Samantha Magick

The Pacifique Artisans Collective is Suva’s newest business incubator that “allows an equal playing field for emerging designers and accessory makers,” says Shakira Macdonald. It is located at the Suva Flea Market, a popular space for small businesses since 1995, which has recently undergone a facelift and upgrade. The PAC houses unique clothing lines such […]

The Fiji Fringe Festival this week released its artists guide, with details of the performers who will be appearing at the event, which runs in Suva from 25th February till the 4th of March. Fiji Traveller is proud to be a sponsor of the festival. Look out for our profiles of the performers and activities […]

Fiji visitor arrival numbers for December surpassed pre-COVID levels according to figures released by the Bureau of Statistics this week. A total of 75,580 visitors (102% of 2019) landed in Fiji last month. December also recorded the highest ever number of Australian travellers in a month, with 42,304 coming to Fiji, exceeding September 2022 which […]

By Leila Parina It’s an ordinary afternoon in Suva city, with school students flooding towards the bus stand and window shopping.  Car horns honk as drivers speed through the city or are stuck in traffic. Shop owners prepare to close up while market vendors call out to passers-by in a bid to sell their final […]

By Rowena Singh Deeper Sounds, Deeper Connections is a Pacific-Australian project which shares the unique music of the Pacific with the world. Working with groups of musicians across the region, it captures traditional instruments, melodies, songs and voices, and distils them into sample packs for DJs, producers, film makers, music makers and Australian music schools.  Fiji’s […]

From Queensland Art Gallery comes this interview with Salote Tawale, developed specifically for ‘The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT10). ‘No Location’ comprises an almost 15-metre-long bamboo raft referencing a bilibili. QAGOMA writes: “With humour and a lightness of touch, Tawale gently proposes that we consider the potential of this cultural knowledge and […]

By Anne Moorhead Recently I arrived back in Fiji after nearly two years away. One of the first changes I noticed, on the drive from Nadi to Suva, was the proliferation of the African tulip tree. It’s a beautiful tree, with huge scarlet flowers – hence its introduction a few decades ago as a garden […]

Sigatoka River Safari has successfully defended its title as Oceania’s Leading Adventure Tour Operator at the World Travel Awards for the sixth consecutive year. Managing Director Jay Whyte says its a reflection of the team working at Sigatoka River Safari, and of the people of Navosa and the 18 villages they work with throughout the […]

By Kite Pareti A few beers and a pen….and Fiji’s newest floating bar and restaurant came alive. Located in the turquoise waters of the Mamanucas – Seventh Heaven – is a F$4million investment by four New Zealanders: Eddy and Martin Rotteveel, John Cornwell, and Glen Matheson. With a jumping platform, massage rooms, kitchen and bar, […]

Shedding those kilos and avoiding NCDs with the Suva Marathon Club By Sadhana Sen In early 2014, a group of ‘fairly decent’ runners living and working out of Fiji’s capital, Suva decided to pursue the idea of creating a platform to promote marathon running for Pacific islanders, and to use it to encourage healthy living […]

A brilliant Fijian Story from the Lighthouse Fiji team about Fiji’s longest serving bean peanut seller, a Suva bus stand icon Mausam Ali.

Join us for an afternoon & night of International award-winning short films from USA, South Africa, UK, Japan and more. From Fiji, the festival will showcase recognized local films by up-and-coming Fijian filmmakers, together with films from former winners of the local Kula Film Awards. The event also marks the launch of the country’s Media Learning […]

A matriarch of music, the Queen of Vude, supporter of many charities, and a diva who comes home and cooks for her family every night.  Laisa Vulakoro has an in-depth talanoa with Islands Business’ Rowena Singh about her four decades in the industry. “I’ve been in this industry for over 40 years and I’m still […]

By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti The 50th anniversary of the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture was marked in Suva this month with fire-dancjng and Rotuman rhythms, as well as contemporary dances and songs. The theme ‘Na wekaqu, noqu iyau’ which means ‘My relationships are my heritage and wealth,” put a spotlight on kinships and relationships. In […]

By Rajan Sami Photos by Chris Sharma/Gallery Fiji, Wendy King There was a ‘prodigal son returns’ quality to the one night only tasting menu that Fijian-Australian celebrity chef Louis Tikaram presented at Nanuku Resort in Pacific Harbour in late June. The Brisbane-based chef briefly regaled diners — many of whom, like myself, had made the […]

Before she left Fiji recently, Sarah Gwonyoma ran a mecca for Fiji book lovers, the Suva Book Swap, from her garage. Fiji Traveller spoke to Sarah about her life in Fiji before her departure. Sarah Gwonyoma, a writer and online book influencer by profession, moved to Fiji from the United Kingdom after meeting a “beautiful […]

By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti Suva’s Nasese bus has the reputation of being not just a scenic trip as it skirts Suva’s foreshore, but also a good place to sit back and enjoy the preferred tunes of your driver turned DJ. While the view might be—we hope temporarily—marred by long-running roadwork on Queen Elizabeth Drive, the chilled […]

Words and images: Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti The trip to Moce in Fiji’s Lau group, I must admit, was scary but thrilling for me. It was the first time I’ve travelled by boat by myself, and I didn’t know anyone else aboard. At the back of my mind as I boarded the Lomaiviti Princess IV, was how […]

Fiji writer, Mary Rokonadravu has won the 2022 Commonwealth Short Story Prize (Pacific) for her story, The Nightwatch. Rokonadravu described the win as affirming.  “Stories are bridges to connect us with each other, especially when we disagree or are different – stories allow us to walk in each other’s complexities and gain understanding of the […]

The first European Film Festival to be held in Suva is on this weekend, with films from Finland to France, Slovakia to Spain and more. The European Film Festival is an annual and global event. This year, the Delegation of the European Union for the Pacific brings the European Film Festival to the Pacific for […]

Oceania Centre Sculpture exhibition 11th May – 27th May 2022 at the Gallery of Oceanian Arts located at the upper Laucala campus University of the South Pacific Suva The Accident A new play, written and directed by Larry Thomas. 24-28 May, 8pm Australia Pacific Performance Space, USP Laucala campus Tickets available at the Oceania Centre, […]

By Rajan Sami “I’ve always been obsessed with chai,” says Nikhat Khan, the twenty-six-year-old environmental scientist behind Chaiwala, the specialty tea brand she founded under lockdown in Suva in 2021. “I think chai is very comforting,” she says of the often sweet milky, spiced tea that’s cooked in stovetop kettles in Indo-Fijian households. Working from […]

Talanoa Tuesday: Foodpreneurs Tuesday May 10, 7pm Mana Coffee, Suva Girmit Festival Until May 14 (official program starts 7pm daily) Syria Park, Nausori Fiji Tourism Expo May 12-13 (official opening May 11) Sheraton Fiji Resort and Spa Dirty Disco Saturday May 14, 7pm-late Kanu Gastropub, Suva ROC Market Sunday May 15 from 9am Suva Fiji […]

By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti It’s been three years since we last travelled down to the western part of Fiji, so the Easter long weekend was a great opportunity for my little tribe to explore Nadi. After a small detour (thank you Google Maps for getting us our hotel) and some time exploring town we were famished. […]