Bucket List / Experience Goals
Spend A Birthday In Fiji Celebrating Fiji Day
Still to do
Celebrate a birthday and a nation's independence on the same day, with kava, dancing and a South Pacific beach.
The adventure
Fiji Day falls on 10 October, marking the day the islands were ceded to Britain in 1874 and the day they became independent in 1970. In Suva, the capital, the celebrations centre on a ceremony with flag-raising, marching bands and speeches, then spill out into streets full of blue flags and families in their best sulus and bula shirts.
Throughout the week there are religious services, cultural shows, sports and markets celebrating the mix of iTaukei, Indo-Fijian and other communities. You might be invited to a kava ceremony, sitting cross-legged and clapping once before draining a coconut shell of the earthy, mildly numbing drink. Then it is off to the islands: palm-lined beaches, warm turquoise water and coral reefs, which makes for a pretty good place to blow out your birthday candles.
Why it’s epic
- 10 October marks both cession to Britain in 1874 and independence in 1970.
- Fiji is made up of over 300 islands, around a third of them inhabited.
- Kava ceremonies, meke dances and lovo feasts cooked in earth ovens are part of the celebrations.
- The Mamanuca and Yasawa islands are within easy reach of Nadi by boat.
What it is
Fiji Day on 10 October celebrates independence.
How to do it
Be in Suva for the official celebrations.
Top tip
Combine it with an island-hopping trip.
Need to know
- Fly into Nadi, then travel to Suva by road or a short domestic flight for the main celebrations.
- October is the start of the warmer, wetter season, but usually still a good time to visit.
- Dress modestly in villages and when attending ceremonies; cover shoulders and knees, and remove hats.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £2,000 to £5,000 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- 1 day
- Best time to go
- 10 October
- Fly into
- NAN airport
Long-haul flights to the South Pacific are the biggest cost; island resorts range from simple to very pricey.
Make it happen
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Why it’s on my list
Fiji Day is the National Day of Fiji and is celebrated on 10 October. If 10 October falls on a weekend, the holiday may be moved to a weekday. The week leading up to Fiji Day is known as Fiji Week and consists of a series of religious and cultural events that celebrate Fiji’s diversity
Fiji Day marks the anniversary of both Fiji’s cession to the United Kingdom in 1874 and its attainment of independence in 1970. The British took control of the islands as the Colony of Fiji on 10 October 1874. Fiji became an independent sovereign state on 10 October 1970 when its colonial status was removed.
My Birthday falls on the 10th October so what better way to celebrate than to enjoy the festivities of Fiji Day in Fiji.
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