Fiji Islands Real Estate Buyers Guide
Paradise is not around the corner, but rather smack in the middle of the South Pacific. The Fiji islands are famous for their absolutely stunning views and breathtaking beauty.
Imagine tanning on a powdery-white beach or exploring the reefs that encircle the islands. The laid-back attitude and cultural heritage of native Fijians is still very much alive, coupled with complete serenity. It is no wonder that so many people are hoping to grasp a tiny piece of tropical heaven.
Fiji real estate showcases the island’s nature with beachfront properties and private enclaves tucked away in the hills. Whether you want to purchase a pre-constructed home, a property in a real estate community or buy land per acre, there is a Fijian property awaiting you. With limited availability, Fiji real estate is within your grasp.
Geography of Fiji
Fiji is an archipelago comprised of 332 islands across 1.3 million square kilometers, located in the southwest Pacific Ocean. Sandwiched between the equator and the tropic of Capricorn, Fiji boasts a tropical maritime climate. Some of the islands have volcanic landscapes and rocky shores with broken terrain, while others are verdant from heavy rainfall. The coral islands are smaller, near the inner part of the reef with fine white beaches. Limestone also plays a role in the geological structure of Fiji islands, with steep cliffs rising out of the ocean.
The largest island with 70 percent of the population is Viti Levu. Suva is Fiji’s capital and serves as its chief port and hub. Nadi is where the international airport is located, while Lautoka is the second largest city and port of entry.
Vanua Levu, the second largest island in population and size, is northeast of Viti Levu and home to Savusavu, hot springs and coconut plantations. Taveuni, a lush and mountainous island, is separated from Vanua Levu by the Somosomo Strait. This and Kadavu Island, which is to the south of Viti Levu, tie for the third largest island.
The rest of the islands are much smaller and split into the Lomaiviti Islands and Lau Islands. Lau is more aligned with Tongan culture and its island subgroups are surrounded by barrier reefs. Lomaiviti means “middle,” an apt name for the central part of Fiji. There are seven islands in this region, including Ovalau, which is where the first European settlement took place in the town of Levuka.
The Yasawa group of island is northwest of Viti Levu and goes into the shallower parts behind the Great Sea Reef. The Mamanuca Islands, close to Nadi on Vita Levu, are most akin to the typical vision of the South Pacific and are home to several popular beach resorts. Other islands include the firewalkers of Beqa and the sacred prawns of Vatulele, both off the southern coast of Viti Levu. Rotuma become part of the Fiji colony in 1881, although in terms of geography, ethnicity and culture, Rotumans are much closer related to Samoans.
History of Fiji
The original inhabitants of Fiji, mostly coming from the Papua New Guinea and Melanesia regions, settled around 1000 BC, long before European explorers arrived. Before the nineteenth century, most ships avoided the islands due to its treacherous reef and stories of cannibalism. During the 1800s, however, Europeans, Australians and Americans began settling.
In 1874, Fiji officially became a crown colony of the British Empire. In order to further the islands’ economic growth with large-scale plantations, the British brought in Indian laborers, as well as others from the Solomon Islands. The colony’s governor at the time, Sir Arthur Gordon, was extremely against the idea of using native Fijians to work in fields. Gordon’s laws to preserve the land for Fijians and keep them from exploitation established an unautocratic tone for colonial rule. In 1970, Fiji gained independence.
Fiji Law and Government
As a relatively new and independent country, Fiji’s government is based on a bicameral parliament. There are four divisions of islands to help organize the political and administrative, since the country is so spread out across the water. After the 1987 coup, a rewritten constitution guarantees indigenous Fijian rule.
Getting Around Fiji
Due to its unique location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Fiji is difficult to reach but fairly easy to get around. The country’s main international airport is located in Nadi, on Vita Levu, although the airport in Suva also offers international flights. You can also get to Fiji by boat from Australia.
Public transport in Fiji consists of buses, shared taxis and private taxis, all that have very reasonable rates. To get to another island, take one of the daily ferries or fly in the network of internal air routes.
Demographics of Fiji
The majority of Fiji is made up of indigenous Fijians and Polynesian or Melanesian-Fijian mixes. Indo-Fijians are the second largest group, descending from Indian laborers brought to work in plantations by the British. The rest of the population is Rotuman, Europeans, Chinese, Samoan and other minorities.
Among indigenous Fijians, the dominant religion is Christianity, while most Indo-Fijians practice some form of Hinduism or Islam. There is some tension, particularly when it comes to politics, between native Fijians and Indo-Fijians relationships.
Economy of Fiji
Sugar has been Fiji’s largest export, but expiring land leases have lead to a recent decline in production. On top of this, political unrest in the last few decades has driven out skilled professionals such as doctors, lawyers, engineers and so on. However, the rapidly growing tourism and fishing industry makes Fiji one of the more economically developed South Pacific countries.
The Culture of Fiji
Fiji is a true amalgamation of native and foreign customs blended into a unique culture. Traditional Fijian society is communal, with a hierarchy of chiefs watching over villages and tribes. The Yavusa is the succession of chiefs, with the eldest son of the eldest brother taking over as chief when he dies. Each yavusa forms their own branch, known as the mataqali, while several yavusa make up a village.
Arts and crafts are based on Polynesian interpretations, separated by men and women. Kadavu Island famously boasts fine pottery, while mats are given as gifts for weddings, made from wool and pandanus tree leaves. Basket and coconut rope weaving are practiced by both men and women, whereas carvings and canoe building is strictly for males. Canoes were especially important to Fijian society, as they were used for transport, gathering food and war. The meke is a ritual dance used to tell stories, illustrating how Fiji’s oral history has been passed down. Each region has its over version of meke, while other Polynesian and Melanesian dances are also performed.
The cuisine in Fijian is another reflection of the mix of influences, with the four main types of food served falling under the categories of Fijian, European, Chinese and Indian. Traditional Fijian food is much like other dishes from the South Pacific, making use of the ocean and land with fish, shellfish, fresh tropical fruits, yams, taro leaves and coconut milk. Customary Indian food and Szechuan-style Chinese cooking is also plentiful.
While warriors were trained in archery, wrestling and hunting, modern Fiji recreation includes some of the best scuba diving and surfing in the world. Fijians are fanatical about rugby and soccer.
Buying Fiji Real Estate
Native trust land can be leased but cannot be sold, while crown land is government property. Freehold property is like fee simple land, which means it can be bought and sold freely. Given that foreigners are only allowed to purchase less than 10 percent of Fijian land, real estate in Fiji is incredibly limited.
One way to buy property is to become a permanent resident, which you can renew every three years, especially if you plan to spend lots of time in the islands. Even then, you should still find a respectable real estate agency and real estate attorney to help you with your purchase and determine that the Freehold Title is actually free of legal issues and good road access.
Compared to neighboring islands like Tahiti and Hawaii, Fiji real estate is a bargain. However, living in paradise comes with a few tradeoffs. Figure out whether you mind having no utilities and how close you want to be to towns -- “getting away from it all” is a reality in Fiji. Do you want to buy a house or just the land? Also keep in mind that beaches, by law, are always accessible to indigenous Fijians. Real estate in the hills a few minutes away from the beach may be a better deal.
Fiji Islands Real Estate Buyers Guide
