Viti Levu

Viti Levu (Great Fiji) is the largest and most populated of Fiji's 333 islands. Viti Levu Fiji has a total land area of 6,518 square miles. Almost 70% of all Fiji inhabitants and over half the land mass of Fiji are located in Viti Levu.

In addition to Fiji hotels and resorts, Viti Levu has cities, villages, remote beaches, beautiful inlands, tropical rainforests, sugarcane fields and much more. Here you will find spectacular diving, fishing, hiking, camping and surfing.

Suva (150,000) is the capitol of Fiji and the largest city in the South Pacific. It has a variety of restaurants and accommodations and is home to the famous Suva Handicraft Markets. While Suva is an urban city, Nadi is known as Nadi Town. Surrounded by cane fields, Nadi has a kilometre of duty free tourist stores, a colorful market and a number of good restaurants, coffee shops and bars. 20 minutes drive south of Nadi is Denarau Island, a man-made development of waterways and gardens. It's home to one of the world's finest golf courses. Ten minutes further south is Sonaisali Island, a stylish, laid-back resort on a private island just 1000 feet off the mainland. The Coral Coast runs along the southern shores and is home to the world's second largest single reef. Snorkelling and scuba diving here is excellent. There are a number of resorts that cater for families and couples. Sigatoka Sigatoka is the main town in the area. There's a lively market and is famous for pottery which can be found in nearby villages. Upriver from Sigatoka is a wide valley known as 'The Salad Bowl' because of the rich market gardens. For a driving experience, take a 4WD from Sigatoka, over the mountains to Raki Raki on the north coast. Allow half a day at least to take in the spectacular scenery and traditional villages. It's a picturesque, tranquil area still untouched by commercialism with some excellent diving.

Map of Vitu Levu

Popular Activities on Viti Levu

Pacific Harbour, in the heart of the Coral Coast along the southern edge of Viti Levu and about 50 km west of Suva, promotes itself as the Adventure Capital of Fiji. For such a small, little developed village, there really is a lot to do from here, besides being the main launch point of most diving tours out to Beqa Lagoon. For instance, there's a shark feeding concession, where you can dive with eight different types of shark, including bull sharks and tiger sharks - one of a very few places in the world where you can do this.

If you'd like to extend your life expectancy just a little, you can canoe the Navua River for genuinely adventurous river rafting and kayaking trips in the Namosi Highlands. An exhilarating journey down the river, past villages and rainforests, and through grade III rapid-filled gorges. Dare to plunge off the towering, waterfall cascades? Take the opportunity to see some of the Fijian wildlife with wild river ducks, and black and white herons.

If you enjoy the wind in your hair, take a jetski tour across the 12 km passage to Beqa Island to enjoy snorkeling the shallow reefs there, take in the sights and try your hand at waterskiing.

For more sedate interests, join a cultural village tour and learn about age-old customs and traditions such as the Kava ceremony, war dances, mat plaiting and traditional handicrafts, and herbal medicine farms. Round it all off with a sumptuous island Lovo - earthen oven

Mountain biking in the Sabeto foothills can be relatively gentle and is a great way to see around, taking in jungle, waterfalls, Natadola Beach and even a visit to a local village.

Sigatoka offers horse riding and surfing as well as a visit to Tavuni Hill Fort which was the original home of an old Tongan clan and now serves as an information centre where you can learn all about the locals' heritage and flesh-eating past.

For hikers and nature-lovers a trek through the Koroyanitu National Heritage Park in the highlands is a must. Waterfalls, archeological sites, bird-watching and breath-taking views all conspire to keep you rapt as you hike through this beautiful countryside.

One of the most fascinating sights is the spectacle of the firewalkers of Beqa (pronounced 'Benga'). This can be witnessed both on Beqa Island itself and in the Pacific Harbour area. It is quite something to behold the serenity of the men who step slowly over the burning, white-hot stones and receive no burns or pain whatsoever.

Suva, on the east coast, is the country's capital and has less island charm and more smog than elsewhere, although it does have libraries, museums and cultural centres, in addition to the interesting colonial architecture.

Nadi (pronounced 'Nandy') lies on the west coast, 170 km from and opposite Suva by road. Don't plan on spending much time here as it really only serves the purpose of a stop-off for international flights to and from Fiji.