Included Activities
There is 1 experience offered per month. Volunteers on longer durations will not be eligible to repeat Experiences. Please note, Experiences are subject to change or substitution and are optional. Volunteers who elect, or are unable, to participate will not be eligible for any refunds. Volunteers must ensure their travel insurance covers any activities.
Fiji Marine Conservation Expedition
• Learn to cook iTaukei food
• Make a traditional drink from kava root
• Learn indigenous plant medicine
• Hike to the top of Tova Peak
• Fish with iTaukei women
• Weave a traditional mat
• Visit Vatu-i-Ra Conservation Park
• Boat to Leleuvia Island
Free Time
In your down time you will be free to travel in the local area and you will be free on the weekends. In this time you could do day trips such as dolphin watching, visiting other islands, scuba diving, or relaxing in a nearby resort. You could travel to the capital city of Suva, take a ferry to Taveuni, 'the garden of Fiji' or explore the interior of Viti Levu - the possibilities are endless!
Accommodation during your stay includes basic mixed-gender dormitory style rooms in a Fijian bure with wooden walls and a tin roof. There is a communal kitchen, work area, and general living space where you can prepare for project work and socialise with your new friends. We rent this accommodation from the Silana Youth Project. Providing these community members with a sustainable income is a unique arrangement, and a local success story.
If you need to stay additional nights before or after your project you need to book these separately, ask your travel consultant for help.
Arrival
Most volunteers arrange international flights to arrive at Nadi International Airport and then a connecting flight to Suva the day before the Program starts.
Airport pick-ups can be arranged at Nausori Airport, Suva on the Friday prior to project start for the 2 flights below:
• Fiji Airways (FJ7) Arrival: 09:00 AM Nausori International (SUV)
• Fiji Airways (FJ11) Arrival: 12:00 PM Nausori International (SUV)
You will be greeted by a GVI member of staff who will wear a Forest Green Shirt and transport will be arranged to drop you at Pisces Hostel in Suva, please let your Support Coordinator know if you require picking up at the airport . GVI have special rates at the Pisces hotel for your night before the program starts which you can prebook.
If you choose to stay elsewhere, you can easily get a taxi from Pisces Hostel to your accommodation.
Meeting Point on Start Date (Saturday)
The pick-up point for your transfer to the project is at 11:00 in the lobby of Pisces Hostel.
Departure
If you are flying out on a Saturday, you will be dropped off at the airport in Suva on Saturday at around 10:00. Please make sure that you book flights from Suva to Nadi after midday 12:00 to allow yourself enough time to check in and catch your flight. If you are using other transport options to get to Nadi, we will drop you off at Pisces Hostel.
Volunteers take it in turns to prepare meals for the group. Food on base is mostly vegetarian, consisting of locally-sourced seasonal produce which participants take turns in preparing for the group. Breakfast varies but could include porridge, eggs and beans, fruit or pancakes. Lunch and evening meals consist of sandwiches, rice, beans, vegetables, pasta with sauce, noodles, roti, cassava or dalo, and occasionally some meat. When eating out, you will find that the cuisine is quite diverse and includes a lot of seafood and has an Asian influence. Please note, no alcohol is permitted on base.
Diving Info
During our summer months November to April, the water temperature rises to a very comfortable 27-30°C. Past volunteers recommend 2mm short suits for these temperatures and although this is cyclone season, this time of year is known for calm seas. However, the higher temperature does increase the oceanic plankton growth reducing visibility to around 24-26m. Winter is May to October, when water temperatures are 24-27°C. 3 or 5 mm steamers would be recommended. This time of year is known for fabulous visibility of up to 30m.
Dive Equipment Rental
If you are renting dive equipment locally, pick it up before meeting the team at the pick-up point on Saturday (project start date) and transferring to the project.
Internet Access
You will have limited access to long-distance communications whilst on the program, so make sure friends and family know how often they can expect to hear from you. Mobile/cell phone reception is available on base, although it can be poor at times. It is possible to purchase pay-as-you-go Fijian SIM cards for unlocked phones in Nadi pre-departure. There is no general internet access for volunteers on base. The SIM and credit must be purchased prior to island deployment. It is possible to purchase a pay-as-you-go mobile internet USB stick or WiFi modem, however, internet signal can be poor at times.