Ah, souvenirs! You’ll make many great discoveries in your travels in Fiji. Some you’ll experience, and these will live on forever as memories and photos of your South Pacific adventure. Others you can take home with you, to transport you back to your time here with us. Or maybe to share with someone special back home.
Souvenirs can be tricky though. Sometimes mass-produced items imported from overseas can masquerade as traditional Fijian souvenirs. Locally produced products can help support communities and care for our beautiful natural environment.
To help you figure out what souvenirs to buy, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favourite authentic Fijian treasures. This isn’t a countdown list or ordered in any way – everybody’s tastes are different. There’s some cheap and cheerful, and others not so much. The choice is entirely yours.
Top 10 Must-Have Fiji Souvenirs: A Little Piece of Fiji to Take Home
Fijian Chocolate
Chocolate production in Fiji is still a small and relatively unexplored market. Despite this, there are a few local companies making a name for themselves with delicious treats.
Keep an eye out for Fijiana Cacao products. The company uses old-fashioned production methods to transform locally sourced sun-dried cacao and raw cane sugar into a smooth, elegant taste experience.
Hot Tip – Buy some from Port Denarau Marina Shopping Precinct before you jump onto the ferry to come to Mantaray, you’ll have a yummy treat for the ride.
A Tanoa Bowl
A tanoa bowl is the large wooden bowl traditionally used in kava ceremonies. It is usually carved from a single piece of hardwood, and its design can include a coconut-fibre rope adorned with white cowry shells for decoration.
You’ll probably get the opportunity to view or even participate in a kava ceremony while in Fiji. In fact, the ceremony is a very important local custom, used for social and ceremonial occasions.
Choosing an authentic tanoa bowl or other wood carving in Fiji is an excellent way to support local communities and a wonderful reminder of the culture you experienced.
And while you likely won’t be drinking kava when you arrive home, they made an excellent key bowl.
Something from Rise Beyond the Reef
If you’d like a souvenir that directly benefits isolated rural women, look out for Rise Beyond the Reef products in retail stores or online.
Authentic Fijian homewares such as hand-woven mats, stylish printed bags and unique jewellery are just some of what’s on offer.
The charity aims to encourage sustainable development by fostering leadership and giving a voice to women in isolated communities. They help local artists and creators break down the barriers of isolation by helping them market their products to the world.
Choosing a Rise Beyond the Reef product directly supports this important work.
Sulu
You’ll see these brightly coloured Fijian sarongs being worn by locals and visitors alike. The cheerful hues fit in perfectly with relaxed island living.
Usually cotton, they are very comfortable and versatile. They’re also the perfect cover-up for village visits, where conservative dress – including covered shoulders and knees – is required.
The best part – a range of sulu’s are available from the Mantaray Island Resort boutique.
Pure Fiji skincare
Pure Fiji follows local customs of caring for skin and hair with beautiful local ingredients like flower extracts and coconut oil.
The range includes a variety of luxurious products perfect for nourishing and pampering your body after a day in the sun or sea. We recommend the coconut hand lotion and keep an eye out for the trial kit of the Pure Fiji skin care range, it’s perfect for travel and gives you the opportunity to try before buying the full-sized version.
Ingredients are harvested by hand, lowering environmental impacts. The company also takes care to produce and package products with this goal in mind. They support community sustainability initiatives, offer scholarships and create jobs in the community.
Tapa
Also known as masi, tapa is made by pounding the bark of the paper mulberry tree into sheets. Once dry, charcoal, plant and herb dyes are used to create a design featuring traditional patterns or motifs.
Tapa is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a traditional Fijian souvenir because it’s often given as a gift at formal celebrations. Keep a lookout at local markets for a design you love.
Open Water Diving Certification
Your SSI Dive License will keep bringing you joy for a lifetime. There’s no better way to experience our diverse marine environment than by submerging beneath the surface with scuba.
And no better place to learn than right here at Mantaray Island Resort. We offer a variety of courses ranging from beginner to more advanced.
You can do your theory lessons before you arrive and head straight out into the warm, shallow waters in front of the resort for your first ‘pool session’.
You’ll take home the most amazing memories and get to continue exploring the marine environment wherever you go.
And don’t forget to grab yourself a Manta DiveWet T-shirt to commemorate your journey!
Fiji Bitter singlet
If your memories of Fiji include taking in the stunning views with an ice-cold bottle of Fiji Bitter in your hand, this may be just the souvenir for you.
The beer is one of the most popular in the country and its refreshing taste makes it a go-to for travellers keen to cool down with a taste of the islands.
While you could choose from a variety of Fiji Bitter merchandise, including mugs, caps and T-shirts, we reckon the Sublimation singlet is a must-have if you want to bring a bit of island style home with you.
Hot Glass Fiji
For a spectacular souvenir, you can’t go past a unique item from Hot Glass Fiji. The beautiful pieces are inspired by the stunning local environment, created to capture the vivid island blues, pinks, oranges and greens.
Local cultural items like coconut bark and maqimaqi rope are also used sometimes to give the piece a uniquely Fijian feel.
J.Hunter Pearls
And finally, a true Fijian treasure, the pearls from J.Hunter Pearls are world-renowned for their exceptional size and exquisite colour. The pearls grow in pristine water in either Savusavu or Kioa.
The Fiji Collection is inspired by the beautiful Fijian landscape and traditional culture, with designs and hues that will instantly transport you back to the islands.
And if you’re looking for something extra-special, the J.Hunter Collection offers a range of breathtaking designs set in 14 or 18 karat gold and coupled with diamonds or semi-precious stones.
The company is closely linked to the local community – creating jobs, offering scholarships and sponsoring local village projects. Caring for the marine environment is also a high priority.
You can buy direct or via Proud’s who are stockists of J.Hunter Pearls.