With a population of roughly 933,000 people, this lush archipelago of more than 330 islands (about of them 110 inhabited) is a byword for tropical paradise, famous for turquoise lagoons, coral reefs, and an especially warm, welcoming people and their Melanesian-Polynesian culture. Touristically speaking, it´s considered a mid-range, but there are plenty of budget and luxury options, as well. Here´s a quick overview of its main islands, towns, and attractions:
Jan-Otto
Viti Levu: the Hub
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.
Leamus
Vanua Levu and the North – Fiji´s Quieter Side
Fiji’s second-largest island is dubbed its “hidden paradise” – greener and less developed than Viti Levu. Inland, the sugar town of Labasa (pop. 49,000) provides an interesting look at “everyday Fiji,” while Savusavu (7,000) is a quaint laidback harbor town which is the island´s tourism hub; its pearl farms are especially interesting to visit, and Savusavu Bay and Namena Marine Reserve are great for dolphin spotting and diving/snorkeling.
With around 13,000 people, this former shield volcano just across the Somosomo Strait from Vanua Levu is a haven for ecotourism and adventure travel, with a third of it devoted to the Bouma National Heritage Park, fantastic for exploring lush rainforests, pristine beaches, majestic waterfalls, volcanic Lake Tagimaucia, and great diving and snorkelling on Rainbow Reef. There are eight villages, including Waiyevo and the twin villages of Somosomo and Naqara.
Ovalau – Rugged Landscape and Colonial History
Off Viti Levu´s east coast, offering some lovely and challenging hikes, waterfalls, and waters spectacular for diving, snorkeling, and kayaking. It´s best known for the town of Levuka (pop. 1,500), founded in 1820 as Fiji’s first colonial capital, whose 19th-century old quarter (especially along Beach Street, above) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Kadavu: An Under-the-Radar Gem
South of Viti Levu, rugged and lightly developed, it´s home to the Great Astrolabe Reef (with excellent diving and snorkeling) and uncrowded beaches, it´s also a great place for community tourism in rural village, including traditional meke dances (top) and kava ceremonies (above), centering around the earthy, eponymous, mildly narcotic drink made from the crushed root of the yaqona (aka the kava plant). (Both meke and kava, by the way, can also be experienced in various other places around the Fijian islands.)
Getting to/Around Fiji
Most international flights land at Nadi International Airport (NAN), and domestic flights/ferries connect to other islands. From the United States, Fiji Airways Fiji Airways operates non-stops from Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW, 13 hours), Honolulu (HNL, seven hours), Los Angeles (LAX, around 11 hours), and San Francisco (SFO, also around 11 hours). In Asia, meanwhile, it has direct ten-hour flights from Hong Kong (HKG), Singapore (SIN; about 10½ hours), (and Tokyo (TYO; nine hours). From Australia it takes around four hours, with flights from/to Sydney (SYD) on not just Fiji Airways but also Jetstar, Qantas, and Virgin Australia; there are also seasonal flights between Nandi and Adelaide (ADL) and Melbourne (MEL). Finally, from Europe there are no nonstops at the moment, so passengers connect via Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, and the USA.
Once here, getting around is surprisingly easy, with good options by air and sea. For longer distances or reaching outer islands, Fiji Airways’ sister airline Fiji Link offers frequent domestic flights from Nadi and Suva to hubs like Taveuni, Vanua Levu (Savusavu/Labasa), Kadavu, and Ovalau, plus small airstrips in the Mamanucas and Yasawas. Scenic seaplane and helicopter transfers also connect major resorts, especially in remote island groups.
By sea, travelers use a mix of ferries, catamarans, and resort-operated boats. The high-speed catamaran from Port Denarau serves the Mamanuca and Yasawa islands efficiently, while larger ferries link Viti Levu to Taveuni, Vanua Levu, Kadavu, and the Lau Group. For close-range transfers, small water taxis and resort boats make island-hopping simple.
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