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What Can Visitors Expect on a Fiji Village Tour?

During your Fiji vacation there are hundreds, if not thousands, of different activities to occupy your time. You can snorkel one of the world’s most beautiful reefs, hike through the gorgeous Fijian jungle, or simply lay low at one of the island’s exquisite private resorts, like Raiwasa. However, one activity that consistently makes the list of “top things to do in Fiji” or articles on the best Fijian experiences is taking a Fiji village tour.

Across the Fijian islands, the opportunity to visit a local village receives rave reviews. It is an activity beloved by solo travelers, couples, groups of friends, and families. Considering the wide appeal, it is no wonder the Fiji village tour has become so popular. But luckily, there are village tours that remain personal and authentic, if you find the right one.

What should you expect from a Fiji village tour? Keep reading to find out.

First: Describe Your Ideal Experience to the Resort

More and more resorts are signing up their guests for a sterile version of the traditional village tour. In these instances, visitors are still seeing traditional homes and communities, but through the lens of an outsider. The focus is more on selling crafts and local goods, than on experiential and informative travel. While this can still be an adequate introduction to the Fijian culture, you are certainly missing out on authenticity.

Therefore, when you arrange a Fiji village tour with your resort, be clear about your expectations of the experience. If you’ve booked with a high-quality property, they will help you find a local village that welcomes visitors in a laidback and natural environment.

At Raiwasa, we are fully dedicated to informative, experiential travel. We only recommend and arrange for guests to visit villages that offer a “real” experience. You won’t be shuffled between staged homes and churches, but instead see how local Fijians actually live. You’ll have the same opportunity to buy beautiful local crafts, but that certainly isn’t the focus of our tour guides and partners.

Be Ready for a Warm Welcome

Fiji has a worldwide reputation for its friendly culture. It’s a deserved reputation, as you’ll notice from the minute you arrive at the airport and locals call out, “bula,” meaning hello. Yet, nowhere is the extent of this welcoming nature more evident than in a Fiji village tour. Locals love introducing visitors to their way of life and communities.

Throughout your visit to a Fiji village, you can expect constant introduction to locals and a barrage of friendly questions. Fijians also love to make conversation, and aren’t shy about getting one started. Through the course of a half or full day experience, you’ll have some of the most unlikely and impactful conversations of your life, with some of the friendlies people on the planet!

Children Everywhere You Look

Local villages in Fiji are seemingly filled with children. And you can see from the video below that these children also aren’t timid around new people. Most kids in the local villages are accustomed to meeting visitors, but having someone new in the village is also an exciting experience. These local kids are more than happy to play a game of soccer (football) or introduce visitors to some of Fiji’s local traditions and games.

Plus, the smiling faces and pure joy of Fijian children is infectious. Because of your interaction with these kids, and their simply way of life, you’ll certainly leave the village filled with gratitude.

Get an Understanding of Daily Life

The biggest takeaway from an authentic, Fiji village tour is a better understanding of daily life on the islands. This understanding is derived first from seeing the simplicity of homes, schools, shops, and churches on the islands. Fijians don’t have a huge amount of possessions and most people still live in the traditional thatched homes called bures. This way of life is extremely basic and for many visitors locals’ contentment with these basic, traditional conditions is inspiring.

Probably the most apparent and impactful aspect of daily life in Fiji is the role of community, and also the role of women in community. Fijians live by an absolute sense of community and commitment to others. Property, homes, and food are all shared amongst the community, and there is very little property or information in the villages that are considered personal or private. Getting an inside look at how this communal way of life operates is a peak into the mindset of most Fijians.

How to Arrange a Village Tour

Arranging a Fiji village tour is an accessible and organized way to see a local village. When you book this tour with the right tour operator and guide, you’ll receive an experiential and authentic look at local life, which will be a highlight of your Fiji vacation. However, you can also visit a village on your own terms and schedule outside of a pre-arranged tour. In this instance, remember to ask permission before looking around, be respectful and remove hats and sunglasses, and read up on other points of proper etiquette in Fiji!

At Raiwasa Private Resort, we’ve been on tours offered by the guides and tour operators on Taveuni, and only partner with the best. To learn more about our Fiji village tours or how to visit a village on your own, simply send us a quick message.