Whats New

By Kalinga Seneviratne I arrived in Samoa for a recent long weekend not knowing what to expect. For a start, my flight from Nadi touched down at 1:00am at the Apia international airport. I was surprised to see the immigration officers and other airport staff looking fresh and the taxi stand outside was also a […]

By Anirban Mahapatra After almost an hour of navigating through lagoons flanking the southern coastline of Kadavu island, the dive boat finally reaches a rocky channel that provides a way out of the submerged mountain walls of the Great Astrolabe Reef. As it cautiously steers around barnacled boulders strong enough to breach battleships, the colour […]

Shakil Zoro Bhamji, better known as Zoro, was an entrepreneur at an early age, selling fruit  by the roadside in Ba  to pay for his school fees and supplies. “I used to see all the ladies from across the village sell their mangoes on the roadside. So during school holidays and weekends, I used to […]

The third Pacific Human Rights Film Festival starts tomorrow at the University of the South Pacific’s Japan ICT Performance Theatre in Suva with an important film about rugby in the Pacific.  The opening film is Oceans Apart, which will be screening in Fiji for the first time. Festival Director, Ben Wheeler, says this year’s festival […]

By Vittoria Pasca The plant-based dining scene has been steadily growing in Suva in the last few years, thanks to the opening of new vegetarian restaurants and eateries, and an increasing number of traditional restaurants adding tasty vegan-friendly dishes to their menu. Here are some options to check out. Health Veggie Restaurant  Equally popular among […]

Fiji will host its first-ever National Rugby League match next year, thanks to Fiji Airways’ sponsorship of the Melbourne Storm team. “2024 will see Fiji Airways enter into new sponsorships and partnerships that capture audiences, not only in the Pacific, but across the globe,” the airline’s Chief Executive, Andre Viljoen, said at the launch of […]

By Samantha Magick A new detective novel set in Fiji brings to life a time rarely discussed beyond academic texts; the experiences of Indian labourers under Girmit. A Disappearance in Fiji follows Akal Singh, a 25-year-old Sikh police officer, sent to Fiji in disgrace after an indiscretion in his previous posting of Hong Kong. He […]

Discovering the Nabukavesi River By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti Nature Fiji-MareqetiViti’s ‘Meandering Mates’ adventure for children and their families in the highlands of Namosi is a window to understanding the area’s rich biodiversity, and how it is under threat. The organisation’s vision is for a healthy environment that maintains its diversity of species, habitats, ecological integrity, and […]

By Kite Pareti As a teenager, Nilesh Chand dreamt of becoming a car mechanic. But life took a different route when he and his family left his hometown to find greener pastures. “I’m originally from Tavua. When we moved to Nadi, I joined the hotel industry and started working as a commis [novice] chef,” he […]

On the sidelines of Fiji’s biggest soccer tournament at HFC Bank Stadium, hundreds of people from a remote island in Fiji have gathered at the stadium’s car park to celebrate their cultural roots. Vanuabalavu (or long island) is part of the Lau group of islands, just east of Viti Levu. Vanuabalavu has 17 villages, all […]

In a cheeky campaign fronted by Wallabies legend, Lote Tuqiri, Australians have been invited to become ‘Flying Fijians’ and support Fiji’s efforts at the Rugby World Cup. Australia has missed out on the quarter-finals at the tournament in France, but Fiji’s team is through for the first time in 16 years, despite a narrow defeat […]

By Alipate Pareti The Spartan Games has earned the reputation of being the world’s leading obstacle race course and it is coming to Fiji this year. Spartans were one amongst the most feared and formidable forces in the ancient Greek world, withstanding the Persian Empire to their last breath. You may recall learning about Sparta […]

By Ben Wheeler Sitting in the darkness at the final night of the Fiji Fashion Week, having already seen several designers parade their collections up, down, and all around the catwalk, I take a moment… I am enjoying this far more than I thought I would. Perhaps I am now a Fashionista? It would certainly […]

A blueprint for creativity, concentration and cultural exchange By Samantha Magick In the hills above Malaqereqere on the Coral Coast, a pocket-sized gallery is showing art unique to Fiji.  Much of the work on display is produced at Lancaster Press Fiji, a studio dedicated to making lithographic prints, and run by Peter Lancaster and Dinah Caroline. […]

By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti V5’s jazzy, soulful, and bluesy songs have a sound that sets them apart from many Fijian performers. So it is a shock to learn that the band members, 15-year-old Lia Daunakamakama, her sister 18-year-old Jasmine, and their close friend Vika Tuisawau, are so young. Vika’s brother, Sevuloni is the fourth member, and […]

By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti It was a beautiful morning in the capital, a perfect day for a walk, and I’m heading off to one of Peter Sipeli’s guided walks of Suva. I thought I might be about to relive the tedium of my childhood history lessons, however, the two hours with Sipeli have made me question […]

Six Senses Fiji has partnered with sound therapist, Ashley Tan, on their exclusive wellness package – “A Journey Through the Senses”. The resort says Ashley Tan is a highly skilled sound therapist from Singapore who has mastered the art of using singing bowls, gongs, tuning forks, and crystal bowls to create a symphony of healing, […]

Some of Fiji’s best resorts in Pacific Harbour will feature in the upcoming final episodes of ABC’s “The Bachelorette”, an American reality television dating game show. “It’s an honor to be included in ‘The Bachelorette’s’ final episodes to share the natural beauty and romance of our destination,” says Brent Hill, CEO of Tourism Fiji. “There […]

By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti Entering Sigavou Studios is a surprising experience. Located in a light industrial area in Nadi, a beautiful mural outside hints at what is to come. The steps you ascend relay a motivational message, and when you get to the top, you are greeted with an explosion of colours. The founder, Maria Rova, […]

Fiji’s original music competition, Domo Vou Talei, is on the hunt once again for Fiji’s next big star! This year’s Competition, funded by the Australian High Commission and others, hopes to unearth and showcase the incredible talent of more aspiring musicians in Fiji. In 2022, Domo Vou Talei launched the music careers of artists like […]

Last weekend saw the release of two of the biggest films of 2023: Oppenheimer and Barbie, known collectively as “Barbenheimer”.  As hundreds of thousands of cinemagoers around the world got together to watch both blockbusting releases, we sent our new film reviewer Ben Wheeler out to see what all the fuss was about… Oppenheimer (dir. […]

By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti It is a beautiful Saturday morning; the sun is out, the sea is calm, and we are ready to board the ‘Sabre’. The South Sea Sailing vessel—a 78-foot custom-built catamaran— stands out amongst the rest of the boats at Port Denarau with its beautiful yellow hull. Our captain, Poni, says he has […]