also). The shoulder months of March, April, May and September, October, November can produce a combination of larger swells with clean/glassy conditions.

Crowds – the southern side of Viti Levu, which is where Waidroka is based in general, is totally un-crowded, especially versus the western side of the island, where due to the vicinity of a huge amount of resorts and hotels all breaks have the tendency to get crowded.

Ocean Water Temperature– Water temperature reaches a low of 24 degrees Celsius (74 degrees Fahrenheit) around July and August and a high of around 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit) in February and March. We recommend a 5mm wetsuit in the winter months and a 3mm in summer (depending on how cold you get).

Safety – whilst diving, safety is of paramount importance to us. Our experienced guides are all First Aid and Oxygen trained. Each boat has a licensed driver, life jackets, first aid, oxygen, and communication equipment to reach the resort at any time. The captains provide surface watch and are ready to pick up divers upon surfacing.

Equipment – We have a full range of diving basics available for rental. Our tanks mainly have yoke vales, however, a number are DIN/yoke convertible, please let your guide know if you require DIN tanks.

Group size/Guides – We have a number of experienced guides who will assist you with your diving. our maximum dive group capacity is 24 divers, whilst ratio of guides to divers is 6:1. often groups are smaller and more personalized depending on the number of divers staying in the hotel.

Diving conditions – Waidroka Bay Resort is close to a large number of dive sites. Conditions can vary from site to site and from day to day. We do sometimes experience strong currents on some sites; guides will inform you of conditions prior to entering the water and will pick sites suitable to the experience level and the wishes of the group.

Visibility – Generally better in the winter months, visibility can range from 20-40m.

Waidroka Bay Resort supplies towels, food and Free filtered water refills, soap, shampoo and conditioner. We have an on-site shop which has all your basic needs, such as insect repellant, sunscreen and Panadol. We also have a bar which supplies snacks (chocolate items are limited in Fiji and if you are a chocolate-lover bring your own and you can store in your in-room mini-fridge) and drinks. We have dive, surf and snorkel equipment. Guests can comfortably get by with just their own personal belongings. If you have any specific requirements or enquiries please do not hesitate to email.

Recommended:

Sun protection Sufficient UV-Sunscreen is highly recommended, together with a hat and sunglasses.

Personal Hygiene Items and Mosquito Spray of your choice and specific medical items of your personal choice.

Seasickness Tablets if you tend to get seasick on boats and are intending to do extended boat trips for whatever activities you intend to book.

Watertight Windbreaker is recommended for divers & surfers and anyone intending to go on extended boat trips.

If you have certain personal music choices we’ll be happy to play your specific music on our system. IPods and other portable devices can plug straight in.

SURFERS: spare leash, spare fins, wax, rash guard, booties (if comfortable surfing with booties which we recommend).

DIVERS: torch and batteries for swim-throughs and night dives, safety sausage, camera and charger, certification card, logbook.