Fiji Attractions

Lau Group

Halfway between the main islands of Fiji and the Kingdom of Tonga is the Lau Group, popular with divers. The southeast trade winds made it easy to sail from Tonga to Fiji, but much harder to return. Tongan influence is expressed in names, language, food, decoration, architecture and facial features.

Vanua Balavu is the largest of the northern Lau islands and has a resort and an airstrip, and the nearest thing to a town is the village of Lomaloma, which has a budget guesthouse. However, you can't just turn up to Vanua Balavu - you need permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Suva.

Nausori Highlands

Due east from Nadi, on Viti Levu island, are the fantastic landscapes and remote villages of the Nausori Highlands. The village of Navala is perhaps the most picturesque in all Fiji. the buildings are traditional bure arranged around avenues with a central promenade leading down to a river.

Suva

Nestled into a yawning harbour on the southeastern coast of the big island of Viti Levu, Suva is sticky with sweat and industry, but this is Fiji's confluence of ethnicities and cultures. Within the urban milieu you'll discover the influence of every island and background.

While Nadi in Viti Levu's west is the country's tourism centre, Suva is Fiji's political and administrative capital and home to about half the country's population. It's also the largest city in the South Pacific and an important regional centre.

Vanau Levu

Vanua Levu ('big land') is the second largest island of the Fijian archipelago and has the second largest population. It's relatively undeveloped and, except for around Savusavu, has limited infrastructure and services. This is a good place to get an insight into the traditional Fijian way of life.

Although this is a volcanic island, which means you'll be pushing it to find a beach to laze on, Vanua Levu has some excellent snorkelling and diving, kayaking and bird-watching. The island's remote, wild and rugged interior and indented coastline also make for some great hiking.

Mamanuca Group

The Mamanucas are a bunch of tiny islands just off the western coast of Viti Levu, and they are easily accessible by boat from Nadi, either as a day trip or to stay in one of the many flashy resorts or backpacker spots.

The islands are popular with divers, snorkellers, surfers and people who just want to lay about on open stretches of white-sand beach. The lovely reefs and colourful fish make snorkelling around these islands a highlight for many travellers.

Nadi

Something of a perennial adolescent, Fiji's third-largest city Nadi (pronounced nan-di) seems to be in a constant pursuit of identity. Not sure whether it's a city, tourist junction or business hub, it seems to have settled on urban centre for the time being. The population resides in several villages strung out along and just off the Queens Road, and the northern horizon is dominated by the Nausori Highlands, which loom hazily over town. For visitors most action takes place in busy, dusty 'downtown' where Main St provides 1km or so of shopping, eating and other commercial options. In the back streets small businesses cater to everything from auto needs to sunburn. Most visitors use Nadi as a stopover to acclimatise and make the most of the infrastructure before heading out to more picturesque locales.

If you're looking for something quieter Lautoka with its more authentic atmosphere is a better option. There is also accommodation between the two towns at Vuda Point and near the Sabeto Mountain Range. Nadi makes no bones about the fact that it's no idyllic snapshot of Fiji, but once you've got your head around this you're likely to enjoy the place more. As one wise traveller said, 'It is what it is'.

Levuka

Levuka, on the island of Ovalau in the Lomaiviti Group west of Viti Levu, was the capital of the country during the first period of British colonial rule, but due to the town's limited space (squeezed between the mountains and the sea) the capital was shifted to Suva in 1882.

The town was the first European settlement in Fiji, throughout the 1800s the town boomed as sailors and whalers called in, planters came and colonial administrators established themselves there. At its height there were 52 hotels along Beach St and it became a wild and lawless place.