Safety Tips in Fiji

I met a Japanese businessman at the hotel in Suva and he visited Fiji regularly. He told he had travelled between Suva and Nadi many times and he reckoned it is safer to take taxi than to catch the plane. Well,I flew once between Suva and Nadi and I survived.

While staying on the main island another solo female traveller was attacked by a taxi driver so I would be try to always take taxi's when you're with other people.

Also, it's quite common for local Fijian men to hook up with the single woman visitors in hopes of going home with them. It actually happened to a friend of mine. She brought him home to Canada, married him and he was 'bad news'. He ended up going back to Fiji alone.

This applies to every tourist place in the world - but no harm to mention it again. I haven't noticed any taxi driver using meter, so ALWAYS agree on the price BEFORE the trip.
Make sure the driver understands you - both amount and currency.

I had experience with this Indian driver in Nadi, who agreed on 15 Fijian Dollars for the trip to Garden of the Sleeping Giant. It was actually him who offered the price and we accepted. First mistake, never accept the offered price :)
He was very friendly, telling us (me and Gabi, my partner) about the places we crossed, offering to take us all the way to Lautoka, guide us there, take us to the lunch... We were very aware of the fact that if he waits for us in the Gardens, and than takes us further, it won't be cheap.
Anyway, in the end he really took us to Lautoka where we asked the price - he said 80FJD. I was surprised while Gabi got angry, which saved us nice couple of bucks. After a while of fighting and when 2 local guys approached to help us, the driver left with 35FJD. They told us that usual price for this trip is 25-50FJD, so we ended up pretty good.

The local guys advised that there's some sort of tourist police - in case of troubles insist on going there. That might scare the taxi drivers off.

Do not take a horseback ride at the beach on the main island. I definately caution any female looking to do this. After taking the horseback ride with my friend, a staff member of the hostel that we were staying at, said that girls had been raped on horseback rides in the past back on the trails in the forest. If you do end up taking a horseback ride insist they stay on the beach where you are in the view of other travellers. However, I must warn the tour guide was very pushy and insisted that we go back into the trails. Nothing happened to us but the entire ride was very scary and the fact that the man was sitting on the horse with me and would not get off did not make for a very comfortable or enjoyable experience.

If you stay at any Fijian owned resorts, make sure to stay away from the chicken!

Since they don't keep their electricity on at most Fijian owned resorts it is hard for them to keep their food fresh, unless it's something they can get on the island.

Your best bet is to just say you're vegetarian. You don't want to end up like my travel buddy and many others I met on the islands... sick in bed for 2/3 days!!!

If you are going out into the Yasawas, shoot the folks back home an email that you wont be in contact for a while. There is no way to communicate until you reach Beachcomber!