When our trip threatened to turn sour, this cheery nation surprised us

Somehow, we’ve managed to lose a $10 note between the ATM and the day spa we are visiting in Suva, Fiji, leaving us with exactly $FJ10 to get back to the port to reboard our cruise on Celebrity Edge. It cost us $9.90 to get here; and now, stuck in traffic in torrential rain, we fear our taxi fare will exceed our meagre allocation.

“We only have $10 left, do you think we’ll make it?” I ask the driver as I watch the numbers on the screen steadily tick over. Making eye contact through the mirror, he flicks off the meter with a grin. “You’ll make it. Bula!”

Bula! All smiles in Fiji.

Is everyone in Fiji this friendly? From our brief experience, the answer is a resounding yes. In Lautoka the following day, we chat to a young man as we walk along a backstreet, exchanging information about our respective lives. “Does Australia smell?” Richard asks innocently. “My aunty lives in Brisbane, she says it smells.”

“What do you think about all these people coming off the cruise ship,” I then ask him. “Does it drive you crazy when a ship’s in port?”

“Honestly, no,” Richard replies. “In Fiji, we don’t want to rip you off. We just want to see everyone happy, having a good time while they are here. We want to see you smile, like Fijians smile.”

In Fiji, the ubiquitous “Bula!” is a greeting with many meanings. It means hello and welcome; it can also be used as a cheers when drinking. The literal translation, however, is “life” – when Fijians say it, they are wishing you good health and happiness. And that happiness, it seems, is contagious.

According to a recent study by Tourism Fiji in partnership with neuroscientist Dr Lila Landowski, the key elements that contribute to an overall feeling of happiness – including social interactions, a sense of community, gratitude and being connected to nature – are found in abundance in Fiji. Furthermore, by being immersed into the Fijian way of life, participants involved in the study discovered that happiness comes naturally when you’re in Fiji.

Outdoor green spaces and open water can reduce stress.

“I’ve noticed that in Fiji, everyone acknowledges one another and says bula (hello). And we know that when you’re saying hello to people, you feel more connected to community, and connection leads to increased feelings of belonging and happiness,” Dr Landowski reported.

“When we see that someone is happy, we can share in that joy, and we often then mimic those behaviours.”

The study also found that surroundings have a direct impact on happiness; being outside in green spaces or near the ocean can reduce the stress hormone cortisol by 20 per cent in just 20 minutes. Letting go, and embracing play – which Fijians have down to a fine art – also contribute to a sense of wellbeing.

“When we’re around happy people, we get this emotional contagion, we tend to feel happier as well. And when we spend time around happy people, it can change our brain in the long term,” Dr Landowski says.

During our brief visit to Fiji, it pours with rain, water excursions are cancelled, and we lose 10 bucks. But despite all this, we return to our ship with smiles on our dials, all due to the bula factor. Our visit may have been brief, but Fiji and its happy, unaffected and welcoming people had a positive impact on our visit. And I’m still smiling thinking about those people now.

And no, Richard, Australia doesn’t smell.

The writer travelled as a guest of Celebrity Cruises.