Best things to do in Fiji
21.07.2023 - 07:41
/ roughguides.com
Sun-drenched beaches, turquoise lagoons, swaying palm trees – Fiji supplies all the classic images of paradise. No wonder, then, that every year thousands of travellers come to this South Pacific archipelago for the ultimate island escape. With over three hundred islands to choose from, Fiji is a versatile destination. Read this guide and discover the best things to do in Fiji.
The information in this article is inspired by The Rough Guide to Fiji , your essential guide for visiting Fiji .
Fiji’s most picturesque village, set deep in the highlands of Viti Levu and home to over two hundred traditional handcrafted bures. The hinterland south of Ba town provides a scenic, mountainous route between Nadi and North Viti Levu. The most interesting feature on this road is the remote village of Navala, home to almost two hundred traditionally thatched bures, and an iconic symbol of Fiji.
To visit the village, introduce yourself to the first person you come across on the roadside – they will take you to the village headman where you pay the village entry fee, which represents a sevusevu and goes towards upkeep of the housing. Strolling around is a delightful experience; the chiefly bures have elaborately designed rooftops and are set in a neat line facing the village green.
The village is surrounded by grass-covered mountains, full of secret caves where townsfolk once retreated in times of war.
Traditional houses of Navala village, Viti Levu island, Fiji © Don Mammoser/Shutterstock
Sipping an ice-cold beer overlooking this stunning bay at sunset is hard to beat.
Savusavu, Vanua Levu’s main tourist centre, is a small one-street town squeezed between rolling hills and a silvery bay. Although it’s not really a beach destination, it’s a popular anchorage for visiting yachts and there’s good scuba diving in the nearby Namena Lagoon.
With several excellent restaurants and bars along the waterfront, peaceful walks in the Savusavu Hills, fabulous snorkelling at Lesiaceva Point and game fishing around the bay, the town makes for a pleasant short stay.
Savusavu provides safe anchorage for yachts visiting Vanua Levu Island, Fiji © Bron Hogan/Shutterstock
Fiji’s Hindu temples come alive throughout the year with vibrant festivals, the most spectacular being at Nadi’s colourful Sri Siva Subrahmanya Swami Temple.
The Thaipusam Festival at Nadi’s Sri Siva Subrahmaniya Swami Temple calls together thousands of Hindu worshippers to celebrate the birthday of Subrahmaniya, or Lord Murugan, the god of war worshipped among South Indians. During the ten-day festival held over the full moon between January and February, devotees arrive at the temple to pray and cleanse their spirits.
Some prove their faith with multiple body piercings