 Viti Levu Travel Guide Nadi Airport and Around Nadi Airport on the dry and sunny west coast of Viti Levu is the arrival point for all tourists to Fiji. Unfortunately it is a rather uneventful town, set slightly inland from an ordinary beach. Nadi sprawls along a busy road lined with hotels, motels, restaurants, a couple of bars and sub division housing estates. It's a pretty bland place although the mountain views are nice. However, Nadi does make a great base for exploring the surrounding countryside and offshore islands and offers the cheapest resort rooms in Fiji making it an ideal base for a budget holiday. It also offers the lifestyle resorts of Denarau Island which boasts three Sheraton Resorts, a Sofitel, a Hilton, marina, restaurants, boutique shops and a championship golf course with grass tennis courts. The Coral Coast Fiji's Coral Coast has the largest concentration of beach resorts in the country, with both large and small resorts and lots of organized day tours. Located between 50 minutes and 2 hours drive from Nadi International Airport, the Coral Coast is the ideal holiday destination for families or those who don't want to travel far from the international airport. It is also a great base for mixing a beach and sightseeing holiday and offers excellent value for money compared to the offshore islands. Pacific Harbour and Suva City Beyond the Coral Coast, 40-minutes by road from the capital of Suva, is Pacific Harbour. This expatriate community has several resorts, independent restaurants and a championship golf course set at the foot of stunning rainforested mountains. The south eastern coast gets more rainfall being Leeward side of the island and consequently the rainforest is lush and vibrant. Pacific Harbour is a great centre for exploring with several river and village tours into the interior as well as a large cultural centre. There are several dive, surf and fishing operators to the excellent Beqa Reef. Suva, the capital, is a cosmopolitan city set alongside an attractive harbour. There are a few attractive buildings, an excellent museum, and some good shops but there is no beach and only a couple of resorts - most accommodation here is hotel-style for businessmen or hostels. The entire east coast beyond Suva has no attractions and most of the coast is mangrove forests. North Viti Levu The North Coast, sometimes referred to as the Sunshine Coast, is the driest area on the main island, and the least developed. Much of the area is dominated by sugar cane farms and the sugar towns of Rakiraki, Tavua and Ba are quiet trading towns with majority Indian population. The mountains beyond the sugar belt are steeped in traditional legends and here you'll find some very traditional Fijian villages and lovely mountain scenery. One of the highlights is visiting the traditional Navala Village inland from Ba Town with its 100 plus thatch houses. There are virtually no hotels along this coast, few beaches and few tourist attractions. However, the coast and mountains are very scenic and the lack of tourism brings more authenticity to your travels. Nananu-i-Ra Island is a good spot to stop over for a few days to break the journey along the north coast. The small island lies just 10-minutes off the coast from Rakiraki (about 3-4 hour drive from Nadi Airport) and has a three budget / backpacker resorts. The beaches are some of the best around Viti Levu and there's excellent scuba diving . The grassy hills are good for exploring and offer great views and some archaeological sites. It is possible to walk around the entire island in a day. Tour Companies The only tour companies providing tours all the way around Viti Levu is Fiji Experience with adventure style overnight tours in air-conditioned buses. Their circle around the main island of Viti levu visiting scenic and cultural attractions along the way in a 4 day adventure. Local Tour Companies Getting Around Viti Levu Flights around Viti Levu There are two airports on Viti Levu - at Nadi on the west coast and Nausori, 30-minutes drive from Suva City on the east coast. There are hourly connections between the two which take 30 minutes and cost around F$180 one way. Car Hire Companies There are a number of car hire offices at Nadi Airport and several more in Nadi Town. All agents have offices in Suva. There is a drop off charge if returning to another office. Most companies have substantial excess charges in cases of accidents and will not cover for accidents / breakdowns on dirt roads which accounts for almost all roads away branching off the Queens / Kings Highway. Car hire costs around F$120 per day with unlimited mileage, insurance and all hidden extras included. Local Car Hire Companies Taxis and Buses on Viti Levu Taxis are cheap and easy to find in the main towns are always on stand by at the airport and resorts. A taxi fare from Nadi to Suva, a three hour journey, costs about F$80. Public and tourist buses run frequently along the southern coast between Nadi and Suva. A few bus companies serve the northern coast. Buses are extremely cheap. The fare from Nadi to Suva, a four hour bus journey, costs only F$15. |
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