What is the fiji time zone© MaxPixel
What is the fiji time zone

What is the Fiji Time Zone?

© MaxPixel

Everything you Need to Know About the Fiji Time Zone

If you’re in Fiji and you don’t know what time it is, and you’ve somehow missed the first result in Google that gives you the time, then you’re in the right place to work out the time zone in Fiji! All the Fiji islands follow the same time zone known as FJT or FJST – that’s Fiji Time and Fiji Summer Time. However, don’t get “Fiji Time” confused with the same phrase and ideology of “Fiji Time” shared among Fiji’s locals and, soon enough, its visitors. For more explanation, head to What Does Fiji Time Mean? (& What You Need to Know About It). Getting back to the time zones in Fiji, this guide will give you some quick information on the Fiji time zone, as well as when daylights saving time (DST) is and the usual hours of sunrise and sunset. With that, you should be ready to wind your watches… or just connect to the Internet on your phone and let it do all the work for you.

If you find this article useful, then you might like our Guide to the Fiji Seasons, as well as What is the Weather like in Fiji?

When it’s 9am in Fiji, it is…

  • 9pm in London previous day
  • 10pm in Frankfurt previous day
  • 4pm in New York previous day
  • 1pm in Los Angeles previous day
  • 6am in Tokyo same day
  • 9am in Auckland same day
  • 7am in Sydney same day
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Time Zone in Fiji

Fiji has two time zones due to the following daylight savings times:

  • FJT – Fiji Time – Offset of UTC+12
  • FJST – Fiji Summer Time – Offset of UTC+13

Between mid-January and early November, Fiji observes the FJT time zone (UTC +12h). For the rest of the year, Fiji observes FJST (UTC +13h) as its time zone.

All islands in Fiji follow the same time zone. The time zone city for Fiji is Suva.

© FijiPocketGuide.com

Daylight Hours in Fiji

Fiji experiences long days all year round with only about a couple hours of difference in daylight hours between summer and winter.

The average length of daylight in Fiji is 12 hours, with the shortest day usually being around June 21, with around 11 hours, and the longest day is around December 22 with 13h13min.

Sunrise and Sunset in Fiji

The sunrise in Fiji is usually around 6am. The earliest the sun rises is in November at around 5:30am and the latest the sun rises is usually at 6:45am during January.

The sunset in Fiji is around 7pm. The earliest sunsets happen in June at around 5:40pm and the latest sunsets occur in January at about 7:50pm.

© Pexels

Daylight Savings Time in Fiji

Daylight saving time (DST) is observed in Fiji where the “clocks change” twice a year. Instead of changing at midnight or between 1am and 2am like in some countries, the clocks change between 2am and 3am.

Daylight saving time starts in spring in Fiji around November 3. When the local standard time is about to reach 2am on November 4 the clocks turn an hour forward to be 3am on November 4. This is also known as “Spring Forward” and “Summer Time”.

Daylight saving time ends in autumn/fall in Fiji around January 13. When the local standard time is about to reach 3am on January 14 the clocks turn an hour backwards to be 2am on January 14. This is also known as “Fall Back” and “Winter Time”.

© FijiPocketGuide.com

Different Time Zone in Taveuni?

The International Date Line, which splits the east from the west, runs straight through the island of Taveuni. Fiji’s third-largest island, just below Vanua Levu, sits at a longitude of 180 degrees meaning that, theoretically, one side of the island exists in one day and the other side of the island exists in the next day. Don’t worry, Fiji still observes just one time zone for the sake of logic.

Should your Fiji journey take you to Taveuni, you can actually visit a sign which marks the International Date Line. Interpretation panels explain the ins and outs of the International Date Line. Plus, it makes for a really fun photo opportunity. You’ll find it near the town of Waiyevo.

Find out more in our 20 Wonderful Things to Do in Taveuni.

Author

Robin C.

This article was reviewed and published by Robin, the co-founder of Fiji Pocket Guide. He has lived, worked and travelled across 16 different countries before settling in the South Pacific, so he knows a thing or two about planning the perfect trip in this corner of the world. Robin is also the co-founder of several other South Pacific travel guides and is a regular host of webinars with the South Pacific Tourism Organisation.

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