Dean Starnes - Lonely Planet Fiji

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Fiji is surely every beach bums vision of nirvana. Palm-fringed beaches, fish-packed reefs and smiling locals: pack your swimsuit and sunscreen, these sunny isles are so warm they sizzle.

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Horse riding on the Coral Coast, Viti Levu

Fiji has been in the tourism business for decades, drawing vacationers like pilgrims to a holy land with its promise of white-sand beaches, cloudless skies and the opportunity to fall into a sun-induced coma under a palm tree.

The perennial favourites are the Mamanuca and Yasawa islands, which arc north like a stingrays tail from the body of Fijis main island, Viti Levu. These are Fijis movie stars, dangled in front of the world as idyllic South Sea Edens, their reefs and cobalt-blue waters providing cinematic eye candy for films such as Tom Hanks Cast Away and Brooke Shields vehicle to stardom The Blue Lagoon. It is therefore little wonder that, despite a coup in 2006, Fijis beaches remain flushed with sunburnt tourists.

Fijis underwater scenery is spectacular and some of the finest, and most accessible dives in the Pacific can be found here. Its reputation as the soft coral capital of the world is well justified and its countless reefs, drop-offs, walls and channels will have even experienced divers and snorkellers ohhhing and ahhing into their mouthpieces.

Fiji is also a great surfing destination and now that its surf breaks are open to all, the legendary waves of Cloudbreak, Swimming Pools and Frigates are free to be enjoyed by anyone experienced and brave enough to take them on.

But the beaches as lovely as they are are only part of what Fiji has to offer. To get to grips with the national psyche you have to spend some time on the mainland. Two-thirds of the population live in urban centres and it is on Viti Levu that youll find the countrys two cities: Suva, the capital, and Lautoka, a port town reliant on the sugar-cane farms that surround it. Suvas nightlife and large student population give it a youthful if unexpected vibe.

Those who take their time will discover that there are ample opportunities to stretch the legs and climb a mountain, visit an orchid garden, raft down a river, soak in a hot spring or visit a village. Two islands begging for exploration are Taveuni known as the Garden Island because of its abundant tropical growth and beautifully weathered mountains and further south, Kadavu. Life here revolves around the church, the village, the rugby field and the garden. Explorers in these parts are rewarded with meeting some of the warmest and most hospitable people in the Pacific.

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Local life, Yasawa island

Hot sun, tepid turquoise sea and cold refreshments are the order of the day in the Mamanuca and Yasawa island groups, off Fijis west coast. Close to Viti Levu, the Mamanucas () beckon with crystal-clear lagoons, ruggedly handsome landscapes, remote villages and heavenly beaches to get stranded on.

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Underwater Fiji

Even seasoned snorkellers are impressed by the water clarity, which can extend to 30m and beyond, and top facilities ensure that divers keep their logbooks full. From thrilling encounters with massive bull sharks in Beqa Lagoon to sedate drifts over the Great Astrolabe Reef, Fiji has a diverse selection of dives to choose from (). No matter if you are the hard-core or the soft-coral type, Fijian dive-masters will know just the spot to thrill.

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Longnose hawkfish

Suva

Steamy Suva offers a multicultural mix of colonial and contemporary Fiji (). Gracious old buildings and monuments sketch the citys early history along a lively waterfront and harbour. Downtown boasts both air-con shopping malls and crowded handicraft stalls. Open-air eateries and fine dining restaurants get their supplies from the colourful chaos of the dont-miss municipal market. Night owls can sip sunset cocktails at modern bars then dance to the beat of a different drum at loud and lively local nightclubs.

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LONELY PLANET IMAGES
Municipal Market, Suva

Navala Village

The drive up to Navala, which is nestled in a valley high in the Nausori Highlands (), is a treat in itself. Navala is Fijis most striking village and the countrys last bastion of traditional architecture. From the chiefs house to the outhouses, all buildings are constructed using age-old techniques that make use of woven bamboo walls, thatched roofs and ropes made of fibre from the surrounding bush. Cooking on an open fire, village women serve up a ser ious local lunch thats been caught, picked and harvested from the gardens.

GREG VAUGHN / ALAMY

Sawa-i-Lau Cave

A lone limestone island among the volcanic Yasawas, Sawa-i-Lau () hides a secret in its hollow caverns and grottoes: carvings, paintings and inscriptions of unknown age and meaning. Theyre accessible with a torch and a guide (and a shot of courage) by swimming through a short underwater passage from the caves main chamber. Those less-submarine-inclined can swim in a more relaxed style, as Brooke Shields did in the 1980 movie The Blue Lagoon, in a clear pool beneath the caves domed ceiling.

DAVID SUTHERLAND / CORBIS

Local Life

Few travellers escape without downing at least one coconut shell of kava, but culturally Fiji has a lot more to offer than a few kava sessions around a tanoa