Province · Ilhas do Leste

Rotuma

Rotuma is a dependency of Fiji, not a province: an isolated Polynesian island north of the archipelago, with its own language and culture and very few visitors.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

The province

Get to know Rotuma

Rotuma is a dependency of Fiji, not one of the 14 provinces: it has its own council, the Rotuma Island Council, and a distinct position in the country's organization. It lies isolated, about 460 km north of the main archipelago, and consists of a volcanic island and neighboring islets.

The Rotuman people are Polynesian, with their own language, dances and customs, different from Fiji's Melanesian ones. More Rotumans live off the island—in Suva, Lautoka and other countries—than on it; the island has just over 1,500 residents.

Rotuma was ceded to the United Kingdom on 13 May 1881 and thereafter administered together with Fiji. The date is remembered every year on Rotuma Day, with a welcome ceremony and banquet, on the island and in Rotuman communities in Fiji.

In 1985, the majority of residents voted against organized tourism, and the island still has no hotels: the few visitors stay in family homes, generally by invitation from someone on the island. A sand road circles the coast, linking villages and beaches such as Oinafa.

When to go

Rotuma is hot and humid year-round. From May to October it usually rains less; from November to April, the cyclone season, flights and boats can be disrupted. Rotuma Day is celebrated on 13 May.

Getting there

There is a weekly flight from Nadi, about an hour and a half, subject to cancellation when the grass runway becomes waterlogged. A cargo boat departs Suva for the island with no fixed schedule. Confirm before buying. Before going, arrange accommodation with a family on the island.

Your questions

Frequently asked questions about Rotuma

Is Rotuma a province of Fiji?

No. Rotuma is a dependency with its own council, the Rotuma Island Council. In statistics, the government counts it together with the Eastern Division.

Can a tourist visit Rotuma?

Yes, but the island has no hotels or organized tourism. Visitors stay in family homes, usually by invitation from someone on the island; arrange everything before buying your ticket.

How to get to Rotuma?

By a weekly flight from Nadi of about an hour and a half, or on a cargo boat that departs Suva with no fixed schedule. The flight can be cancelled when the grass runway becomes waterlogged.

What is Rotuma Day?

It is the celebration on 13 May that commemorates the cession of the island to the United Kingdom in 1881. It includes a welcome ceremony and banquet, on the island and in Rotuman communities in Suva and Lautoka.

Tap a province to see its destinations. Limites: Pacific Data Hub / geoBoundaries (CC BY 4.0). Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.