Though Abel Tasman and Captain James Cook sailed through the islands of Fiji during their exploration of the Southern Hemisphere in the 17th and 18th centuries, the credit for the “discovery” of the Fiji island group is given to Captain William Bligh who arrived in 1789 following the infamous mutiny on the Bounty. The first European inhabitants arrived under equally inhospitable circumstances—either as shipwreck survivors or escapees from the first prison colonies of Australia.

They lived among the natives of the islands, an advanced society that consisted of a mix of Polynesians and Melanesians who came several thousand years before from Southeast Asia. Though they were more violent than some other Pacific Islanders, their customs of cannibalism and intertribal warfare both came to a swift end after missionary settlements were established in the 1800s. 

The 19th century also saw the development of sugar cane production. The fields were worked not by the native Fijians but by Indians brought over to cultivate the crop. Today people of Indian descent make up a large part of the population of Fiji and have influenced everything from the linguistic makeup to the food.

Both population and way of life took a hit in the latter half of the 19th century when the nation passed into the hands of Great Britain, but since then power has returned to the people of Fiji and things are looking up. Though sugar cane and tourism are the two dominant moneymakers, the economy is strong due to a diversification of industry.

People can live well there and still retain their traditional way of life. Its location also makes it a political center for the nations of the South Pacific. It is a peaceful, prosperous country of small villages and world-class resorts that often are a bit less expensive—but no less luxurious—than those on many of its neighboring island nations.

 The welcoming spirit of the people of Fiji, combined with the preservation of their native culture, has created a once in a lifetime experience for visitors. Lucky travelers can leave the modern luxuries of the resorts behind and experience the real Fijian way of life by staying with a family in a traditional village. 

Houses consist of simple thatched roof structures that are essentially open to the outside, a very appropriate practice in a tropical climate and a collective society. However, underlying this openness is a strict hierarchical structure of ranked hereditary chiefdoms that determine the modern political landscape. 

By staying with a local family you will be able not only to observe, but to participate in their everyday customs, from the daily housekeeping tasks of the women to a night of guitar playing or a visit to a local church.

Visitors are often welcomed into a yaqona drinking ceremony and the traditional dance called meke is performed on special days, in public gathering places as well as at the various island resorts. The dances, along with songs and storytelling, relate the history and legends of different tribes, but focus especially on stories of war. 

Fire walking is another ancient ritual still practiced today, but is found only on the island of Beqa in the southern island group. Though fire walking is sometimes performed at resorts and the Cultural Center in Suva, the authentic ritual can only be found in Beqa.

 Fiji is tropical so you aren’t going to find too much difference between the seasons, but you will find a bit less heat, humidity, and rain between May and October. Mornings and evenings can even get a bit cool during these months. Though slightly hotter, the winter months (November to April) are the best times for viewing the rainforests because of increased rainfall. 

Because the islands are very small and spread over a wide area, weather can be considerably different from one island group to the next. Southeast trade winds running into the mountains typically make the east side of larger islands wetter than that west side. Travel to Fiji peaks in December and January, but it has nothing to do with the weather. It is vacation time for people from New Zealand and Australia, so things can fill up quickly.

 Art in Fiji is both practical and beautiful, as people use natural materials to produce a variety of goods. Their intricate wood carvings have earned them the reputation as the best woodworkers of the South Pacific. Judge for yourself by checking out traditional canoes and other carved objects on display at the Cultural Center in Suva on Viti Levu. 

Colorful cloths called masi (or tapa cloth elsewhere in the Pacific) are made from the bark of mulberry bushes and dyed black and red using natural pigments. The designs on the cloths are unique to each region, and the cloths themselves are part of costumes for traditional ceremonies and rituals. 

Different plants are used to weave objects like baskets and fans used for everyday life. The rise in tourism has given new markets to artists who continue the traditional methods of their ancestors. High quality goods can be found everywhere, from upscale shops to small craft stalls in a local market.

Several specialty items are definitely worth sampling on your trip to Fiji. Yaqona is a ubiquitous drink found at most social gatherings. It is a drink made by pulverizing the root of a plant that is relative to the pepper, and mixing it with water. It has a slightly intoxicating, tongue-numbing effect. It is somewhat of an acquired taste but its social role is much more important than its flavor. Served in a large communal bowl, it is shared and accompanies conversation and music, cementing bonds between both old friends and new arrivals. Visitors to Fiji are often asked to join in the ceremony of drinking yaqona. 

For a more substantial meal, look to the tropical fruits abundant in Fiji, as well as savory meats slow cooked in a lovo, an underground oven made with hot rocks. The large Indian population means that a variety of spices and cooking styles from the subcontinent have also found a home in the cuisine of Fiji.

 * Always dress modestly outside of resorts—taking a sulu (sarong) with you is an easy way to cover up quickly while fitting in with local styles.

* When visiting a village, it is customary to bring a gift of yaqona to be presented to the head of the village. Do not wear hats in villages (it is considered insulting even outside), and always remove your shoes when you enter someone’s home.

* Speak softly and don’t be too liberal with praise—Fijians will feel obligated to give you the object you are complimenting. 

* Always stay with your village host, even though you will likely receive numerous other invitations as you meet new people. Their culture of collectivity and welcome is what inspires them to ask, but they don’t expect you to accept.

 * Moon Handbooks: Fiji by David Stanley, published by Avalon in 2004.

* Fiji’s Natural Heritage by Paddy Ryan, published by Exisle in 2000. 

* On Fiji Islands by Ronald Wright. A combination of history and personal narrative published by Viking in 1986.

* The Straight Path of the Spirit: Ancestral Wisdom and Healing Traditions in Fiji by Richard Katz.