Home to the main international airport, Fiji´s largest and most populous island (pop. 740,000), is also the site of Suva, the country´s capital and cultural heart (pop. 101,166), a lively port city with colonial architecture, the Fiji Museum, and a nice selection of waterfront activity. Nearby is Colo-i-Suva Forest Park, a rainforest reserve with waterfalls and swimming holes, along with Offshore resort islands including Denarau (attached via causeway) with its luxury resorts and marina; the 20 Mamanuca Islands with family and honeymoon resorts; and the more remote Yasawa Islands where you´ll find dramatic peaks and backpacker-friendly resorts.
Other notable towns and areas on this island include:
Nadi (pronounced “Nan-dee,” pop. 60,000), a tourism hub with the country´s single largest concentration of hotels. It´s also known for its mix of Fijian and Indo-Fijian cultures, and one of the top local landmarks is the Pacific´s largest Hindu temple, Sri Siva Subramaniya, completed in 1994. Another notable local attraction is Sabeto Hot Springs and Mud Pool.
Lautoka, known as “Sugar City” (pop. 75,00) because it´s the hub of the country´s sugarcane-producing region, is an industrial port but also a gateway for cruises and beaches.
Sigatoka (18,000), a small riverside town which makes a handy base for the “Coral Coast,” with beaches such as Natadola (above) and Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park, with hiking and archaeological sites.
Read more in my post An Introduction to the South Pacific Paradise that Is Fiji.
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