Living overseas
Buying gold in Fiji: a guide for Fijians living overseas
Coming home to Fiji from Australia, NZ, the USA or Canada? How to plan your visit, get sizes right and choose 22ct gold and diamond rings in Nadi.
4 min read
You've booked the flights, the family has a list of things they want you to bring back, and somewhere on your own list is "buy gold while I'm home". Maybe it's a 22ct chain you've wanted for years, bangles for a wedding, or a diamond ring you'd rather choose in Fiji with family around you.
This guide is for Fijians living in Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Canada who want to make jewellery part of the trip home. It covers planning your visit, sizing and what to look for when you're at the counter.
Plan the trip
Flight times to Nadi
Fiji Airways flies direct to Nadi from all four countries. These are Tourism Fiji's published average flight times (checked October 2026; schedules change by season):
| From | Approximate flight time to Nadi |
|---|---|
| Brisbane | 3 h 15 m |
| Auckland | 3 h |
| Sydney | 4 h 30 m |
| Melbourne | 5 h |
| Los Angeles | 10 h 30 m |
| San Francisco | 10 h 30 m |
| Vancouver | 11 h 30 m |
Coming from North America, you'll usually land early in the morning after an overnight flight. Give yourself a rest day before choosing anything important, so you can enjoy it.
From the airport to town
Nadi town is about 10 km from Nadi International Airport, around 15–20 minutes by taxi. Shreeji Jewellers is on Main Street, inside the Nadi Town Council Complex, right in town, so it's easy to call in on the day you land or on the way back to the airport.
Staying in Lautoka or Suva?
If your family is in Lautoka, about 30 minutes away by car, a trip into Nadi fits easily into a day. If you're based in Suva, 3½–4 hours away by road, it can make sense to plan your visit around your flight in or out of Nadi. Either way, message us ahead so the visit counts.
Message us before you fly
We sell in store only, and most of our pieces never appear online. The best ones tend to sell quickly. So before you travel, call, email or message us on Viber to ask whether a particular style or size is in stock.
When you get in touch, it helps to tell us:
- what you're after (for example, a 22ct chain, a pair of bangles, a diamond engagement ring)
- the size you need
- the occasion and your travel dates
That way you can spend your holiday with family, not going from shop to shop.
Get your sizes right
Australia and New Zealand use letter sizes for rings, while the USA and Canada use numbers. Bangles are measured by their inside diameter. Work your sizes out before you leave home and the rest is easy.
Our guide to ring and bangle sizes before you fly walks through it, including how to size for a surprise engagement ring.
What to look for at the counter
The stamp
Our gold carries a purity stamp: 916 for 22ct, 750 for 18ct and 375 for 9ct, and 925 on our sterling silver. It's usually on the clasp of a chain, inside a ring or bangle, or on the hook of an earring. Ask and we'll point it out. Our post on how to read the purity stamp explains the numbers.
The certificate
Every diamond we sell comes with a Certificate of Authenticity listing its carat weight, cut, clarity and colour. Our diamond engagement ring guide explains what each grade means.
Pieces that go together
Bring a photo of the outfit, or a family piece you'd like to match. With 1,000+ designs in store, chosen from makers in more than 10 countries, we can usually find something that sits beautifully beside it. Heavier or more detailed pieces cost more, and we'll show you options to suit your budget.
The VAT refund
We are an approved retailer under Fiji's Tourist VAT Refund Scheme (licence TVRS059). Visitors on non-Fiji passports who spend at least FJ$500 at approved retailers can claim the VAT back at the airport, as long as the goods are unused when they leave. Fiji citizens are not eligible, even if they live overseas. The details are in our Fiji tourist VAT refund guide.
Before-you-fly checklist
- Work out your ring and bangle sizes
- Call, email or Viber us with what you want and your dates
- Take photos of the outfits and any pieces you want to match
- Bring your passport when you shop if you're eligible for the VAT refund
- Plan your visit for early in the trip, so there's time to come back
Visiting Shreeji Jewellers
Bring your sizes, the family's list and your photos, and we'll bring out pieces to try on and compare. Choosing gold at home, with family beside you, is one of the nicest parts of the trip. We look forward to seeing you when you're home.
