Things to see and do Viti Levu

To win your place of residence in the Archipels and Yasawa archipelagos, or for an unforgettable overview of these islands.

It is a very nice little botanical garden with many rare species of orchids. It is the botanical garden of the late actor Raymond Burr(Perry Mason), who opened it to the public. The tour takes 45 minutes, but the assistance of a guide is often disappointing - he reduces his help to listing the names of the flowers. One should not miss the beautiful collection of orchids, numbering 2,000 on a surface of 20 hectares, which makes it the largest collection in the world.

Previously founded in the Old Town Hall in 1904, the Fiji Museum as we know it today opened in 1955 in Thurston Gardens. The museum houses countless exhibits on the history of Fiji. You'll see artifacts that are over 3,700 years old. Bones, skulls, whale teeth, weapons of war, relics, pottery, photos and an impressive canoe among many others, the drua, from the early ^nineteenth century... A small anthropological trip that allows to discover more about the rites and cultures associated with the Pacific world.

It is a very pleasant walk, in the middle of the tropical vegetation, to meet the birds mainly, but not only. There are also the rarest iguanas in the world and a nursery of young turtles, before they reach 60 kilos as adults... A visit to be made, if possible, at meal times of the animals, to have a chance to feed them yourself. You will leave impressed by the incredible colors of the parrots. A nice visit to make with your family, the children will not fail to be amazed!

In 1905, at the request of the governor of the time, Sir John Thurston, work began on a mound to create a botanical garden. The project manager was John Horne, the botanist of Mauritius. Rearranged and enlarged in 1913, the garden was embellished with the Clock Tower in 1918, erected in honor of the first mayor of Suva, G. J. Marks. In 1916, the garden got its official name of Thurston Garden, in honor of its founder.

It was here that Australian aviator Charles Kingsford Smith landed in 1928. Kingsford was the forerunner of commercial aviation, with his plane, the Southern Cross, in which, on May 31, 1928, he made the first flight across the Pacific. This flight took him from California to Brisbane, Australia, via Hawaii and Fiji, and lasted 8 days! For the record, this public garden is named after Prince Albert of Saxe-Boburg-Gotha, husband of Queen Victoria, and continues to host many cultural and sporting events.

" The sleeping giant "is the name given to the mountains of the Sabeto Valley located north of Nadi and whose shape resembles a man lying on his back. We see, profile, its peaceful face, and then its extended body carved by the mountains. To go to the heart of these mountains and tickle the one who sleeps… but also to discover Nale Sutale, a tiny village whose inhabitants are absolutely charming, ask either Green Turtle (Tel. 672 8889) for $ 145 F or Fiji Eco Tours (Tel. 672 4312).

It is the largest Hindu temple in the southern hemisphere. It is divided into three parts dedicated respectively to the deities Shiva, Ganesh and Murugan. Refurbished at the beginning of 2006, the temple looks like a rainbow in the middle of the city, so bright and colorful it is. In addition to its architecture, we admire the paintings of the ceiling lights. Most of them are due to Sreekandu, a student of Fine Arts from India who came here to exercise his talent in early 2006.

The area is also called the "salad bowl" because only fruits and vegetables grow here. The Sigatoka Valley is deeply eroded by limestone outcrops along its banks. It was a major settlement area centuries ago, its configuration making it a very protected area and therefore easy to defend. The Tavuni Hill Fort is a fine example of the fortified hills that once lined its banks. Most importantly, its river provided a means of communication between the inland and coastal inhabitants.

This is the vessel of the Anaconda Film 2. It is anchored in the lagoon of the Lagoon hotel and, unfortunately, falls somewhat apart. Before it is too late, you can take a look and even drink a drink on board.

This great cultural and commercial centre includes restaurants, a bakery, souvenir shops, an automatic laundry, a beauty salon, a cinema… and a handicraft market with constant demonstrations of the artists who sell their creations. The centre does not end up launching recreational and cultural projects to promote the discovery of national culture and mass tourism in this region still not visited. There are Fijians wearing loincloth and traditional dances and songs. Arts Village offers a very complete day tour at the heart of Fijian life, a kind of spectacle living through the water. We embark on a canoe and stop at the various bure, where characters are waiting for us to talk about wood, fishing, fire…

A demonstration of the men of Beqa, the famous «firewalkers», those who walk on fire, is also offered by the real inhabitants of the island. Although these tourist attractions, if they lack authenticity, allow us to learn a lot about Fijian culture. The reconstructed village is very beautiful and situated in an extremely pleasant setting. But Arts Village is also the Tiki Pool, its swimming pool that makes everyone happy. A compromise between a swimming pool and a sculpture, the Tiki Pool has a slide, a waterfall that escapes from Tiki's mouth, a Jacuzzi and a water bar to which we are dressed in a bikini, the behind in the water! At the same time, the Centre offers activities throughout the day: fishing, cooking courses, volleyball game, botany…

Spinning on the water amid dense, verdant vegetation, lulled into silence (!) by the lapping of the water and amazed by waterfalls gushing from all sides - that's what the Navua River descent promises! The Navua River is located about 8 km from Pacific Harbour. Its source is on the southeastern slopes of Mount Gordon, and the Navua River flows for 65 kilometers.

Organized by a number of tour operators, the excursion is easy to set up according to your wishes. We particularly recommend the Rivers Fiji tour.

There are two pottery villages, and since it is useless to make the same visit twice, choose one of them. Between Lawai Village and Nakabuta Village, we recommend the second one. It is bigger and you will see more clay items. They are generally small handmade clay objects with irregular curves and shapes. We also discover, and especially, a small Fijian village and its particularly friendly and smiling inhabitants, a nice detour! It is also possible to attend pottery demonstrations.

The 45-minute tour is more than enough time to enjoy this magnificent site. It takes us to a height of 30 m for a lovely view of the coast: big waves, the sound of foam crashing against the sand... Before arriving at the dunes, you'll also pass through the forest.

Sand Dunes National Park stretches along the Coral Coast from the mouth of the Sigatoka River to Naqarai Bay, a distance of around 5 km. The dunes stretch for almost 2.5 km and vary in height from 20 to 60 metres. They are much more than just sand dunes: they cover a large part of Fiji's history. Research carried out since the ^mid-19th century, and even more recently, has provided important information on the periods of occupation of the Fiji Islands. The first archaeological digs in the late 1980s unearthed pottery dating back over 2,500 years, as well as one of the largest burial sites in the Pacific. Following this discovery, experts hypothesized that the first inhabitants of this region were of Lapita origin, a nomadic people who colonized many Pacific islands over 3,000 years ago. "Lapita" takes its name from an archaeological site in New Caledonia where similar pottery has been discovered. Whatever the case, this research plays an essential role in establishing a chronology of local and regional history.

Inside, everything is dark, only the torch of the guides illuminates us. Extremely deep, the cave is impressive and the myths that accompany it give you shivers down your spine. It is the last stronghold of the cannibal tribes of Fiji, hundreds of people lived there comfortably: we can observe in particular an altar which hosted the rituals and an oven. The highlight of the show is the thousands of small birds' nests hanging on the wall that we discover when we leave. A pretty and atypical stroll in the time!

Moving deeper into the Sigatoka Valley, one arrives at Tavuni Hill Fort, which was established by the Tongan chief Maile Latamai. The fortified site at Tavuni was maintained until 1875, when war broke out following the signing of the cession act to Britain. In 1876, the fortified village of Tavuni was destroyed by government troops. This place has also kept many testimonies of the period of its settlement and cannibalism. There is a "killing stone" on which the enemy was killed before being eaten.

It is the residence of the President of Fiji and a replica of the one in Sri Lanka, which was under British rule at the same time. The current building was constructed in 1928, after the previous residence was completely destroyed by a fire started by lightning.

Obviously, you can't visit the presidential residence for security reasons, but you will notice the imposing guard, dressed in white "sulu" and a red jacket!

On the same street, you can take a look at the Government Buildings.

The Sacred Heart Cathedral, or simply Suva Cathedral, was built in 1902 with rock from Sydney. Imposing, it is inspired by Romanesque architecture and is covered with stained glass and ornaments. It is the main building of Catholic religion on the island of Viti Levu.

It is difficult to enter, as it is often closed, but try to come a little before the mass hours in order to have a little visit.

Just as wild as paradise, the beach is one of the nicest in Fiji and one of the longest. Dark sand, palm trees, shades of blue on water… We dream.

There are stretches of grassland on a very chaotic path. A beautiful expanse of golden sand awaits us, where it is very pleasant to enjoy. Think of taking water and everything you need, because around there is nothing. We are a long way from the tourist promiscuity of private beaches and that is all the better!