 The islands of Fiji offer an amazingly diverse experience for visitors, with a wonderful combination of natural beauty and unique Fijian culture. With excellent weather nearly all year round, clear clean water and typically idyllic South Pacific beaches, tourists continue to trickle in despite the ongoing political instability which keeps Fiji in a state of flux. As long as the political situation appears calm, there’s no reason to avoid Fiji, but visitors really need to stay abreast of things before and during their stay.
Most visitors arrive by plane at Fiji’s main international airport, Nadi International Airport, just outside Nadi Town, where much of the tourism and outdoor excursions are based. While many people tend to stay around their resort or hotel, visitors should consider exploring some of the traditional Fijian villages which still exist in the beautiful hinterlands. Tour companies can guide you in comfort to these fascinating enclaves of South Pacific life.
 Many of Fiji’s beaches really are spectacular, especially the tiny Mamanucas and Yasawas islands. If you get tired of lying on powdery white sand, you can indulge in the excellent scuba diving, snorkeling or surfing. On land, there’s hiking in the amazing Bouma National Park, horseback riding in the hills and some of the nicest golf courses in the South Pacific. No matter what you do, the incredibly friendly Fijians will see that you enjoy yourself.
Accommodations in Fiji range from luxury and all-inclusive resorts on the beach to modest budget motels in town. Visitors won’t be disappointed with Fiji’s selection of restaurants either. Unlike many other South Pacific islands, Fiji has an increasingly good restaurant scene, with seafood naturally taking a starring role on most menus. The large Indo-Fijian population ensures there’s plenty of excellent Indian cuisine around the islands, and if you can, take part in a traditional meke feast of oven-baked dishes.
Weather
 Like much of the South Pacific, Fiji enjoys mild and stable weather throughout most of the year. There are two seasons to choose from: dry and rainy. The most pleasant time of the year is from March to November, when the southeast trade winds bring dry, fine weather to the islands. Visitors will only need to bring lightweight clothes during this season, as conditions never reach anything close to cold. This is also the high season in Fiji and tourist numbers are greater than at any other time of the year.
The rainy season generally runs from December through April, but in reality, tropical downpours can happen at any time of the year. The mountainous parts of the larger islands produce more precipitation, especially on their windward sides. Daytime temperatures average around 25°C during the wet season and humidity levels are consistently high and somewhat uncomfortable. This is also the period when cyclones occur in the South Pacific. Although they can form any time from November to April, cyclones are most active in January and February. In a typical year, Fiji gets hit by one or two severe storms, but they are rarely dangerous. Be sure and bring decent rainwear if you plan to visit during this season.
History
 Fiji has traditionally been organised in extended family clans (mataqali) which live in fortified villages ruled by polygamous hereditary chiefs. Rivalries between clans were common, often resulting in warfare. The first European to pass by the Fijian islands was Abel Tasman in 1643 on his way to Indonesia. James Cook was the next explorer to visit, nearly 130 years later, when he stopped at Vatoa in 1774. A few years later, William Bligh was dumped on the islands by the mutinous crew of the HMS Bounty.
In the early 1800s, traders began arriving in search of valuable sandalwood and sea cucumbers. Suddenly, Fijians had access to guns, metal tools and tobacco. This single European intervention changed Fijian culture forever, as clan warfare became even more frequent and violent. Shipwreck survivors, escaped convicts and deserting sailors were the first whites to settle on the islands, leaving a poor early impression on the natives.
The next groups to invade the islands were warring Tongans and English missionaries in the mid-1800s. Levuka developed into an important trading post for the South Pacific, with British, French and American merchants all suspecting each other of imperialist intentions. Levuka was a famously lawless town until a fire razed the settlement in 1847. Cakobau, the self-proclaimed king of Fiji, tried to establish a Western-style government in 1871, but it failed after just two years. The British annexed Fiji in 1874, adding the islands to the Commonwealth.
 As a British colony, Fiji sought to create vast plantations of sugar and other commodities using indentured labour from India to do most of the work. By the time indentured labour was abolished in 1919 more than 60,000 Indians were living in Fiji. Although the Indians were prohibited from owning land, they quickly rose to prominence through business, trade and bureaucracy. Australians also dominated the local economy during these years through their control of sugar production and gold mining.
Fiji achieved independence in 1970, introducing a Westminster political system to govern the islands. Political parties have always been organised along racial lines, with continuing tensions between the Indians and native Fijians which often erupt into violence. The first of several military coups happened in May 1987, resulting in the dismissal of Fiji from the Commonwealth. The next coup came in 2000, when George Speight’s 100-man private army took control of the parliament. This led to his arrest and imprisonment, but it reflects Fiji’s instability and vulnerability to coups. All of this instability has adversely affected the islands’ tourism, which has struggled to maintain its appeal. Racial tensions continue to simmer in the background with no resolution in sight. Fiji’s latest coup happened in December 2006, proving that the situation is anything but stable.
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