Fiji water

[horseman]

Hey all,

Planning a trip to Fiji late next year, going to stay at denarau, probly at the radisson.
do we need to boil water over there or is it pretty good? Spent a week in the Philippines and used tap water for everything except for drinking with minimal issues. Would you say Fiji is better or worse than the Philippines?

 

[Hvr]

Apparently Fiji water is good enough to bottle and export.

Have never been there so cannot comment.

 

[jakplus1]

We have been there a couple of times and after the first trip, where we bottled our water, and all 6 of us ended up with upset stomachs, on our second trip we only drank bottled water and we were fine

Bottled water is incredibly cheap, so that would be my recommendation!

Enjoy your trip...

PS Denarau is lovely, but it's not the real Fiji... If you can spare a few days, get off Denarau Island ... We were at Pacific Harbour which was nice... It was nice to mix with the locals, which you can't really do at Denarau!

 

[yohy?!]

Apparently Fiji water is good enough to bottle and export.

Have never been there so cannot comment.

pretty sure i heard before that Fiji water was a scam and just tap water from fiji!

 

[Taezar]

Just by the customs arrival is a duty free store - they sell bulk bottled water. if you are being collected, pick up a slab then. Otherwise, everywhere sells it, though it will be quite expensive at your hotel or where there is a captive market. Regular supermarkets are also very cheap.

 

[DC3]

Drink bottled water. Why risk it?

Not everyone wants to see the real Fiji and Denarau fits the bill in that respect. The Bulla bus is great for getting between a number of 5-star resorts, or by taxi.

Hilton, Radisson, Sheraton, Westin and Sofitel. More here, if you haven't aready read this:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....periences-and-reviews/denarau-fiji-33655.html

http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/your-questions/things-to-do-in-fiji-28908.html

There's some trip reports around, as well.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Apparently Fiji water is good enough to bottle and export.

Must be good too - was a 1ltr bottle in my room at Le Royal Meridien in Shanghai in Apr with a RMB600 (A$100) price tag around its neck - makes Moët look cheap huh.

 

[horseman]

Must be good too - was a 1ltr bottle in my room at Le Royal Meridien in Shanghai in Apr with a RMB600 (A$100) price tag around its neck - makes Moët look cheap huh.

Wow! Just, wow!

Yeah, I prefer pools to beaches to swim in (after a drunken encounter with a very cold large open body of water) however I love mucking around on pleasure craft and snorkeling etc so I'm not gonna loose any sleep if we don't stray far from the resort.
also I assume atm's are all over the place being a tourist area?

 

[Ewing]

also I assume atm's are all over the place being a tourist area?

I stay at the Sheraton in Denarau. There's a Westpac ATM in the lobby there if you can't find one at the Radisson

I also drink the water out of the tap and haven't had any ill effects.

 

[rechoboam]

Hmm a few things:
The tap water at Denarau should be fine. There are problems further afield. If you take tours especially to remote villages outbreaks of typhoid are not uncommon. Kava ceremonies may be affected by this. Many travellers including people we travelled with still do these but I would avoid them. So I would boil all water out of Denarau. Actually I also only had bottled water in Denarau as I felt it was easier to instruct kids just not to have tap water at all...and the "Fiji Water" (as opposed to Fiji water) is quite tasty especially after 18 holes in the heat. Although the beer is better.

Fiji Water isn't just tap water or a scam, it comes from a proper aquifier in Fiji. they have had some problems recently due to government policies but I think they are currently operating normally.

Some people just want to stay at a resort in Fiji, some want to experience village life and I think both are reasonable attitudes. The staff at Denarau resorts will be able to give you some tips regarding places to visit nearby if you get chatting.

 

[yohy?!]

Fiji Water isn't just tap water or a scam, it comes from a proper aquifier in Fiji. they have had some problems recently due to government policies but I think they are currently operating normally.

Some people just want to stay at a resort in Fiji, some want to experience village life and I think both are reasonable attitudes. The staff at Denarau resorts will be able to give you some tips regarding places to visit nearby if you get chatting.

Yes you're right it must have been an urban myth I heard. Did they stop using the cheap Chinese plastic for the bottles? Can't imagine that would be doing much for the purity!

 

[jetlagger]

The real problem issue in Fiji is not the drinking water, but rather the pool water in the hotels & resorts... I have had so many clients return from holidaying in Fiji with ear infections..(particularly with children) evidently derived from swimming in the hotel pools..
It is a very common, though not 'publicised" problem in Fiji..

 

[Leumas]

Personally, I always drink boiled or bottled water while away from home. Better be safe than sorry.

 

[Mal]

Personally, I always drink boiled or bottled water while away from home. Better be safe than sorry.

Yeah. Its the safest. Even if the water is fine your stomach could still be upset from the change.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

 

[straitman]

I assume atm's are all over the place being a tourist area?

There is even an (ANZ) ATM beside the baggage carousel at Nadi airport and more just out side. Just outside of custom/immigration there is a Vodaphone store where you can get a local sim, at a good price, for phone and internet access.

 

[rechoboam]

Yes you're right it must have been an urban myth I heard. Did they stop using the cheap Chinese plastic for the bottles? Can't imagine that would be doing much for the purity!

I doubt the plastic would have any effect on your body at all.

And I agree that foreign tap water clean or not tends to mess up your stomach for a while.

 

[mushypeas]

Must be good too - was a 1ltr bottle in my room at Le Royal Meridien in Shanghai in Apr with a RMB600 (A$100) price tag around its neck - makes Moët look cheap huh.

Must of been an error - I stayed at the Sofitel last month it was RMB60 (red tag around it's neck) - still expensive though.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Must of been an error - I stayed at the Sofitel last month it was RMB60 (red tag around it's neck) - still expensive though.

No error - 300ml bott branded water out of mini bar is going to be RMB60 - 1ltr Fiji was definitely RMB600 - I knew I should have taken pic

 

[docjames]

The real problem issue in Fiji is not the drinking water, but rather the pool water in the hotels & resorts... I have had so many clients return from holidaying in Fiji with ear infections..(particularly with children) evidently derived from swimming in the hotel pools..
It is a very common, though not 'publicised" problem in Fiji..

One might argue if your basline is not swimming much, then you move to swimming multiple times daily for say a week, that you'll be at increased risk of ear infection regardless of the location.....

 

[AFK]

Bottled Water is the only way to go in Fiji and do stay away from tap water especially in the villages where bore water is common (personal experience :S). On another note a definite place to check out is Raki Raki a less common tourist destination however well worth it, and if in Raki Raki i highly recommend eating at a backpackers turned hotel just a couple of km's out of town (The fresh fish is AMAZING).

BTW If you are interested the Fiji water bottling plant is located 10 - 20mins north of Tavua on the main highway it is not marked with any signage (wonder why??) but you will see a large Private Property sign and also you will see all the trucks pulling in and out...