Page 27 - Pacific Paradises 2019

— Fiji —

Labasa

Savusavu
YASAWA VANUA Namale
LEVU
GROUP Waiyevo
NORTHERN TAVEUNI
ISLANDS
Rakiraki NORTHERN LAU
MAMANUCA Lautoka Ba NIAGANI GROUP
GROUP OVALAU
Nadi VITI LEVU

Sigatoka Suva
Korolevu Pacific Harbour KORO SEA
Coral Coast BEQA
SOUTHERN LAU
VATULELE GROUP

KADAVU

FIJI

The Fiji archipelago is comprised and beaches. The old capital of Levuka regions are carpeted in thick, vine-
of 333 islands, located at the on Ovalau Island has been carefully covered forest while the drier, western
crossroads of the South Pacific. preserved as a UNESCO World regions showcase rolling grasslands and
Fiji’s main and largest island Heritage Site. pine-covered hinterland. Typical coastal
is Viti Levu, the next largest The people trees like coconuts and pandanus hug
is Vanua Levu, and together Fiji is the ‘hub’ of the South Pacific, a the coastal regions of every island.
they make up 85 percent of the melting pot of both the Polynesian and Fiji’s unique land fauna includes native
country’s total land area, of Melanesian races. The nation bats, birds, lizards and frogs and is free
which a little over a third of Fiji’s comprises of many different races and of all serious plant and animal pests and
islands are inhabited. people. From 1879 to 1916, under diseases that plague other countries and
British Colonial rule, Indians came endeavours to remain that way.
All the islands have picturesque
coastlines, tall coconut palms nodding as indentured labourers to work on Preserving the beautiful environment
over still waters of brilliant turquoise, the sugarcane plantations. After the is an exercise that the Ministry of
lagoons fringed by coral reefs and soft indentured system was abolished, Agriculture, Fisheries and Forests takes
white sandy beaches. many Indians stayed on as independent very seriously, strictly regulating the
farmers and businessmen. The principal
Capital and major centres language is English, however, Fijian, importation of any matter that may
Fiji’s capital city, Suva, is located on the Hindustani, Chinese and other Pacific affect the country’s plant and animal life.
south-east corner of Viti Levu, although island languages are spoken. Most of The sights
most visitors have their first taste of Fiji the population is bilingual. A striking feature in Nadi is the Hindu
via the international airport at Nadi, Nature temple at the southern end of town.
one of the other major towns on Viti Fiji’s larger islands are volcanic while This is the largest Hindu temple in the
Levu. From there it is only a quick hop smaller islands are coral, limestone or sand southern hemisphere and the traditional
to one of the offshore island resorts, cays. Coral reefs and lagoons abound. Dravidian architecture is rarely seen
or less than an hour of flying time to outside of India. Natadola Beach is
Vanua Levu or Taveuni, the second High mountain ridges in the centre one of the most outstanding beaches in
and third largest islands. Nearby are of the two main islands manipulate Fiji and only a half-hour drive south of
the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands that rainfall leaving regions with marked Nadi. A trip to the Sawa-i-Lau Caves
offer picture-postcard beautiful lagoons vegetation. The rain-drenched eastern in the Yasawas is one of the ‘must-do’

– 25 – www.paradises.com