Tribewanted Membership

How do I join the tribe?

You join the tribe by visiting the join page on Tribewanted.com. You decide which type of membership you would like and then you follow the secure payment instructions through Paypal or STA Travel, whichever you prefer. Your place will be confirmed by email once your payment has cleared. You can then book your island time through the online community.

Space on Vorovoro is limited to 30 at anyone time. You can check availability before you book by viewing the calendar on the join page .

Please note you must use your island stay during your membership period. There are currently two periods of membership:

• Up until August 31st 2009
• September 2009-August 2012

Can children join the tribe and visit Vorovoro?

Yes, children (15 and under) memberships are half price. If you would like one of your children to join the tribe then please email admin@tribewanted.com

Under 2s are free!

What do I get for my membership fee?

Included in the membership fee:

• 7 nights or more stay on Vorovoro Island
• ALL meals on Vorovoro
• Local airport pick-up (Labasa) and boat transfer to Vorovoro
• Return boat transfer and drop off at airport
• Online profile page
• Tribe ID in Fiji

Not included in membership fee

• International flights to Fiji
• Travel Insurance
• Local flights within Fiji (Nadi-Labasa)
• Extra boat journeys
• Boat based activities: Snorkelling $25, School & Village Trips $10, Town $15
• Carbon offset

Reserving your Stay on Vorovoro

How do I reserve my stay on Vorovoro?

Tribe members are able to reserve their stay on Vorovoro through the Tribewanted online community. There is a simple reservation system where members select the day of arrival and the day of departure from the island. This will be dependent on two things:

1. How much island time you have purchased
2. Availability on Vorovoro.

   Space on Vorovoro is limited to 30 visiting tribe members at any one time. The sooner you reserve your time the better, if you wait until next year, availability may start to fill up, and you may not get your first choice week.

How long can I stay?

You can stay the number of nights your membership permits within your membership period (either before 31st August 2009 or between September 2009 and August 2012). The tribe voted and decided that members can purchase up to a maximum of 12 weeks on the island.

Is it compulsory for all members to travel to Vorovoro?

As a member of the tribe it is NOT compulsory to travel to and stay on Vorovoro. You can simply choose to support the project and play an active part in the Tribewanted community influencing the development of the tribe and the island.

Getting to Vorovoro

How do I get there?

You can get to Fiji from Seoul, Los Angeles, Hong Kong (new in 2010), Auckland, Brisbane & Sydney.

More and more round-the-world tickets and international flights are stopping off in Fiji, on their way to and from Australia and New Zealand. As a result, getting to Fiji is becoming cheaper all the time. Almost all international flights land in Nadi (pronounced ‘Nandee’) on the east coast of Viti Levu, Fiji’s main island. From here tribe members will need to catch a short and cheap domestic flight to the outer islands where they will be picked-up and taken to Vorovoro.

• International Flights to Fiji
  • Round the World tickets with STA Travel UK (dial 08701 662 660).
  • The tribe’s personal travel agent is Edward Ellwood in London and is always asking for a quote
• Domestic Fijian Flights: Nadi to Labasa
  • Pacific Sun

Can I change my arrival day/ island booking?

Yes but please note if you change the date of your island stay less than 1 month before arrival you will be charged a £25 administration fee. Arrival days are Monday, Wednesday & Friday.

Do I need to arrange a visa before traveling to Fiji?

No. When you arrive into Fiji you will be issued with a free four-month tourist visa.

What kind of travel insurance do I need?

Get a quote from our partners at World Nomads today.

How do I offset my flights?

Climate Care has online CO2 calculators to let you work how your key activities impact on the climate. Using the flights calculator Tribe members can simply enter their destinations and find out the CO2 emissions from that journey and the cost to offset it. A return trip from London to Fiji generates around 4.5 tonnes CO2 & equal to a years worth of energy use by an average UK home. This costs £34 to offset, and the money will finance sustainable energy projects to reduce emissions by the same amount, while helping communities in the developing world at the same time. To find out more or start offsetting your CO2 emissions visit www.climatecare.org .

What happens when I get to the local airport (Labasa) in Fiji?

Once your travel details and reservation has been confirmed one of the Tribewanted team will meet you from the local airport where you will then be driven for 20 minutes to the jetty at the Grand Eastern in Labasa. From there an approximate 30 minute boat ride will take you to Vorovoro.

Where else can I go before or after my stay on Vorovoro?

There are many other fantastic places to visit in a country as diverse as Fiji. Tribewanted is building a number of partnerships in different parts of the country and on more traditional tourist islands so that the tribe will have a wealth of information and options to travel and stay in other parts of Fiji.

On arrival into Nadi there are plenty of options for good accommodation, we like Stoney Creek which is a bit more personal than most of the backpackers.

If you are looking for a more comfortable post-Vorovoro experience we recommend Sonasali near Nadi.

Staying on Vorovoro

What costs will I need to budget for staying on Vorovoro?

All food and accommodation is included in your membership fee. Extras include:

• Kava & Sulu ($30)
• Boat based activities: Snorkelling $25, School & Village Trips $10, Town $15
• Tribewanted Marketplace (local crafts and tribe gear)

What kind of accommodation will there be on Vorovoro?

There are two ‘vales’ or bunk houses with driftwood beds and mosquito nets, there is also a family ‘bure’, treehouse and camping area.

What kit will I need?

To see what kit you will need, visit the Kit List community page .

What kind of food will there be on Vorovoro?

Fresh seafood and island-grown fruits and vegetables provide the foundation for the tribal diet. Local Fijian cooks are employed by Tribewanted who, alongside willing tribal volunteers, keep the tribe well fed throughout their stay. We are currently in the process of developing our own garden and farm area. Here are some of our recipes .

What can I expect to do on Vorovoro?

What can’t you expect to do? Build. Sleep. Swim. Trek. Dance. Fish. Snorkel. Read. Play. Teach. Sing. Farm. Blog. Cook. Pretty much anything really. It is up to each member how much they get involved with the project work. Use your time on Vorovoro to chill-out or sweat it out, its up to you. The only thing we ask is that everyone washes up their own plate. Fair enough?

Will I be mixing with people from the local Fijian communities?

Yes. As well as Tui Mali and his family, Tribewanted employ local Fijians for all kinds of roles in the development of Vorovoro. Beyond the island itself, tribe members are able to visit the other Mali villages and spend time with the people that live there.

What happens if I get ill or injured?

There is a private doctor in the local town within an hours travel at anytime of day or night from Vorovoro. There is also a public hospital. The Tribewanted team are trained in first aid and crisis management.

What is the climate and wildlife like on Vorovoro?

Hot! Tropical, actually. Dry season is usually from April to November. December to March sees more heavy rains and the occasional storm and strong winds. Regardless of season, make sure you bring your high factor sun cream. The only other thing that takes some time to get used to are the few bites that you are likely to be given as a welcome ‘bula’ from the local mossies.

Will I be filmed on Vorovoro?

Filming for the Tribewanted BBC documentary completed in 2007 however the project still attracts media interest and every so often a camera crew appears for a couple of days. No on will be forced into being filmed.

What is Tribewanted’s fair trade tourism policy?

We are keen to promote responsible tourism and actively engage in developing a sustainable community on Vorovoro. In order to make this happen Tribewanted has committed to the following objectives:

• Measuring the impact of food, water, energy and waste on Vorovoro.
• Off-setting carbon emissions on flights for the Tribewanted team to and within Fiji itself by making proportional donations to climate regeneration projects. We encourage all tribe members to do the same.
• To work in partnership with Chief Tui Mali and local fishing villages, considering the impact of each and every one of the tribe’s actions on these communities.
• To support local community projects with both finance and volunteers under the guidance of development experts.
• To generate local employment.
• To consider with each decision the tribe make the impact on the island and sea environment. The Tribewanted team, the elected Chiefs and the tribe will be guided throughout the project by environmental experts on all aspects of the island communities development.
• To promote and raise awareness for sustainable and eco-friendly living and travel as a real option for both tourists and communities around the world.

What happens to the island after three years (2006 - 2009)?

Tui Mali, Vorovoro’s chief landowner, has kindly invited Tribewanted to extend their lease and stay on Vorovoro. Tribe members can now book their stay on Vorovoro anytime before September 2012.

Playing a part in the Tribewanted social network

How do I take part in tribal discussions?

Once you have joined Tribewanted you will be provide with access to the online community site. The community site is a meeting place for tribe members to connect and then spread the Tribewanted story and experience across their other networks.

How do I vote on tribal issues?

Each tribal issue that requires a vote is emailed to every member of the tribe. Members will then have a certain length of time (normally 1-2 weeks) to vote on the issue. Now that the community has been established on Vorovoro the main issue for voting is chiefs.

How do I put myself forward for the position of Tribal Chief?

All tribal members that are interested can send in a short film as to why they think they should be a Tribewanted chief. The tribe will then vote on who they want to be elected.