White tip reef shark at Nasonisoni Passage, west of Savusavu, Vanua Levu.

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Vanua Levu

Though it’s Fiji’s second-largest island, Vanua Levu (Big Island) is one of the tropics’ best-kept secrets. It’s another world from the bustle of Viti Levu and the more-touristed islands: many roads are little more than rutted dirt tracks, and Labasa, the island’s largest ‘city’, is a one-street strip of shops. To the south, Savusavu entices yachties, divers and dreamers looking for a tropical idyll. The rest of ‘Big Island’ is given over to sugarcane and copra plantations, hideaway villages, mountain passes streaming with waterfalls, endless swaths of forest and an ever-changing coastline forgotten by the world. Take it slow, keep a smile on your face and savour rural Fiji on its grandest scale.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Wasavula Ceremonial Site

    Wasavula Ceremonial Site

    Vanua Levu

    This site has a cryptic – and cannibalistic – history. At the entrance, there's a sacred monolith that villagers believe grew from the ground; behind is a…

  • Naag Mandir Temple

    Naag Mandir Temple

    Vanua Levu

    The sacred 3m-high Cobra Rock is housed inside the vibrant Naag Mandir Temple. It's draped with flower-and-tinsel garlands, and offerings are placed at…

  • Nukubolu

    Nukubolu

    Vanua Levu

    Deep in the mountains north of Savusavu, reachable by 4WD, lie the ruins of Nukubolu, an ancient Fijian village whose stone foundations, terraces and…

  • Waisali Rainforest Reserve

    Waisali Rainforest Reserve

    Vanua Levu

    Nestled in the mountains north of Savusavu, this 120-ha reserve is home to thousands of birds, flowers, trees and plants, some of which are used in local…

  • Floating Island

    Floating Island

    Vanua Levu

    This house-sized island floats on a pond during high winds or, if you believe local lore, when a priest chants at it. The real reason to come here is to…

  • Tunuloa Silktail Reserve

    Tunuloa Silktail Reserve

    Vanua Levu

    Home to the rare silktail bird, found only on this peninsula and on Taveuni. The silktail has sadly made it onto the world’s endangered-species list, with…

  • Korovatu Beach

    Korovatu Beach

    Vanua Levu

    From Naag Mandir Temple, head down through dense coconut trees and past the lounging cows to Korovatu Beach. It's the closest stretch of sand to Labasa…

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