Buying furniture, tools, quad, boat & trees in Fiji

Depends on your budget and taste.  Courts and Subrails have decent 'commercial grade' furniture.  Pacific Green and a few hardwood joineries have more upscale furniture.

The ferry from Natovi takes vehicles, so I'm sure they can take your goods.  Find out how food is shipped to your island, as the same method will likely be best for you.

Thanks for the info! Any suggestions re the other things would be appreciated, too.

Hi..I could offer you the services with my trucks....let me know if you need my services.

Thanks for the offer re your trucks. Please send info re costs and what you have.  If we don't use this time around, good chance we will later! Lots to move!

It's probably best to not buy a lot of stuff before moving to your new home.  Especially capital equipment that you only use once in a while.  Once you are there, you will likely find that your needs are different, and there will be neighbors selling stuff or willing to share capital equipment. 

Some people who move full-time to smaller island such as Koro or Nananu-i-ra move to Viti Levu after a few years due to the inconveniences of being remote, so things become available.

Several good builders of aluminum boats are in Lami.   Young fruit trees are available at the agriculture research stations.  Naduruloulou (near Nausori), Sigatoka and Leqleqa (Nadi) are the best.

If you coming from a country with 110 volt electricity such as the U.S., be aware that most of your electronics won't work on normal Fiji 240 volt current, and it's not practical to have a bunch of transformers around the house.  Better to buy in Fiji or take a vacation in NZ or Oz and buy there.

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Thank you for the very helpful info! We'll follow your advice. We've been looking at an on-line private selling site (BuyinFiji.com) but seems like it's used very little. If you know of any other online classified sources, we'd be interested.
Also it seems you (or others) may know: are we allowed to drive around in Suva and surrounding areas on a Quad (also known as a 4-wheeled ATV)? If so, do you know of which are the better (more reliable) manufacturers and where in Fiji to purchase? Which ones to stay away from? We'll need one for transport on Koro, and would be very convenient to get a larger one then tow an aluminum boat with our purchases inside, going on the ferry to Koro. Again, thank you!

The Fiji Times newspaper classified section has a lot of things for sale, especially on Saturdays:
http://classifieds.fijitimes.com/

Also, on Facebook, a few pages:
Suva Expats Market: https://www.facebook.com/groups/756386121055047/
Buy & Sell (Suva Expats): https://www.facebook.com/groups/211072082359807/

The above sites can give you an idea of what is available here, but I wouldn't waste time trying to buy anything on them until you're here.

You will NOT be allowed to drive around Suva in a ATV, and you wouldn't want to when you see how the taxi drivers drive.  I've not seen any ATVs in Fiji, but I'm sure a few folks must have imported them for the smaller islands.

Very few people tow boats on trailers in Fiji.  You might consider simply driving your boat to Koro (weather permitting!), or hiring someone to do it.

I'm sure you'll be making many trips to Suva for purchases, and the major shops are probably able to arrange shipping to Koro for you.

Thank you -- more great advice we'll follow. Have a great day!

Hi Koro bound,

we own a home on Koro at Dere Bay.

So.....we bought the house and then spent the last 2 x years working on it (getting it to the state we want it int)  and buying what we need for it.  I assume you bought from Joe S?

1. Plants can be got when you are here - I ask and my caretaker provides.  Unless you want to buy super established / rare trees you will be fine

2. Cars - I reckon you need a car on Koro.  One to go to the shop (other side of island), in case you need to go to the nurse/hospital (other side of the island), the police (other side of the island), the airport (other side of the island).  To go to the resort - ok during the day, a pain to walk at night.  Its unmade roads so a 4x4 is recommended.  We bought a cheap Jeep and it was fine for the first two years for us - $6K FJD but now are trading up to a twin cab Toyota - $30K FJD.  I wanted to whizz around in a Polaris but you can't - its off road use only.  You can't use them without a license (tourism only).

3.  Tools are dear so I buy and bring them over with me as I come - the hardware boys are good R.C. Manubhai but are a little expensive compared to home .  However is the transport that will cost you - buy timber/cement etc and its the freight to Koro that adds up.

4.  We gave most of our furniture to our caretaker and his family.  We ordered from Bali direct and got shipped to us a full range of island furniture - nothing broken.  Again its tax, duty and transport that adds to the bill - not the purchase price.  Apparently there are some nice "resort" type retailers but I could not find them when we looked - I just went online.  I think we spent $15-25K USD for a house full of items

5. I'm struggling with the boat.  If you want to do Koro to Natovi or SavuSavu - you will want a blue water boat - that is twin engine (or at least one main and one small) with triple filers (fuel is a bit iffy), 6 metres + and that is well..... dear.  There are local builders (Hammerhead, Bluewater and others), new engines are much cheaper now but a good boat I would take the kids on (with full safety gear/GPS etc.) will be $30K USD++ for second hand.  If I could, I would buy a Grady White or Boston Whaler and bring it over (if you are emigrating) - if it is like me, a holiday home - you will have to wait for a good boat to come up for sale and jump on it when it does.  Its BIG/LUMPY water out there and I wouldn't scrimp here - buy a cheap car, buy a great boat....... Go to buyinfiji.com.fj or yachthelp.com.fj or boababmarine.com.fj  You will see maybe 40 second hand boats for sale. 

6. Trees - seriously, dead twigs grow in the ground.  We survived the cyclone the year before and lost all our bananas - within 6 months you would never know.  Everything grows quickly and we all take cuttings from each other.  Your caretaker ( a must) will help you here.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Paul

If you want to buy furniture, Courts and Tapoo have good quality, while Rups Big Bear, Manubai and Subrails have cheaper but more garish. Boats at a premium depending on what you want. Good fibreglass 4 mtr longboats can be purchased direct from the manufacturer in Suva but tinny's are rare and you would need to import. (Also contact the Royal Suva yacht Club as expat members usually post notices. BuyinFiji.com also a good source, especially for the more expensive models).Just check customs requirements prior to importing and if that is the way to go, fill it with all the gear and anything else you have bought. saves freight and as long as you have receipts for new stuff you will pay duty but older, used, they will assess and it's not much. Tools, much cheaper and better quality overseas as a $29Daus grinder will be about $70fj and that is an elcheapo. Plants, watch out on the roadside or go to the local Agriculture Department as they often have sales in the main township parks. Don't try bringing any overseas plants in, they will be burnt.

The quad> check the Land Transport Authority web site. I have never seen one on the road so possibly they won't register them for road use.