Fiji for over a month, little money and a tent

Hello Lonely Planeteers,

I'm going to buy a ticket to Fiji. I've read the Lonely Planet guide, WikiTravel advice, and navigated through some forums on here - but there's not much in the way of advice or what I intend.

I'm thinking: Go by myself, take a tent (decent one man, heavily waterproof as it's cyclone season), a pair of board shorts and some sweet hiking boots. Find some good, off the track spots to really find some places I'll never forget.

Is this possible in Fiji? It seems a daft question, but everyone seems to travel here for luxury, expensive escapes. I want dirt cheap.

• I'm thinking under AUS$80 a day. Is this realistic?
• Is camping something that is advised against, for legal or safety reasons?
• Has anyone out there done something similar?
• Is Fiji the right place to do this? (I'm pretty keen on a Pacific Island of some sort)
• What essentials are advised?

I've travelled South America and bits of Asia and Europe. I'm an Australian that's ok with camping, and living off very little.

Any and all advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

$80/day is realistic for most of Fiji. Maybe not for the Yasawas.

Camping isn't advisable. Very few places you can officially do it, and everywhere in Fiji is private land so there's no wilderness camping. You always need to seek out permission from the village chief before pitching a tent. Much, much better to stay at a cheap homestay/guesthousee/hostel/etc.

Fiji is one of the very few places where camping is even a slight option. Tahiti is another, but your budget won't be sufficient for there.

You need to dress somewhat conservatively when in villages and away from tourist areas (ie. no knees showing, no bags on your shoulders, etc.).

Sounds like an awesome idea, but unfortunately Fiji isn't the place to do it. Having lived in Australia, and now in Fiji, you can't just hike around and camp wild here like you can in Oz. Pretty much all the land is under customary ownership, and it's not culturally appropriate to just rock up and pitch your tent. Although it might seem 'off the beaten track' it's always someones land.
You would need to go through the proper channels of approaching the village chief, giving sevusevu etc. You may still not be welcomed in some places, in others you might be welcomed with open arms and invited to stay in the village, in which case it would be rude to choose your tent over someones home. I'm surprised that none of that is mentioned in the Lonely Planet guide, WikiTravel advice etc., but I know much of it is all choosing the right resort blah blah.

You could organise a homestay in a village, which would be a cheap way to experience Fiji, but it would be more of a cultural experience of village life, rather than the wilderness hiking adventure that I think you're looking for.

Your responses are really helpful. How common is it for an outsider to want to stay on land that is under customary ownership? I realise that it might be a tough gig, with some rejections.
Also, are homestays common? Are hostels the traditionaly cheaper option? I'm really keen on getting into the Pacific, and have looked at other destinations, but many seem to be more expensive than Fiji. I'm willing to compromise on what I expect and want, in order to suit the people and land, as should anyone.

Thanks again for your help!

tch7, I am a little confused by your suggestion: no knees showing, no bags on your shoulders, etc
Most men in villages probably wear shorts or jeans, just not short shorts. Women certainly need to cover knees, preferably with a skirt, not trousers. However, bags on shoulders has me completely bamboozled.
OP, look here for ideas for visiting the more out of the way places in Solomon Islands. You are likely to get village stays for about $40 - 50 AUD a night, sometimes including food. I know this village stay does include home cooked local food, but you will need money for transport. Local ships, trucks and walking are cheap, but outboard fuel is expensive.
Again, like Fiji, it would not be worth your while to carry a tent.

I'm just going based off of the boxed text in the Lonely Planet South Pacific guide with regard to the no bags on shoulders. It always struck me as bizarre, and I can't check the exact text since my book has been swallowed up by the postal system. I personally never came across that custom in my travels, and Fiji certainly isn't as conservative as some of the more off the beaten track places.

Women are definitely subject to more conservative dress expectations, but even as a guy I had been told to wear a sarong or otherwise have my knees covered before they'd let me go on a tour of a traditional village.

LOL - the same Lonely Planet that places Tongatapu as # 5 of their top picks in the Pacific (including Australia and New Zealand)? http://www.lonelyplanet.com/pacific

If you are coming from Australia OP (and thus can fly ANZ for a reasonable price) I would suggest French Polynesia as a place where you can camp and live quite well self catering on $80 a day.

homestays in Fiji ?

http://www.fijihomestays.com

It's a decent amount of money head east and you'll be right in terms of lower and accommodation.

http://www.levukafiji.com/

In Fiji carrying something over your shoulder through a village can be construed as disrespectful to the Chief.

As far as someone renting you a space for a tent that can be touchy-you'd then be their guest and why is their guest out sleeping in the yard with the chickens?

Sounds funny and it is but still there's always local custom to be considered-this is an issue in many places in the South Pacific.

When we were in the Yasawas on many occasions on different islands we were directed by the villager taking us through the village (whether for Sunday church, to visit the kindi or to the meeting hall) to take off sunglasses, hat and not carry bags as a sign of disrespect to the chief. Yes ladies had to cover, men directed to cover shoulders though knees were tolerated. As western contact and culture/ customs becomes more absorbed these niceties become watered down, but I still work on the premise we are guests and may offend the more conservative and elderly among the village populations and err on the side of respecting traditions despite what the younger generations might be doing/wearing.

#9, it is interesting that you were told not to carry anything in Fijian villages - I was told by the mother of 2 of my students, while visiting their village in Malaita, Solomon Islands, that as a woman I should carry a basket, or the villagers would think I was lazy.'

Ozzie, specifically it was not to carry something on the shoulders (bag, backpack), can't remember the specific reason for that one, so we just carried bags in our hands. Maybe someone living in Fiji could illuminate us?

check out back packers and villages in yasawas

M.V.LADY GERALDINE November
Specail leaving every Tuesday
Tuesday 2nd/3rd November
Leaving Lautoka to Yasawa I rara
2nd passenger drop and cargo
3rd pickups for Lautoka

Yasawa i rara-Bukuna.Dalomo Teci Nabukeru Nacula Matacalevu Yageta naviti Soso Waya Malecati back to Lautoka
Tuesday 16th/17th November
Specail backpackers staff cargo passengers run 11th/12th November-25/26th November Nan y I Island Tawewa island Yageta Navul-Oarsman Lodge Blue lagoon Resort-Sunrise Navutu Star Safe Landing Nabua Lodge-Gold Coast Bay of Plenty Long Beach Waya Naviti Nacula Malcati Yageta Matacalevu Yasawa I rara

Freight loading day before and passenger tickets available day before departure 5.00am Lautoka fisheries Wharf
ph now while dates still available (00679) 9256392-Chris

Hi,

I'm leaving for Fiji soon, so the perspective I can offer you is one who has not been there yet, but who has spent a considerable amount of time researching in preparation.

If you read the LP guide, you will remember that much of the land is private property in Fiji and so you just can't hike or camp anywhere that looks nice.

I am a budget traveler, and I consider Fiji lodging to be very reasonably priced. I booked a hostel for my first night in Fiji for 8 USD !!! Other places I am staying are about 17 and 20 USD, but if cost was my #1 criteria, there are cheaper alternatives I'm sure.

Food in the Yasawas was about 70 FJD / day (this is fully prepared for you). Compare this to another place I am staying at 38 FJD / day (3 prepared meals). If you buy your own groceries it is probably less.

Hope that helps.