Latest / GowayPro Travel Tales / Bula. From Air to Island: The Magic of Fiji

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Bula. From Air to Island: The Magic of Fiji · GowayPro Travel Tales

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  Journey to the heart of the South Pacific and discover Fiji.
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  A destination of idyllic islands, turquoise waters, rich culture, and legendary hospitality.
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  Getting you there is easy with Fiji Airways, bringing the warmth of Fiji to your journey from the moment you step on board to the moment you return.
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  Sit back, relax, and join us as we discover Fiji Airways and the unforgettable islands of Fiji.
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  Bulla.
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  Hey there everyone, I'm Don.
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  Professor Goe and welcome to the Goey Pro Travel Tale Podcast.
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  Travel far and travel often.
• 0:45
  Hello everyone, welcome to the Go A Pro Trouble Tales podcast.
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  Today we are talking all things Fiji from air to land, because we are talking to Marie Y.
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  And no reason I Marie Y, she has a very long surname, which I don't want to butcher.
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  Marie Wai, uh, who is the BDM for Fiji Airway.
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  So that's our air aspect of our conversation today.
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  Uh, and she is with us from Los Angeles.
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  And we have also representing tourism Fiji, so the land side of it, is Brianna McCarthy, also coming from Los Angeles.
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  And as Marie just sort of chirped in the background there, a bulla to everyone, which is the official greeting uh for anyone in Fiji.
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  And it's used widely and a lot.
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  I learned when I was there year and so ago.
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  So as I say, we're gonna talk all things Fiji.
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  So let's start um with how to get there because that's
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  the key thing to any trip anywhere, almost anywhere in the world.
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  So Marie, can you talk to us about uh Fiji Airways?
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  Your main gateway is out of North America.
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  Uh I understand you have a direct flight from Honolulu, so could you just expand on that for us?
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  Sure.
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  So first of all, we're celebrating our 75-year anniversary, which comes around on the 1st of September.
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  So we've been servicing the South Pacific for 75 years.
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  Our main gateways for North America are Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, Canada, and then also from Honolulu.
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  So we offer the nonstop flights directly to Nandi International Airport.
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  And from there we service
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  20 plus other destinations.
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  We actually fly to six cities in Australia, two of which are newer routes.
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  One is Cannes in the Great Barrier Reef, and the other is Kulangara and the Gold Coast.
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  We also service three cities in New Zealand, and we also fly to several other South Pacific Islands on our route.
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  uh One of the good things about using Fiji Airways for somebody that
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  wanted to go to Australia or New Zealand only.
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  And if we they fly on Fiji Airways, they can actually we offer free stopovers in Fiji so they can actually visit two countries, experience two different types of things um for the
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  same price.
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  So it offers a really good connectivity as well if somebody wanted to make a connection in Fiji.
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  But my recommendation would be definitely stop over because you're not gonna experience anywhere else what you will experience in Fiji.
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  Yeah, I agree a hundred percent and we'll and we'll talk on the reasons of why Fiji is such a unique and and magical destination with with Brianna.
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  Um but it's I think it's very important, something that Marie pointed out there is you should not look at Fiji Airways or and Fiji itself as the be all and end all of a trip
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  into that region.
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  Now of course we want you to spend time in Fiji and it's worth tending spending extended time in Fiji.
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  But it is a long flight into the Pacific or into Australia and New Zealand.
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  So good
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  Way to break it up is stopping at Fiji on the way to or from.
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  Um, and as Marie says, it's a free stopover, so you can do exactly that.
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  You could spend you know an extended period of time in Fiji, on your way into Australia and/or New Zealand, and on the way home again as well.
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  Another important thing that Marie brought up is their newer flight out of Kulangata Airport.
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  For those who don't know the geography, uh she also mentioned Cairns in the far north, the Great Barrier Reef, which most people are aware of out there in the tourism industry.
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  Cool and Gattap is uh I spent a lot of time around Cool and Gadda.
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  My grandparents lived in this area, so I flew up there all the time.
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  So it's just across the border from New South Wales into Queensland, and it feeds the Gold Coast, which is a very famous uh Miami-esque type region of uh Queensland, on the southern
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  border of Queensland, south of Brisbane.
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  So it's a good way to get in and out of southern Queensland, very big state.
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  And as Marie says, you can fly directly into Cannes if you want to hit the barrier reef and then connect those two together.
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  Um Marie, can I ask you what is so the international gateway is Nandy, pronounced Nandi but spelled Nardi N A D I.
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  What's the airport code for Nandi?
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  N A N
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  N A N and there's also another international, or if not international regional airport on the opposite side of the main island.
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  Um, Suva.
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  What's the airport code for Suva, please?
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  Nice and easy.
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  Um, Brianna, um, I'd like to hit you with this question.
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  A lot of people think of Fiji and think of the main island, um, and their international gateway, which we discussed, Nandy.
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  But I understand Fiji is more than one well, I know it is, but I'm asking you the question.
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  Fiji is more than one the main island.
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  Um, it's a an island group and I think it's up to three hundred odd islands, is that correct?
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  Yes, we like to claim that Fiji has three hundred and thirty three islands, although I'm not sure who's actually counting all the islands.
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  Um, and of those three hundred and thirty-three islands, only about a hundred of them are actually inhabited.
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  So I always recommend that when you go to Fiji, you can stay on one private island, you can do an excursion to an uninhabited island for for a half day, uh, to pretend that
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  you're in the TV show Survivor or the movie Castaway, which were both filmed in Fiji.
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  Now, just on that, I'm gonna segue a bit here, if memory serves me correctly too, I believe that the recent Survivor shows, and I mean probably the last four or five years at
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  least, they've they've all been based in and around Fiji.
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  I think there's a an island they've somewhat taken over just off Nandi, is that right?
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  Yes, so they now exclusively film Survivor in Fiji year after year.
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  Um and it is filmed on an island that is in the Mamanutha Islands, which is a chain of islands just off the coast actually of where the international airport is in Nandi.
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  Yeah, I remember when I flew out, I looked down and I saw that island or the main island that they use for their for the filming, which is rather cool.
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  Um, Marie, getting back to the two airports, I th I sort of generalize saying Suva is a regional airport.
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  Are there international connections out of Suva?
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  We service some of our regional flights to the South Pacific Islands, but we also serve them out of Nandi.
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  So both airports are used for um regional flights as well as the in long haul international flights.
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  Right.
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  Now I think I said in my sort of preamble about the two gateways that they're on opposite sides of the main island.
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  And you ladies mentioned to me before that the tr the drive time is about three hours between the two, but both of you pointed out that probably self driving in Fiji is not the
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  best choice, though it's doable, there's nothing wrong with it, but it's probably not the best choice for most North Americans because they drive on the opposite side of the road,
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  which I like to call the right side of the road being an Aussie.
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  Um
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  But there are other options to get to and from the airports, both regional flights.
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  And I think Brandy, you mentioned um in our conversation before we came on air that you the some of the lodges will actually offer f transfers to and from respective airports or
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  maybe even charter flights.
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  Is that right?
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  Yes, that's correct.
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  All the resorts kind of have their their own way of doing it, but some of them are ground transfer.
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  Some of them also have uh private runways where they could do a chartered flight.
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  Um specifically speaking of resorts that are kind of in that Pacific Harbor region that is about a 30 minute drive from the Suva Airport, about a two and a half hour drive from
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  Nandy.
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  and then also excursions.
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  So if you do books and sort of excursion in the Pacific Harbor region.
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  Um, like the white water rafting or the zip lining, they're gonna offer uh if you want to also include a transfer.
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  Okay.
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  a question f for you, Brianna.
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  Um, I know when I did the Cook Islands, I've forgotten the main island's name, but there was a bus service that ran it's a small island, which ran around the Ring Road, which is
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  about the main road on the Cooks.
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  Um is there a similar service around the main island of Fiji?
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  I i.e.
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  if someone wanted to get on a bus and use public transport, is that something y that you would recommend for the more adventurous traveller?
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  Buses do exist.
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  they're definitely a locals experience.
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  So these buses uh are open air, can be quite dusty, quite noisy.
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  so it is not a recommended form of transportation for getting around the island.
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  Um I will though say that we have of an area that uh has many resorts in it called Denaro, and um some of our larger
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  um resorts are there.
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  We've got a marina with restaurants and shops.
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  And for those who are staying uh at those resorts, we do have the Bula bus, which is a small probably 15 passenger open air bus, um, which many visitors will use to get around
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  Dennerau to and from their resort over to the marina to have dinner or do any sort of shopping like that.
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  Right, that'd be more of a like a like a connector service for that particular region versus again a ring road bus type setup.
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  Yes, that's correct.
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  So, Marie, back to uh Fiji Airways and we've discussed the gateways um out of North America, how to get in, the fact that it can connect you to the rest of the South Pacific
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  as well as the bigger countries of uh Australia and New Zealand.
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  So having flow in the airline, I I know what to expect or what I experienced about a year and a half ago, but you want to tell our travel professionals out there, you know, some of
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  the
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  The jets that are being used and all the amenities on board, the different classes of service available, and just what it's like to fly with Fiji Airways into Fiji.
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  Okay, so we offer Airbuses from LA we offer the Airbus three fifty as well as from Vancouver, San Francisco, we switch sometimes.
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  Um we have the Airbus A 330, 200, and 300.
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  Um, once you're on the flight, actually, it's people getting on the flight, they I experience a calmness.
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  So normally after going through
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  security customs blah blah blah in LA trying to go somewhere anywhere I am always a nervous wreck and I'm not quite comfortable or set to go on my vacation say.
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  But whenever I fly in on Fiji Airways, I get on the flight and you get this big welcome, big bula, big smile, you'll have all our crew there genuinely helping you to relax.
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  You have the music going on, and I just feel Macalm all of a sudden.
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  That's when I start my vacation.
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  So what we offer on the flight, and as far as let's say prices are concerned, we have branded fairs.
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  So branded fairs give you more flexibility and it's a more comfortable way you can choose which is more um beneficial for you when you travel.
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  So that's one of the things we have.
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  So
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  We do offer services, the evening service after flight takes off.
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  Um, we have a snack, an economy class, and then a menu for uh dinner in business class.
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  So we do offer two classes of service, business class and economy.
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  Our business class configuration is one-to-one, which means everyone has an aisle seat, and in economy it's configured.
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  three three and three however right behind business class we have four or five rows we'd call Bula space which offer more legroom it's really an economy fare level um and the
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  passenger can opt to purchase that particular seat so they
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  So would that be so would that be like the equivalent of a premium premium premium economy situation?
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  It's not really premium economy because the service is at this time is not the same as a premium economy expected service, but it does offer more legroom.
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  So more space and then quicker to get off the flight once you arrive in Fiji or your destination.
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  And I would assume that the business class are they lie flat beds?
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  I for the business class seating is it life flat beds?
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  We do, sorry, I mean I forgot to mention that.
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  Yes, thank you for that.
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  Yeah, we have flat beds in business class across the board.
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  Um it's we also in economy have if they if somebody wants to, they can actually um it's purchased at the airport, they can actually get a rope and they will convert it into like
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  a they'll put a cushion so people can sleep on there as well.
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  That's another added amenity if somebody would prefer to do that.
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  But I've noticed that everyone who or most people that get on the flight, because it is a late evening flight, um, they a lot of them fall asleep before we even take off.
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  And they miss a lot of things.
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  But then, you know, if they wake up in the middle of the night, we do have snacks for them.
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  And then we do serve a break, a full breakfast for both business and economy class.
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  Before arrival in Tefiji.
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  Yeah, that's I'm glad you brought that up in with respect to the flight departure time because like almost all flights into the South Pacific it'll leave from the west coast in
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  the evening, so you get that night time, you know, fall asleep, wake up the next day in the system obviously in Fiji.
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  And I remember this many years ago.
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  I flew with a competitor of yours into Australia and I was lucky to be upgraded uh the very firm device one A.
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  And it was exactly that.
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  It was beautiful, very comfortable life that I fell asleep and slept through most of the you know, the services, which is you know, a lot of the part of flying at the business bus
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  or the front of the front of the bus, the pointy end.
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  So it's something to uh to keep in mind too, if you wanna drop the money on the business class on the right side, you get you're gonna sleep through a lot of it.
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  But you will sleep very, very comfortably as you will with three G airways in there and the live flat beds.
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  So Marie, what is the flight time, let's say, from LA or Vancouver into um into Nandy?
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  So from LA it it's about ten hours.
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  Um ten and a half maximum.
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  And then from Vancouver it's about eleven and a half hours.
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  And from San Francisco, it's comparable to LA, about ten and a half hours.
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  And just out of curiosity, obviously it'll be shorter from Honolulu, but how much shorter is that flight?
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  So Honolulu Tunandi non stop is about six and a half hours.
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  Yeah, no.
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  Yeah.
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  So, yeah, they're good long flights.
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  Naturally you're flying to almost the other side of the world.
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  But as we say about it, any long haul flight across to the South Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, yeah.
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  It's as never said, most time you'll fall asleep, but it's you know, it's a glass of wine, not a bottle.
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  I've made that a few times, but who knows?
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  Maybe it's a bottle of wine.
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  A glass of wine or two, a couple of beers, you know, a movie, then you have a sleep and you're in, you know, one of the most idyllic spots in the world.
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  B G.
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  So on that note, uh Brianna, for a North American, Canadian or US passport holder, are there visas required to visit Fiji?
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  Nope, there is no visa required.
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  So I always tell people that as you're listening to this, you can book your ticket, get on the plane tonight, and wake up in Fiji.
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  So there's no sort of delay or or form that you need to fill out.
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  Um that's all taken uh care of upon arrival and it's good for up to four months to visit Fiji.
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  Okay.
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  Now most people when they think of Fiji, maybe without doing research or only doing a little bit of research scary in the web, they're probably gonna think that the main island
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  in particular and some of the surrounding islands, which we'll get into in a minute, are pretty much all resort based.
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  Is that a fair generalization of Fiji or is there more to it from an accommodation cho point of view?
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  We have a variety of different types of resorts.
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  Um, so a variety of different budget levels, luxury, all the way down to backpackers, and within those resorts they have combination styles.
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  So we have uh you know beachfront berets, which is that traditional Fijian uh thatched roof architecture, um, to multi-room villas with full kitchens, private pools, uh multiple
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  bathrooms.
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  Um so yes, in to answer your question, yes, we do
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  have a lot of resorts, but they are of a lot of different resort types, not just what you might expect to see uh in other parts of the world.
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  Okay.
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  So for our travel partners out there, um, generally speaking though, at least from GoA's point of view, uh, Fiji is a somewhat all inclusive vibe from a packaging point of view.
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  Though there's a lot of customization that can work within that um all inclusive accommodation choice.
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  But as Brianna's also mentioned, there are lots of other options out there based on budget or based on travel style.
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  Um, Brianna, how
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  From a tourism point of view, as in tourism board point of view, do you get a lot of requests or are you seeing a growing trend of of long stays in Fiji?
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  People coming down and just not you know, maybe Airbnb being it to some degree or just finding a place to hang out and live like a local in Fiji for an extended period of time.
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  We sure do wish they would.
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  Um that's not generally what we're seeing.
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  Um as Marie mentioned, Fiji is a great stopover for getting to Australia and New Zealand.
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  And so oftentimes people come to Fiji for far too short of a time, if you ask the tourism board, because it's only for a few nights on their way to or from Australia or New
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  Zealand.
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  but the feedback that I hear when people return is that they wish they had stayed longer.
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  because there's much more to Fiji, uh than just simply g leaving the resort and or leaving the airport and staying at the resort for two nights on to or from Australia and New
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  Zealand.
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  Yeah, and that's not really like if you leave if you spend two or three nights in a resort or, you know, a well to do accommodation environment, that's not seeing a country.
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  Um so we at Go Way and and actually Brianna and of course Marie does as well, encourage people out there, you our travel partners, to encourage your clients to obviously consider
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  Fiji Airways and Fiji as a stopover because as m Brianna says that's a common trend.
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  But
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  There's more to the island and islands plural than just a stopover.
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  So on that note, Brianna, um if I'm a travel agent speaking to someone who wants to spend time in Fiji, what would be a good length of time, both main island and outer islands,
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  that someone should sort of budget around and plan their timing around to get a good experience of Fiji from the expected to maybe the unexpected?
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  Yeah, you definitely want to spend at least a week, um, which coming from uh North America is sometimes all that people have with their vacation time.
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  Um a well-rounded trip to Fiji though includes both a few nights on one of our larger islands.
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  So either a few nights on our main island of Vitilevu, a few nights on our second largest island of Vinua Levu, or our third largest island of Tabiuni.
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  And then to spend a few nights on one of our smaller, more private islands.
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  Because on those larger islands that I mentioned, that's where you get a lot more of your land-based adventure type of activities that you can do, like whitewater rafting, hiking,
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  ziplining.
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  Also, there's a lot more culture.
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  You can go and do village visits.
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  And then in the other part of your trip when you're just chilling out on a private island where it's a very unique experience for your resort to be the only thing on an island.
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  Maybe you're gonna walk around the circ the circumference of the island, check out the different beaches, uh, or like I said, pr pretend that you're in the the movie Castaway or
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  the TV show Survivor.
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  Uh just really relax and en enjoy the beautiful
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  water, the snorkeling, the water-based activities, the s scuba diving.
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  Maybe you're gonna go do some sailing or some catamaran cruises to different islands.
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  So yes, split your time.
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  Do some time on one of our larger islands, do the land-based adventure, the culture, and then chill out on one of our smaller islands and have that unique visit.
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  So the three big islands that's well big relative to the other ones we're gonna discuss, th their infrastructure is like world class, i.e., you've got your resort, you've got your
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  internet, you've got, you know, all your menus you could possibly want.
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  When you move to the smaller islands you mentioned, the private islands, do you take a step I don't wanna say down, but is there less less infrastructure or is it the same
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  level?
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  And if you go to even more re further out islands, do you lose some of that infrastructure?
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  From a
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  From a traveller's point of view.
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  When you go out to the private islands, all of the resorts are well equipped to meet your needs.
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  So they're gonna have Wi-Fi, they're gonna have running water, they're gonna have electricity.
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  Um so in that sense, no, you're not taking a step down.
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  But when you go out to the private islands, the resort might be the only thing on that island.
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  And so, you know, the only restaurant to eat at is gonna be the the one or two, maybe three different uh eateries that they have.
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  That's a part of the resort on that island.
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  versus staying on our main island.
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  Let's say you stay at one of our larger uh hotels on Dennerau, which I mentioned to you is not too far from the the town of Nandy.
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  Well you can leave that resort, you can go to the marina, you can eat dinner there.
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  Maybe you want to go into the town of Nandy and eat dinner someplace else.
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  So you have more options for uh experiences outside the resorts when you stay on our larger islands.
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  One of the bigger requests that we're getting for anywhere in the world of late, well not of late, it's been quite a while now, is people wanting to get away from the crowds.
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  Now, Nandy obviously is a I've been there.
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  It's a busy hub relative to the island of Fiji because as we've discussed, you've got it's a gateway in and on its way to other places as well.
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  So it's not overcrowded, but it's it's busy.
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  Um and a lot of travelers now wanting to find the more um less trafficked, less
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  visited areas of a country.
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  Now obviously these outer islands sound like that.
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  But if I was to choose or if I was to recommend to a travel, let's go to one of the outer islands, um, where it may only have one resort on the island.
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  And as beautiful and pristine as that will be, does the traveler then get into a bubble of just the resort?
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  Or like I guess what I'm asking, do they lose any cultural immersion or interaction by moving into those smaller islands?
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  Or is it even more
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  cultural is it even more Fijian because of that reason.
• 24:17
  Yeah, so I actually explained this to some travel advisors who were coming to Fiji on a Famil and they really wanted to experience culture.
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  They and they looked at their itinerary and they said, I don't see like where w what activity are we doing on here that is culture.
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  And what I had to explain to them is that Fiji has a living culture.
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  So their culture permeates your entire visit.
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  So the staff is Fijian.
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  They're gonna sing to you uh in Fijian, whether when you arrive, when you depart.
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  the food, they're gonna have a Fiji night.
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  So uh while you're at your resort, you definitely are going to be touched by Fijian culture and your resort, if you're in a on a small private island, they're gonna have
• 24:57
  programming throughout the day.
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  And that programming might involve getting on a boat, going to another island, maybe going to a village on another island, going on a snorkel safari to a different cove.
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  So you definitely uh
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  When you're on the small private islands, your activities are more reserved to what is either available on that island or a nearby island.
• 25:18
  Um, but that doesn't mean that you are trapped on an island, so to speak.
• 25:22
  Uh and then when you do go to maybe uh one of our second our largest, second largest island of Vinula Levu, or our third largest island of Taviouni, uh Taviuni Island, half of
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  the roads are still dirt roads.
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  So you're definitely getting away from the crowds.
• 25:39
  uh Even though it is technically the third largest island in Fiji.
• 25:44
  Okay.
• 25:45
  So you basically don't lose anything by visiting a smaller island.
• 25:50
  In fact, you probably gain by having that experience.
• 25:53
  Um, are there even more rustic opportunities?
• 25:56
  If someone really wanted to go, if not completely off grid, somewhat off grid by even going to further remote islands, is that an option or it's sort of I guess uh a crude way
• 26:06
  of putting is you have a like a top ten list of islands that
• 26:11
  most people would visit.
• 26:12
  Um, does it go beyond that type of thing?
• 26:14
  Can you really go castaway ish if someone chose to?
• 26:20
  Now I am no expert when it comes to camping in Fiji, so to speak, but like I said, you can definitely go and do some glamping in Fiji.
• 26:28
  Um, and you can also be quite comfortable at your resort.
• 26:32
  You can go and do day hikes up to waterfalls.
• 26:36
  Um, we do have a a wonderful company called Talanoa Trucks that does multi-day trekking um where you are uh either camping or they stay with a local village overnight.
• 26:48
  so there's definitely ways to to to get away from and get off the grid.
• 26:52
  Um and also still stay comfortable, especially when you're doing those kind of day hikes or day excursions while still staying at uh a comfortable resort on perhaps maybe Taviuni
• 27:03
  or uh Vanue Les Vu.
• 27:05
  All right.
• 27:06
  That's an important word in that type of adventurous thing.
• 27:08
  Stay comfortable, which is key, I think, for everyone, at least in the go away demographic of people that we're sending to Fiji.
• 27:16
  Um Marie has mentioned that there are regional flights that connect the closer and outer excuse me, outer islands.
• 27:25
  again, Brian, so this is sort of heavy on you because it's all the land stuff now.
• 27:28
  Well, this question is it land.
• 27:30
  Can you connect the islands via
• 27:33
  Sailing and or cruise ships.
• 27:39
  Yes, so the Mamanutha Islands, which are the closest island chain to uh the International Airport in Nandi, there is a daily ferry service that leaves out of Port Denaro and it
• 27:51
  will drop off at um various different island resorts where people will be staying at those island resorts.
• 27:58
  we also have uh a catamaran ferry that goes up to the Yasawa Islands.
• 28:03
  So the Asawa Islands um are a
• 28:06
  little bit further out than the Mamanuta Island chain and these are multiple islands within that's why we call it an island chain.
• 28:13
  and same thing that that Yasawa flyer, it's a large catamaran, very comfortable.
• 28:18
  Um but you know depending on where you're staying in the Yasawa Islands, because they're dropping off at various resorts, you could be on the catamaran for, you know, two or three
• 28:26
  hours.
• 28:27
  So yes, you are really getting away from the the mainland.
• 28:31
  In terms of connecting to our three largest islands that I've previously mentioned
• 28:36
  Um, I'll let Marie get more into that, but that is more of a domestic flight connection and and not a a ferry service.
• 28:45
  Okay, so on that note, Marie, um, the regional flights, we've sort of generalized that you can connect the islands together.
• 28:50
  Um, can you give me like the shortest flight time to the longest flight time from a regional point of view?
• 28:56
  So between Nandy and say up to Savu Savu or Taviuni, it runs anywhere from forty five minutes to an hour.
• 29:07
  And I prefer to call it a scenic flight.
• 29:10
  Some people, you know, when they're traveling, they'll take a helicopter or a little flight to go around.
• 29:16
  So consider it as that because it's a beautiful scenery that they're on the flight and it's it's about maximum, like I said, between forty five minutes to one hour depending on
• 29:26
  the destination they're traveling to.
• 29:29
  And naturally these these or the the aircraft would be much smaller in size to the you the A three thirties and stuff like that.
• 29:37
  So does that lead to baggage restrictions if people are looking to visit some of the outer islands or out outer i outer island chains?
• 29:45
  So it could, depending on how many people are actually on that flight.
• 29:50
  We offer a number of flights between those points throughout the day.
• 29:54
  And um from the US, you're depending on what branded ferry you've chosen, you can take at least one check-in bag, and that check-in bag will fly with you to your outer island.
• 30:07
  If for some reason, excuse me, so if for some reason the flight is full.
• 30:15
  They have extra things that they're taking up to the island.
• 30:18
  If your bag, if your big check-in bag is not on that particular flight you're on, it'll come on the next flight.
• 30:26
  And then the resort um managers or they have a way to bring your bag to your resort after the bag arrives, even though it's arriving after you got there.
• 30:39
  So they'll have everything.
• 30:41
  It's not um
• 30:44
  A huge disposition.
• 30:45
  So we do accommodate where it's safe for the trip.
• 30:51
  So that comes first.
• 30:52
  Of course, safety comes first because they are smaller aircrafts.
• 30:56
  For sure.
• 30:57
  And and that's one thing about Fiji um that I found from my time down there is the service levels from the professional level, like your hotels, your resorts, is exceptional and
• 31:08
  they'll do everything to make your stay as welcoming and wonderful as possible.
• 31:12
  And that's just mirrored also by the locals in how friendly they are and how they're willing to help you in any situation should you need assistance.
• 31:20
  Or you just want to have a chat about daily life in Fiji.
• 31:24
  Uh Bianna, um
• 31:26
  Going back to the Outer Islands is because they need to be supplied, obviously I would assume, from the main island, um the further out you go or the more remote the islands
• 31:38
  become, does the cost per night go up because of the added ah the added logistical issues or issues that because the added logistical um concerns someone the hot let me start all
• 31:54
  that again.
• 31:55
  So Brianna, with the outer islands, um does the cost go up because logistics dictate that um supplies are harder to get to those islands, or is it pretty much if you look at Fiji
• 32:08
  any island the the price ranges at all within sort of a similar bandwidth?
• 32:14
  Yeah, I wouldn't say that there is a big difference in price between say staying on the main island and the outer islands.
• 32:20
  Really what dictates the price is the class level of resort that you're staying at.
• 32:25
  So if you're staying at a five star in the mainland, it's gonna be in the same price range as a five star on an outer island, and vice versa.
• 32:31
  If you're staying at a two star in the mainland, a two star out in the outer islands is gonna be similarly priced.
• 32:37
  Okay, well that's good to know.
• 32:38
  So you know, that won't put people off price wise by exploring the outer island chains, which I think people should do as well, particularly as we hope they will now spend
• 32:48
  extended periods of time in and around Fiji and the Greater Island chain.
• 32:52
  On that and now, you know, we've discussed a lot of general stuff of where islands are costs, resource, accommodation, transport.
• 33:00
  So Brianna, could you give like talk to me as if I'd never been to Fiji before and tell me if I go to Fiji what
• 33:06
  What can I do?
• 33:07
  What are some of the experiences that I can have there?
• 33:10
  Like why is Fiji I don't say a better choice, but a good choice compared to the cooks or Hawaii or Tahiti even.
• 33:19
  So what makes Fiji special?
• 33:21
  Sell me please.
• 33:22
  Sell me on Fiji.
• 33:25
  Well, as somebody who just got back from Hawaii, don't tell anyone, several times in my visit, I thought to myself, I should have gone to Fiji.
• 33:34
  Um when I went for a swim and I was cold, I thought, I should be in Fiji.
• 33:39
  The water's warmer in Fiji.
• 33:41
  When I said aloha to somebody and I didn't get a an aloha back, I thought I should be in Fiji because in Fiji everybody says bula to you.
• 33:50
  You say it back.
• 33:51
  You come home and you're still saying it because you forget that you're back home and nobody says bula.
• 33:57
  They think you're saying some other word.
• 33:59
  So really what I tell people is w people when they go to Fiji, they go for the the warm water, the beautiful beaches, like the picture behind me.
• 34:09
  They go for the adventure, the snorkeling, the scuba diving, the hiking to waterfalls.
• 34:15
  They go for the romance, the adult only resorts where it's just you and your loved one and your own private beach villa.
• 34:22
  They go for the family friendly activities and the resorts that have complimentary kids' clubs and nanny service.
• 34:28
  But the thing that they ultimately remember and that they bring home with them is that feeling of warmth and welcome and that living culture of the Fijian people.
• 34:38
  Time and time again I talk to advisors who I run into and they say, Fiji, friendliest people I have ever met.
• 34:44
  my goodness, let me tell you about this person that did this thing for me and I just made me want to cry.
• 34:49
  And so really you go because of what you see in the pictures, like the beaches and the activities, but what you remember really is is the people and and that friendliness and
• 34:59
  that welcome.
• 35:01
  Yeah, and that's something that struck me.
• 35:03
  I s sort of expected it because I'd heard it so much through the people here at Go Way who've been selling Fiji forever, that yeah, that that warmth and welcome and the
• 35:11
  friendliness is outstanding.
• 35:12
  Yeah, and and Buller just becomes second nature while you're down there.
• 35:16
  Um and a highlight for me, and I think a lot of people who go to Fiji is working in, be it on a stopover or an extended stay.
• 35:25
  Visiting a local village and experiencing them and they welcome you in with open arms and experiencing I've forgot I think I've got the name right, is it Kava, the traditional
• 35:34
  drink?
• 35:35
  Yeah.
• 35:36
  Yes, that's correct.
• 35:37
  Kava with a K.
• 35:38
  Yeah.
• 35:39
  Yeah.
• 35:39
  Um and and that is a h a highlight of any trip, be it again, as I say, a stopover or an extended period.
• 35:46
  And I think um you really get to see that friendliness, the welcomes that they offer strangers into their house.
• 35:54
  and I think the further afield you go on the more remote islands you'd feel that even more so.
• 35:59
  Um a question for you, and this just a comparison to my stay in the Cook Islands.
• 36:06
  And again, a lot of the Pacific Islands have a lot of um cultural similarities because they're all Polynesian culture.
• 36:12
  Um I do know for a fact that the Fijians are very, very devout um people.
• 36:17
  If you're a rugby fan and you watch Fiji play and they're an amazing rugby team to watch, you know, before and after a game they'll you know, they'll pray and uh and whatnot.
• 36:26
  And by extension, the same for the Cook Islands.
• 36:30
  Uh so my question, Brianna, is
• 36:31
  In the cooks on a Sunday, pretty much the country shuts down because everyone goes to church and it's a very, very big thing to do, very community focused uh happening and a
• 36:41
  family focused event.
• 36:42
  Is that the same for Fiji where Sundays are somewhat much quieter than the rest of the week?
• 36:48
  Yes, in fact, my very first time I visited Fiji, I flew in on a Sunday and I remember asking my driver as he was taking me to my resort, where is everybody?
• 36:57
  And he said it's Sunday.
• 36:58
  Everybody's going to church.
• 37:00
  so yes, Fiji is quite a religious country.
• 37:04
  they have a variety of different religions, many different Christian religions.
• 37:08
  Um also they have a large population of what are called Indo-Fijians, so they are Hindu.
• 37:14
  in fact, the largest Hindu temple is in Fiji.
• 37:17
  Um, so yes, they grow up singing in the village choir.
• 37:21
  In fact, I've done village visits before where I can hear them practicing in the background.
• 37:25
  Um, I know some Fijians who claim they can't sing, and so they say they must not actually be Fijian because they don't know how to sing, because Fijians have beautiful singing
• 37:35
  voices and you will hear it multiple times during your visit.
• 37:39
  and I just want to correct one thing.
• 37:40
  You mentioned that
• 37:42
  you said Fiji's part of Polynesia.
• 37:43
  It's actually Paul part of Melanesia.
• 37:46
  So Hawaii-Tahiti, that's Polynesia.
• 37:49
  Um, so they're part of a different um part of Oceania, which is called uh Melanesia, and that also incorporates uh Vanuatu.
• 37:57
  So just to give you some geographic reference.
• 38:00
  Oh, I appreciate that very much.
• 38:02
  I'm always happy to learn new things and be corrected if I'm wrong.
• 38:04
  And I I've heard the term Melanesia, but I didn't know how it sat with things, and now I do.
• 38:09
  Thank you very much, Brianna.
• 38:10
  I appreciate that.
• 38:11
  Um, something this is sort of an aside as you were talking when I asked you the question of what can you experience, what can you do in Fiji.
• 38:19
  I've got a suggestion for you, Brianna.
• 38:20
  You should you you should speak to your marketing team.
• 38:23
  So I think you came up with a really good tagline, so to speak, because you you repeated this a few times.
• 38:29
  I should be in Fiji.
• 38:30
  And you gave examples why.
• 38:32
  I was really as you were saying it, I was just I was seeing a marketing campaign unfold in front of me.
• 38:37
  So that uh I think that's a really good line.
• 38:39
  I should be in Fiji.
• 38:41
  So that's a good way to sum it all up.
• 38:43
  Um just going back to the experiences, there you you've mentioned in passing there's there's zip lining, there's whitewater rafting.
• 38:52
  There is something I did, I'm not sure of the correct terminology, but it's like the sort of jet boats.
• 38:56
  On the river.
• 38:57
  What's the that's a very famous day tour.
• 38:59
  What's that one called?
• 39:01
  Yeah, so that's on our main island of Itilevu.
• 39:03
  it's called the Singatoka River Safari.
• 39:07
  Yes, so there is a large river that is kind of goes through the middle of the main island called the Singatoka River.
• 39:14
  Uh and this company uh actually brought over flat boat flat bottom jet boats from New Zealand.
• 39:21
  and so they they load up the boats and they zip you up the river.
• 39:25
  Um and so it's a thrilling ride and you're getting to kind of a more interior remote, you talked about off the grid part of Fiji.
• 39:32
  In fact, the people who live along the river, uh, it's dirt roads, the kids sometimes have to cross the river to go to school.
• 39:38
  So you're getting pretty remote.
• 39:39
  Um and then you stop and you actually get out of the boats and you get to go into a village and you get to go on a a short tour of the village, maybe see the village church.
• 39:49
  and then you all gather with um the the local village people, including the chief.
• 39:55
  You get to drink kava, you get to see what a traditional kava welcoming ceremony is like.
• 40:01
  Um they cook lunch for everybody, there's music played, you're encouraged to dance, and it's a really heartwarming and and connective.
• 40:10
  experience where you actually get to feel like you are connecting with locals and that they um are welcoming visitors into their village in their traditional ceremonies.
• 40:21
  And what's wonderful about this particular company that puts on this tour is they have a really great relationship with multiple villages along the Singotoka River.
• 40:30
  So they really rotate through uh which villages they're visiting.
• 40:34
  It's not one single village.
• 40:36
  So there's not this feeling of over tourism.
• 40:38
  It's not
• 40:39
  you know, this one village that is changing its way of life because they're part of this tour company.
• 40:45
  The tour company rotates which villages it visits.
• 40:48
  So it's more of of a fun, uh interactive experience where the villagers are excited to see people they don't know and and, you know, then the the tour company takes the groups to to
• 40:59
  other villages to to kind of share the the attention and and the activity.
• 41:04
  Yeah, it was definitely a highlight of my trip and it's something that particularly someone on a stopover should consider because stopovers compressed time, you want to soak
• 41:12
  in as much as you can and this is a very good overview of a lot of aspects of Fiji.
• 41:17
  But again, I would encourage people who are staying longer to
• 41:20
  not only do that tour, but you will have those similar experiences in other cultural immersion opportunities on the main island or the outer islands as well.
• 41:29
  And what what I found very refreshing about it as well, there's one point you brought up that they is is that they rotate which villages visited.
• 41:37
  So there's not that v feeling of overtourism and, you know, cookie cutter type vibe, which is very important to me and obviously in turn to go ahead and its clients.
• 41:47
  But the guides on the um on the boats were all local Fijines and they spoke about where they grew up.
• 41:53
  Some of them grew up from the villages that you visit.
• 41:55
  And to your point too, they pointed out that school kids in the village we visited still would cross the river in the morning.
• 42:03
  So they would put all their school clothes in a plastic bag, put it on their head, they'd walk across the river or wade across the river, get the other side, dry off, get into
• 42:12
  their school uniform, and either walk to school or hop on a bus to school.
• 42:15
  So
• 42:16
  Fiji is still very traditional, very old school, for want of a better term, in a pleasant way.
• 42:23
  Um, it's just it is a stunning, stunning destination, for s at so many levels from the beauty of it, you know, and you can't in a modern world sort of argue that when you have
• 42:34
  one of the biggest, you know, commercial successes of um
• 42:39
  um of reality T V basing itself now on the islands and that being Survivor and if you watch Survivor you see the beauty just there.
• 42:46
  But it's not just those islands, you know, where's Survivor's film.
• 42:50
  It's everywhere on the main islands and the outer islands as well.
• 42:54
  Um I I would assume diving is a big thing for Fiji, snorkeling, any water based um activity, Brano is something that if people are into, they want to do an extended diving
• 43:05
  or snorkeling experience.
• 43:06
  Fiji is a good choice for that.
• 43:09
  Absolutely.
• 43:10
  Fiji is known as the soft coral capital of the world.
• 43:14
  So that soft coral is the stuff that grows out of the hard coral and it kind of moves around in the water, kind of looks like spaghetti, if you ask me.
• 43:22
  and because we are surrounded by reefs, you can be an advanced scuba diver and and go to some advanced sites.
• 43:29
  You can just be opal w water certified, go to other uh dive sites.
• 43:33
  I call diving in Fiji convenient.
• 43:36
  Because we're surrounded by reefs, you don't have to go on a boat for an hour and a half to get to an outer reef in other places we know of.
• 43:43
  Um instead you're on a boat ten minutes, you're going to a dive site, maybe you're going back to your resort to go out again after you've had a coffee.
• 43:50
  And because we're surrounded by reefs, you don't even need to scuba dive to see some incredible stuff.
• 43:56
  You can easily
• 43:57
  with just the snorkel and fins provided by the activity hut at your resort, go out um into the water on your own, do some incredible snorkeling as well.
• 44:09
  Yeah, and what what I noticed too on my stay, we were on a a coastal resort, which most of the resorts are, obviously on the shorelines.
• 44:17
  the tidal movement's quite big as well.
• 44:18
  So in the morning I think, you know, you just saw the water up lapping up against the the white sandy beach and by midday or mid afternoon, like there was a coral reef right in
• 44:27
  front of you exposed because the tide moved out.
• 44:30
  And my point is that, you know, access
• 44:32
  to Brana's point is literally your doorstep and you don't have to be a snorkel or a swimmer, uh sorry, a diver.
• 44:38
  You can literally swim around and be in and near coral reefs for the most part on most of the islands.
• 44:44
  So let me ask you this, Marie.
• 44:47
  Um obviously you've flown to Fiji many times, being a representative of the airlines.
• 44:51
  What's your favorite spot in Fiji or your favorite experience or experiences?
• 44:57
  Could be many.
• 44:57
  You want to hit us with that?
• 45:00
  I like all parts of Fiji, honestly.
• 45:02
  I've been there several times.
• 45:04
  I've done some interesting things.
• 45:08
  I stayed at like the luxury resorts as well as backpacker resorts.
• 45:13
  And one of the things I've done that I don't know if any of the tourists would do, but I went with a friend of mine.
• 45:22
  We ran at an SUV.
• 45:25
  And we drove through the dirt roads up where the river safari goes up in that area through the villages.
• 45:33
  One of the things that stands out for me again are the people.
• 45:37
  We took a little stop just to figure out where we are.
• 45:41
  And one of the men came out of the home the house and said, come here with drinks, uh, offered us juice.
• 45:52
  and showed us the way another road to go through the next village area.
• 45:57
  So I I totally enjoy going and staying in Fiji.
• 46:04
  It I feel like I go home.
• 46:06
  The first time I ever went to Fiji when I started with Fiji Airways many years ago, I went and I had gone to the at the time the Sheraton.
• 46:19
  I was only there two nights
• 46:22
  And I was touring the resort and just checking things out.
• 46:26
  But I had gone to the kids' club to see what they offer.
• 46:30
  And I met the person that was running the kids' club at that hour.
• 46:34
  And then I went home, came back, worked.
• 46:37
  Two years later, I went and again I was staying at the Sheraton, but I was checking in at the Sheraton.
• 46:44
  And somebody was yelling, Marie, Marie, Bola, Marie.
• 46:48
  And I'm like, who is this?
• 46:49
  I I I'm here by myself.
• 46:51
  I turn around and it's her.
• 46:53
  The same person I met over two years ago.
• 46:56
  She remembered my name.
• 46:57
  She remembered me.
• 46:58
  And I only met her for maybe ten, fifteen minutes.
• 47:03
  They really remember your name and they really make you feel like you're at home.
• 47:08
  And so, like I said, I've traveled before in many parts of the world.
• 47:14
  And I have to say that Fiji, it's in the heart, it's in the soul, makes you feel like you're home.
• 47:21
  It's
• 47:22
  Right.
• 47:24
  There's another marketing tagline.
• 47:25
  God, they're coming at us left, right, and center.
• 47:28
  it is a very genuine destination.
• 47:31
  I think that's one of its that's one of its uniquenesses within the region too.
• 47:35
  It's just that very welcoming, genuine.
• 47:37
  So Brianna, I'm gonna hit h ask you the same question of um what has been what is or has been your one highlight or many highlights, I guess.
• 47:47
  Yeah, so like Marie said, I've been to Fiji many times and I cannot choose a favorite, but I definitely have some some key moments that uh I'll I'll take with me for the rest of my
• 47:58
  life.
• 47:59
  And I'll mention on my most recent visit, um my father was actually celebrating a milestone birthday.
• 48:06
  So his birthday uh treat was to come over to Fiji with me.
• 48:10
  And we flew up to Tabiouni Island, so that's that third largest island, which I'd been to previously, and it is
• 48:17
  It is a favorite of mine because it's so green and so lush.
• 48:21
  and we took a short boat ride across and we stayed at Matongi Private Island Resort.
• 48:25
  Um and they knew it was my father's birthday.
• 48:28
  And I checked in and they they kind of asked me on the side, you know, what's his favorite cake?
• 48:32
  And then at dinner that night they had made his own personal birthday cake.
• 48:38
  The Bula band was there that evening.
• 48:40
  They sang him not only Happy Birthday, but in Fiji there's an extended version of Happy Birthday where um they say, you know, God bless you and long life to you.
• 48:51
  Um and then afterwards when my dad went back to his
• 48:56
  His beret, they had decorated the bed um with happy birthday using traditional Fijian leaves and and different flowers and made him a a rolled up towel cake.
• 49:06
  Um and I don't think my dad has ever had a birthday celebration for him like that.
• 49:10
  So they really do go out of their way to to make you feel special um and remembered, um, like Marie said when they're in Fiji.
• 49:21
  Yeah, again, like I've I've said it many times and I think the the girls have made it very, very clear that it's such a again, welcoming uh warm country, both from the
• 49:32
  temperature point of view and but it's people.
• 49:34
  Um and you'll be made to feel like you're one of them and that uh you've never left.
• 49:39
  As Marie's, you know, example pointed out, you know, met someone for five minutes and two years later it's like, you know, my long lost sister, you're back.
• 49:46
  Um and that is very typical of the experiences you will have.
• 49:51
  And then add to that the beautiful combination choices you have.
• 49:54
  Again, as Rihanna said, anything from two star to five star luxury, be it the main sort of big three islands or to the outer islands, lamping is an option, hiking, water sports,
• 50:03
  obviously being a a a a very large group of islands, um, zip lining, the whole thing, it's all there.
• 50:10
  And one thing that I found, um, and I'm not really a fashion person, but like but you'll find too that
• 50:21
  The clothing that's worn is very, very colourful.
• 50:23
  There's sarongs which are the men and females will wear as well.
• 50:26
  But if you want a very bright floral shirt, like you know, it's a classic line of the Hawaiian shirt, the Fijian shirts knock it out of the park.
• 50:34
  I bought four or five of them, a couple for my kids as well.
• 50:36
  I have three boys.
• 50:37
  Um, and they're really cool from a males point of view.
• 50:41
  Ladies, from a fashion point of view, do you find Fiji an attractive place to buy uh textiles and things of that nature?
• 50:49
  Yes, you're definitely right about the the colorful clothing.
• 50:52
  It's actually part of the Fijian traditional practice of wearing kala vata.
• 50:57
  So you could actually go to Fiji and you could get an entire matching set of clothes for your entire family to wear in the same print.
• 51:04
  So shirts for men, dresses for women.
• 51:07
  Um and this is a traditional practice in Fiji because they come from large families.
• 51:11
  So when they go to family reunions or weddings or celebrations, Christmas celebrations.
• 51:17
  Each family dresses in what is called kalavata, which means the same, you know, same color, same print, so that you can identify who is from which family.
• 51:26
  Um and yes, so in the in the gift shops you can buy kalavatta for uh your your family to take home with you.
• 51:32
  Um and then I'll just also add, so in Fiji, men wear
• 51:36
  what are called Sulus.
• 51:37
  So it is a a a wrap skirt uh in style, but it's not called a sarong.
• 51:42
  It's actually called a Sulu.
• 51:44
  And you can actually buy those as well.
• 51:46
  and I'm always joking to my husband when he's t complaining about feeling hot.
• 51:50
  I say, well I could just get you a Sulu next time I'm in Fiji.
• 51:53
  They're nice and cool uh and comfortable for the men.
• 51:57
  Okay, so yeah, I so a couple of things.
• 52:00
  I didn't know that you or that that that the colour was a tradition, um and that families would wear the same print.
• 52:07
  That's really I I never saw that, but I can see how it would happen.
• 52:10
  That's very, very interesting.
• 52:12
  And again, I've been corrected again and that's fine.
• 52:14
  I've got problems with that.
• 52:15
  Not a sarong, that's more Indonesian, I think.
• 52:17
  Um it's a Sulu.
• 52:19
  And a a as you brought it up, I do remember this
• 52:21
  Whereas as strong is what you just you wrap it around your waist.
• 52:24
  The Sulli memory, correct me from here, Brianna, it's more of a sort of there's a different look or design and the way you wear it, is that right?
• 52:32
  Yes, for men in particular it comes just below the knee.
• 52:36
  it's got like a little clip or a buckle, so it's quite secured.
• 52:39
  and it's actually considered more of a a formal item to wear.
• 52:43
  So you will see um, you know, busin men uh for business um events will wear them.
• 52:48
  And in fact you'll even um see some of the police officers wearing these these Sulus.
• 52:54
  Yes.
• 52:54
  Yeah, I do remember seeing that as well.
• 52:56
  It's like a official police dress in some instances.
• 53:00
  Okay, so I've learnt three things today.
• 53:02
  I've learnt that Fiji is part of Melanesia, not Polynesia.
• 53:06
  I've learnt that it's not a sarong, it's a Sulu.
• 53:09
  And I've learnt that again I've forgotten the name you uh you mentioned, Kala Vata or something or words of that similar, that families will wear the same print to identify
• 53:18
  themselves.
• 53:19
  What was the term for again, Brianna?
• 53:21
  It's called Kalavata and it's mainly something they do at special occasions.
• 53:26
  It's not a an everyday type of occurrence.
• 53:29
  It's it's a special occasion practice.
• 53:32
  Okay.
• 53:32
  So as I say, I'm always happy to learn.
• 53:35
  That's what the podcasts are about, the webinars are about, and the academy is about.
• 53:39
  Education is a lifelong journey and that's another one, another step I've taken today.
• 53:43
  So I really appreciate that information.
• 53:45
  So before we say goodbye to our audience out there, Marie, is there anything you'd like to leave our listening audience with about Fiji Airways in particular?
• 53:55
  Fly with Mad with us.
• 53:57
  Come fly on Fiji Airways to Fiji and beyond.
• 54:02
  Our offering actually I did forget to mention one more thing.
• 54:06
  We will be adding a new destination starting in September.
• 54:10
  So we'll be flying um to Numeya and New Caledonia.
• 54:15
  Oh, interesting.
• 54:16
  So that could be a podcast on itself, all about New Mea.
• 54:19
  A lot of people, particularly for North America, don't know about that one.
• 54:22
  So but that's for a a conversation for another podcast.
• 54:25
  Brianna, the same question to you.
• 54:27
  Uh anything you'd like to leave our travel professionals with about Fiji.
• 54:30
  Or actually let me prep uh preempt that question with a prompt to you.
• 54:34
  Is there anything new and exciting that's coming up in Fiji from a product point of view, festivals, celebrations of any type?
• 54:42
  We've learned that it's Fiji Airways.
• 54:43
  Seventy fifth anniversary, anything similar about the islands themselves that uh travel professionals should be aware of?
• 54:51
  Well, Fiji is a bucketless destination for surfing.
• 54:55
  One of the world's top five surf breaks is actually in Fiji in the Mammautha Islands, and they are currently hosting the World Surf League competition as we speak.
• 55:04
  uh Another thing to do in in the month of August is it's just on the tail end of our Manta Ray snorkeling, which you can do from May to September up in the Osawa Islands.
• 55:17
  Um, for anybody who is into flowers, we're currently uh just about to start the hibiscus festival, which occurs in Suva every single year at the end of August.
• 55:30
  Um and in terms of of new product, probably the newest update would be we had a hotel recently uh open.
• 55:38
  it's an accord property uh just outside of where the airport is in the town of Nandy, in an area called Y Loa Loa Beach.
• 55:46
  Um, which if you're familiar with Waialoa Loa, that's also where the Crown Plaza is located.
• 55:51
  Um, but this new property is from um the Accor Hotel Group, and it's called the Sebal Nuku Lawa Lawa.
• 56:00
  Um, and it's self-contained residences.
• 56:03
  So um one, two bedroom apartments, so great for families, um, upwards of a three-bedroom built villas.
• 56:10
  And there'll be some uh two more Accor properties uh opening up.
• 56:15
  later in twenty twenty seven.
• 56:17
  Um and then lastly I would like to mention an activity that uh gr it's not a super recent opening, but it's in the the last couple of years called IBike Fiji.
• 56:29
  Um and this is in the town of Nandy and this is e mountain biking.
• 56:33
  Um I actually just did this with with my father when we went over for his birthday and
• 56:39
  even though he is of a retirement age, he he still mountain bikes at home.
• 56:43
  And so there's definitely uh an activity that can be um catered to for various ability levels.
• 56:50
  Um and you're on these e-mountain bikes and they take you up on some of the dirt um roads up above Nandy and you get to see the countryside, you get to to go past the village.
• 56:59
  Um so that's a relatively new activity that's available in the town of Nandy.
• 57:05
  Cool, I'm glad you brought that up because I I normally do ask about biking options around uh a destination.
• 57:10
  So you've answered that question with e-bike, which are becoming even more and more popular.
• 57:15
  so that's excellent to hear it as well.
• 57:17
  Um and the and and that new resort you mentioned with the self-contained uh units, that's a good one, as you mentioned for families.
• 57:25
  And we've actually just done a podcast with Broman from here at Go Away.
• 57:29
  She looks after our Africa team and she went off to Africa with her family.
• 57:33
  her mother, herself and her kids.
• 57:35
  So generational travel is a big thing in general, but family travel to Fiji as it as its own standalone destination, i.e.
• 57:44
  Fiji is your go to and come home from destination.
• 57:49
  And as I touched on earlier, if anyone's wanting to do a a longer stay in Fiji, like a a home stay or a long stay, as we term it, this resort might be a good option if it's self
• 57:59
  contained, self catering as well.
• 58:02
  Well
• 58:03
  As I said before, I've learned a lot today.
• 58:05
  Um and I hope everyone out there listening has learnt a lot more about Fiji, Fiji Airways, the fact that you can get there directly uh from primarily the west coast of the US and
• 58:15
  Canada, fly directly out of Honolulu.
• 58:17
  Of course, Fiji Airways is a great choice if you're looking beyond Fiji, um, into the rest of the Pacific andor Australia and New Zealand.
• 58:27
  And we've heard Caribriana
• 58:29
  All the amazing things you can do, be it the main island to the outer islands, to even the more extreme islands.
• 58:34
  Um, it's a destination that's warm in hospitality, warm in temperature.
• 58:40
  It is stunningly beautiful, easy to get to, with one of the best airlines in the world.
• 58:45
  It'll take you down there and and something um that Marie mentioned too.
• 58:49
  And what struck me too, having flown many different airlines, I remember when I got on my Fiji Airways aircraft, something that you mentioned, Marie, is there's the music going,
• 58:57
  the Fijian music's
• 58:59
  The background, they've got this sort of the mood lighting going.
• 59:02
  And literally from the moment you get on the plane, you feel as if you're in Fiji.
• 59:06
  The hospitality begins there and it never ends until you fly back home or onwards with Fiji Airways and the hospitality of the Fijians and the Fiji Islands and the beautiful
• 59:17
  infrastructure that it has on offer for your travelers out there.
• 59:22
  ah So on that note, I'd like to thank uh both Marie and Brianna coming to us from LA.
• 59:28
  as a reminder, Marie looks after Fiji Airways.
• 59:31
  She's their BDM.
• 59:32
  And Brianna is the tourism representative based in LA for Fiji itself.
• 59:37
  So ladies, thank you very much for your time.
• 59:39
  We appreciate that.
• 59:40
  And everyone out there listening to us and watching us, thank you for your time.
• 59:43
  We know how busy you are.
• 59:45
  And until next time.
• 59:47
  Thank you.