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Frequently Asked Questions
Accommodation, Flight and TransfersWhere does everyone stay?
Which airline should I fly?
How do you get out to the islands?
2.7km and 1km Swim
Where do you swim in each of the 2.7km and 1km Fiji Swim races?
How long does it take to swim the 2.7km and 1km Fiji Swims?
What is the cost of registration?
Can I wear fins in the 2.7km Fiji Swim?
When is the deadline to enter the 1km and 2.7km swims?
The 19km Relay
Where do you swim in the 19km Relay?
How long does it take to swim the 19km solo or in a team?
What is the best date to arrive to be ready for the Relay?
What is the cost of registration?
How do you go about putting relay teams together?
What happens if I don’t have a relay team of five organised?
What if I don’t know anyone to organise Escort Boats and Kayakers for the Relay?
When is the deadline to enter the 19km Relay?
General Swim Information
Do I need to be a very strong swimmer to compete?
Am I capable of swimming in the ocean?
What are the general water conditions like in Fiji?
What happens in the event of bad weather?
What are the water safety management procedures for the Fiji Swims?
Can I compete in all events?
How do I register for an event?
Do I need to wear a swimming cap?
Is the pre relay race dinner and post race lunch compulsory?
Can the whole family take part, including the kids?
Shane Gould Fiji Community Drowning Prevention Program
How do I donate or find out more about this program?
Accommodation, Flight and Transfers
Where does everyone stay?
In general people coming to Fiji for the Fiji Swims spend their first night at a hotel or resort near the Nadi international airport (pronounced ‘Nandi’). We suggest either the 5 star Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa or the 4 star Tanoa Hotel.
The next day most people move to the islands and stay at either Beachcomber or Treasure Islands which are just 25 minutes by jet cat away.
Depending on the time your plane leaves it is normally a good idea to spend your last night back at the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa or the Tanoa Hotel. The Tanoa is very close to the airport making it very handy.
Which airline should I fly?
It’s up to you but we suggest Air Pacific as it offers in flight entertainment, meals and the smiles from the Fijian crew is a great way to start your holiday. www.airpacific.com
How do you get out to the islands?
It’s really easy! There are jet cats that travel daily from Port Denarau which is a 5 minute free shuttle bus from the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa, or a 20 minute free shuttle bus from the Tanoa Hotel. When you arrive at the port it is an easy process.
You can book your jet cat tickets in advance at www.ssc.com.fj
If you need to get a speed boat to get to and from islands quickly, they are easy to organise directly with the island resort where you are staying but quite expensive.
The 2.7km and 1km Swims
Where do you swim in each of the 2.7km and 1km Fiji Swim races?
The 2.7km Fiji Swim begins at the Nukuasiga Sandbar and takes a 2.7km course back to Beachcomber Island.
The 1km Fiji Swim starts at Treasure Island crossing the channel between Treasure and Beachcomber Island before reaching Beachcomber Island. Participants are welcome to wear fins.
How long does it take to swim the 2.7km and 1km Fiji Swims?
- 2.7km Fiji Swim – somewhere between 30minutes and 1 hour.
- 1km Fiji Swim – somewhere between 13 minutes and 35 minutes.
What is the cost of registration?
Registration prices will be posted to our website soon.
Please contact Suzie Clark: suzie@bathtubproductions.com for more information.
Can I wear fins in the 2.7km Fiji Swim?
Yes you can wear fins if you want. In the 1km race there is a fin division, otherwise if you choose to wear fins it is considered out of competition.
When is the deadline to enter the 1km and 2.7km swims?
Registrations are opened up until 10am on the day of the swim. However please keep in mind, if you are an international swimmer to take advantage of the discounted swimmer accommodation rates you must register before you come to Fiji.
The 19km Relay
Where do you swim in the 19km Relay?
The 19km Relay starts directly in front of the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa on Denarau Island and finishes 19km later on Beachcomber Island. Each team of 5 is to be accompanied by a boat and kayak for the distance, with each team choosing when to rotate swimmers. Generally each team chooses to rotate swimmers every 4-10 minutes. Swimmers may also choose to swim the 19km solo or as a duo.
How long does it take to swim the 19km solo or in a team?
Somewhere between 4 and 7 hours. Our record time for the relay is just under 4 hours. Our solo record is just under 5 hours.
What is the best date to arrive to be ready for the Relay?
It is best to arrive on the Tuesday to allow yourself a little time to get used to Fiji time as the Relay starts very early on the Thursday morning. That said, there is no problem arriving on Wednesday, the day before the race though we encourage you to arrive in time for the pre race briefing and registration which begins at 4pm.
What is the cost of registration?
Registration prices will be posted to our website soon.
Please contact Suzie Clark: suzie@bathtubproductions.com for more information.
How do you go about putting relay teams together?
If you have a team of five people we will find you a kayak, kayakers and recommend a boat to charter.
What happens if I don’t have a relay team of five organised?
We will almost certainly be able to put you into a team of others looking for additional swimmers to make up their team of five. There are a number of teams of swimmers made up of people that we introduce to each other for the relay – and don’t worry if you are not a champion. Anyone who can swim 1km in around 20 minutes is fine. If you take a bit longer we will encourage you to join team Bollywood where 8-12 people will share the distance.
What if I don’t know anyone to organise Escort Boats and Kayakers for the Relay?
We will allocate you a kayak and kayaker for your team and arrange boats available for charter.
When is the deadline to enter the 19km Relay?
All Relay participants must be registered by 3 August.
General Swim Information
Do I need to be a very strong swimmer to compete?
No, any reasonably strong swimmer is able to complete the 1km Treasure Island to Beachcomber Island Swim, especially as we allow you to use fins if you want.
It is great fun swimming along side some of the all time greats of international swimming such as Natalie Coughlin, Shane Gould, John Konrads, Danyon Loader, Murry Rose and Debbie Meyer and Fiji’s five time Olympian Carl Probert but you do not have to swim at this level to participate. We have swimmers as young as seven years old competing and several over seventy years old.
Am I capable of swimming in the ocean?
If you are a reasonably strong swimmer you will not experience any more difficulty swimming in the ocean as compared to a swimming pool. If you are unsure we will be having an easy preparation swim between Treasure Island and Beachcomber Island on Friday.
What are the general water conditions like in Fiji?
Beautiful! Generally the water is warm, clear and very to relatively calm with little or no chop or swell.
What happens in the event of bad weather?
If the weather is so bad as to be dangerous we will postpone the race and hold it the next day. This is very unlikely at this time of year.
What are the water safety management procedures for the Fiji Swims?
Three senior members of North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club in Sydney, Australia (NBSLSC) come to Fiji to manage our water safety for the Fiji Swims.
In 2006 NBSLSC donated an inflatable rubber boat to Beachcomber Island for use during the Fiji Swims with the two club members coming to Fiji the week before the events to train the staff of our resort partners in water safety. They are joined in monitoring all of the swimmers during the race by the staff of Subsurface, the scuba diving and water sports company located on Beachcomber and Treasure Islands.
Can I compete in all events?
Most people who do compete in the relay also do either the 1km or the 2.7km swim on Saturday, followed an hour or so later by the ‘Beach to Boat to Bar’ race of 250m.
The 1km and 2.7km races are held at the same time.
How do I register for any of the events.
Registrations will be available on our website soon.
Please contact Suzie Clark: suzie@bathtubproductions.com for more information.
Do I need to wear a swimming cap?
We will provide you with a swimming cap. For safety reasons, so that you are easily spotted while swimming, it is necessary for all swimmers to wear swimming caps.
Is the pre relay race dinner and post race lunch compulsory?
No but they are great fun and a good way of getting to meet others. Depending on which swims you register for the relevant pre or post race meals are included in the registration fee.
Can the whole family take part, including the kids?
The whole family is more than welcome to participate in the event if you are all reasonable swimmers. Our youngest competitor to date was a seven year old girl in the 1km swim.
Shane Gould Fiji Community Drowning Prevention Program
How do I donate or find out more?
To find out more about the work we are doing please visit the Fiji Swims website www.fijiswims.com which has a section dedicated to the foundation.