Fiji, in Western Polynesia, is an independent nation within the British Commonwealth comprised of more than 300 islands - only one third of them inhabited - scattered over more than 450,000 square miles of open ocean.
Fiji's islands are volcanic (don't worry, none are active!) and have both fringing and barrier reefs teeming with colorful coral and sea creatures big and small.
The largest two islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu - occupy 87% of the total land mass of Fiji.
You can imagine how tiny, tranquil and unspoiled many of the country's remaining islands must be!

Fiji's islands are located about 2800 nautical miles south-southwest of Hawaii, 1500 miles west of French Polynesia (Tahiti) and 1700 miles northeast of Sydney, Australia.
The islands sit between 15º and 22º South latitude, and 174º East and 177º West longitude. The 180th meridian passes directly through Fiji, in fact.
To keep the different islands within one time zone, however, the international dateline swings east around Fiji placing the country 19 hours ahead of PST.

If you're blue water cruising, you can reach Fiji from Tonga - to the east - in four full sailing days.
Boats arriving in Fiji must clear in and out at one of four points: Suva or Lautoka on Viti Levu; Savusavu on Vanua Levu; or Levuka on Ovalau in the Lomaiviti Group east of Viti Levu.
Each person aboard must have a valid passport and it's helpful if you bring as many as 12 copies of a list with each crew member's name, nationality, passport number (with expiration date) and the his/her position on the vessel.
In addition, the captain should provide the certificate of clearance from the previous port/country (even if it's the home port).
The drill is the same at each port of entry: contact the port on VHF channel 16 to request entry.
You'll be directed to the quarantine area and instructed to fly the Q flag.
(If you arrive on a Sunday you may not be able to raise anyone on the radio. In that case, fly the Q flag, use your chart to locate the quarantine area and move the boat into the quarantine area until you're able to contact someone on Monday morning.)
You'll be charged an entry fee, and a health clearance (known as 'pratique' after the French) fee .
You must not leave your vessel until receiving customs and health clearances either by radio or by visiting officials. Cleared vessels can stay up the 12 months.

Firearms are not allowed in Fiji - expect to be asked whether you have any onboard.
An unspecified amount deemed "sufficient for personal use" of liquor and tobacco may be brought in. Duty will be charged on any excess. Sailors must also declare tinned goods (including meat), dairy, plants/seeds and pets onboard. (You'll need to provide proof of rabies vaccinations and good health so your pet can be bonded.)

When you leave a port area - even if for another Fijian island - you'll need to clear out.
If you plan on visiting a smaller island, you will likely have to secure a permit - permission from the local chief - care of the Port Authority offices.
Beware - these permits aren't issued automatically and may take several days to obtain. It's wise to check with other cruisers to get the scoop on the best way to obtain needed permits at the moment.
Above all, be patient and maintain a sense of humor. Fijian bureaucrats operate on "Fiji time" after all

WEATHER & SAILING CONDITIONS
Cruising season starts in April/May, fall in the southern hemisphere, and lasts through the winter until the middle of spring in October/November.
During the cruising season, count on steady trade winds blowing in a southeasterly direction at a constant 13-18 knots.
Occasionally, northwest winds blow, but they normally shift to the south within twelve hours. Temperatures tend to stay in the 70's (F) during the daytime and will dip only slightly when night falls. Sometimes, the mercury will top the 80º F mark - but the afternoon trades will surely cool things down.
Though it's the dry season, tropical showers may break in the afternoons - but the rains will usually be light and warm.

Sailors needn't worry about donning foul weather gear but should bring a light sweater, sweatshirt or long-sleeved shirt to save them from any slight chill in the evenings.
By day, shorts, t-shirts and barefeet - combined with lots of sunscreen and a face-savings hat - are the sailing uniform in Fiji.
Ashore, however, good Fijian manners dictate that women wear t-shirts on top and long pants or long skirts (perhaps in the form of a Polynesian pareu - really a colorful length of cloth tied around the waist?) on the bottom.

WHERE TO SAIL
With over 300 islands in Fiji, the choice of where to sail can seem overwhelming!
The whole of Fiji can be broken down into five sailing regions.
Much of the sailing within each of the regions is distinctive, so if you have only a week or two, you will likely want to concentrate on one region only.

The five regions are:
The Western Region (consisting of the triangle from Nadi north to Lautoka on Viti Levu to the Yasawa and Mamanuca island groups) is Fiji's most popular, most accessible and sunniest sailing area.
The majority of the country's resort hotels (and nearly all the posh ones) are situated among these islands, and each offers a wide range of watersports and activities.
Any sailor who dives will want to explore the Malolo Reef, in the Mamanucas, to view its soft and hard coral gardens and resident populations of sharks (including hammerheads, sometimes), turtles, mantas, eagle rays, dolphins, baracuda and multitude of colorful small fish.

The Central Region (covering the northern and eastern shores (as far as Suva) of Viti Levu and including the Lomaitivi group) is called "the heart of Fiji" because it's home to Fiji's ancient capital, and many museums and monuments, nice beaches and comfortable resorts.

The Southern Region (south from Suva along Viti Levu's "Coral Coast" to Morni Bay and including Kadavu and its neighboring islands) is where the sailor who dives will find paradise in the Great Astrolabe Reef's breathtaking soft coral gardens and walls.

The Northern Region (centering on the island of Vanua Levu and covering Taveuni and its neighboring small islands) is a remote and unspoiled natural eden that will please the more relaxed, back-to-nature traveler.

The Eastern Region (encompassing the Northern and Southern Lau island groups) is a secluded paradise with private coves and sheltered bays - the perfect place to escape from it all!