Fiji encompasses 322 islands and covers 7,055 square miles of land that spreads across 426,000 square miles of the South Pacific ocean on the south side of the equator. Only 100 islands are inhabited and only two are of any significant size: Viti Levu and Vanua Levu.

Landscape is typical of the tropics, with thick forests in the rainy regions and sandy terrain in the dry sections. In some parts, hot steam rises from beneath the ground to form small bubbling ponds. The Fijians cook rice or meat wrapped in leaves upon these small geysers. We actually cooked lobster over one.

Most of Fiji's verdant forests are designated as parks, rather than logging shows, except for the commercial pine farms that are expected to produce valuable income when they are harvested in several years. Tourism is the country's prime source of income, followed by export of raw sugar and molasses.

The water surrounding Fiji is blue, warm and clear. Some of the most beautiful fishes and coral can be viewed while diving and snorkeling.