Fiji – What to Pack & Bring

Are you looking to spend a whole week doing nothing on one of the many amazing Beaches in Fiji? Or are you looking to dive in the beautiful clear waters? Or hike through the national parks to secluded waterfalls? From relaxing activities, Fiji has it all. I have put together a list to make your experience in Fiji.

1.) Sun protection

• Hat
  • If you plan to go surfing, bring an old hat that you don’t mind getting wet or potentially losing. 
• SunScreen
  • Sunscreen was relatively pricy in Fiji, and it seemed almost everyone that I looked at had Oxybenzone. If you would like to avoid this ingredient, here is an article on what chemicals to avoid when choosing your sun protection.
• SunGlasses
  • A must if you want to look at the beautiful ocean water. 
  • You can buy in Fiji they were reasonable at a lot of the shops I passed on Denarau Island. 
  • Don’t forget a spectacles cord. This can be the difference in buying many sunglasses on your trip. 
• Aloe Vera
  • This one isn’t really for sun protection, but just in case you forget one day this will come in handy and I did not see this in any shops. 

2.) Insect Repellent

• You probably won’t need this if you’re on a resort or out on a remote island off the mainland coast, but if you go out for a day hike, it is a must. There are a lot of Mosquitos, and during the rainy season the risk of Dengue Fever is higher, so be prepared. 
• Most tourist places had Insect Repellent available for free to use, and it was very reasonable to purchase. 
  • If you do bring a repellent with DEET, it can decrease the effectiveness of your sunblock, so keep that in mind. Here is a Deet Free Repellent on Amazon
• Also, consider bringing itch relief cream

3.) First Aid Kit & Drops

• Consider bringing eyedrops and swimmers eardrops. These were pretty expensive to buy on the island.
• Having a small first aid like this one from Amazon, should be sufficient. Otherwise, you can create your own, things to consider are:
  • Band-aids, Gauze, Antiseptic Cream, and paracetamol (Tylenol)

4.) Shoes

• Consider bring Reef Shoes, not only is it bad for the reef to be stepped on by human skin, especially with sunblock, the reef can also cut your feet. Reef shoes can also be worn for beginner surfers.
• Athletic/Walking Shoes
• Hiking Shoes
  • There are a lot of hiking trails in Fiji, and of course amazing national parks, having a pair of hiking shoes may be worth it, especially on days it rains or after a rainy day. Check out the hiking trails here.
  • I have a pair of hiking/water shoes that I bring with on all my trips, this works great as I don’t need to bring sandals or Reef Shoes. The ones I own are here.

5.) Swim Wear

• Bring at least two sets of swimwear.
• For those with Scandinavian skin like myself, a swim shirt is worth bringing. Any of these will do.
• Also, consider a surfer shirt if you plan to surf, the sun will be unforgiven even early in the morning.
  • These were reasonable to buy on the island, about 40 – 60 FJD.

6.) Snorkeling Gear

• Bring your own, or don’t most places have them for hire for at a reasonable cost, some only ask for a deposit on the equipment.
• Snorkeling gear can take up a lot of luggage space, so this is something I would recommend leaving at home.

7.) Rain Gear

• Always carry rain gear, not only on your Fiji trip but all of your trips. You never know when it will rain, and rain gear is light and takes up little space. Plus you can always store it in a stuff sack, like the one here.
• Wet season runs from November thru April, but even in the dry season, it can rain. It rained the first three days on my trip.
• A small umbrella may also be worth carrying.
• Here are the rain jacket and pants I have. I have had them for four years now and I highly recommend.
  • Rain Jacket
  • Rain Pants

8.) Clothing

• This one is going to be up to you; some resorts may have dress code requirements. I prefer to pack light and do laundry during the trip.
• Loose, cotton or linen clothing will be more forgiving in the hot temperatures
• Most days I just wore a t-shirt and board shorts.

9.) Camera & Underwater Camera

• I do not have another camera and use my Samsung Phone. Fiji has beautiful landscapes, if you have a nice camera, bring it. 
• To capture all of your adventures, consider bringing a Go Pro, I didn’t find anyplace that had a Go-Pro hire, so plan to bring your own if you’re hoping to capture the ziplining, scuba diving, surfing, or snorkeling.
  • Don’t forget the accessories and be sure to have a flotation device. 
• Consider buying a 3 in 1 card reader, you can upload your footage to your phone and place it in the cloud, then clear out your SD card for your next adventure
• Pro Tip, if you’re looking to buy a go-pro consider buying it at the airport in the duty free section, great way to save on taxes and if you have issues you can return it on your way back.

10.) Portable Charger, Outlet Adapter, & Cords

• The power supply in Fiji is a three-point plug, 240 Volts AC 50hz, which is the same as Australia and New Zealand.
  • I have this one here, listed on Amazon. I have had it no problems with it, works great and it’s cheap. 
• For those that plan to be island hopping, long scenic board rides, or long hikes, be sure to bring a portable charger or two. 
• Don’t forget to bring extra cords and a portable charger; carry them with you as a venture on the main island

11.) Noise Cancelling Headphones

• This is the number 1 thing I must have on all my trips. Whether it’s a long flight, screaming child on a boat, noisy neighbors partying, snoring in the hostel, these will always come in handy. 
• I have had two pairs over the last five years of traveling, and I can say without a doubt the Bose headphones do wonders, and I am delighted with them. 
  • The pair I own are here, almost all airports sell them, so buying them at an airport before your flight, duty-free can save you some money since they’re 350 USD. 

12.) BackPack

• Plenty of the items listed above are not going to be used throughout the day, but there may be a part of your trip that you need them, such as the rain gear, having a backpack to carry snacks and fluid as well as that first aid kid and sun lotion is a great idea. 
• I have an anti-theft backpack, which also has a rain cover. I’ve had the bag for three years now and take it on every trip I go on. I got mine at eBags.

13.) Declaring

• If you’re bringing items that may need to be declared, such as food, alcohol, or medicine, be sure to check the Fiji customs site. 

14.) Copies

• Always anytime you’re traveling out the country, make a copy of your home country documents (passport, driver’s license, etc.) and place them into a secure, encrypted cloud folder that you can access. 
• All long with a pre-downloaded map from the nearest city or your resort to the closest embassy. 

15.) Have a great time

Enjoy your adventure, and thanks for reading. 

For more tips on your future travels to Fiji, read this post.

Read about my 8-day trip to Fiji, here.

Don’t forget to check out the Item’s I always travel with, to add to your travel list for your Fiji trip. 

Cheers!