Fiji Islands Travel Guide | Discover the Islands

Lomaiviti Group

The Lomaiviti Group is a combination of ‘Living History’ with Levuka, the first capital of Fiji located on the main island Ovalau and numerous resorts and backpackers on several other islands, some luxurious enough to attract Hollywood stars and others more inclined toward the average traveler.

The first known European sighting of the Lomaiviti Group was recorded in May 1789 by Captain William Bligh who was on his epic voyage in a life boat to Timor having been cast adrift by his crew in the Mutiny on the Bounty. He completed his survey of the area when he returned in 1792 in HMS Providence.

The group known as ‘Fiji’s Big Fish Capital’ comprises seven main islands, Namenalala, Makogai, Koro, Wakaya, Batiki, Nairai, Gau, Ovalau and Moturiki together with smaller islands dotted and here and there.

Levuka – Fiji’s Living History

Levuka is an isolated oval-shaped volcanic island almost in the middle of the Fiji Islands Group. Rudyard Kipling wrote at the turn of the last century, “The palm-grove’s droned lament, Before Levuka’s Trade,” bemoaning the loss of Levuka’s natural serenity after she turned into a trading port.

Bay of Angels, Gau Island

Long gone is the copra trade replaced by the fishing industry and processing and fishing cannery that is now the islands lifeblood. Today Levuka acts as a market, service provider, transport and recreational centre for the villages and islands of the Lomaiviti Group. For our visitors, Levuka provides a unique opportunity to step back in time and re-visit Fiji’s history.

Levuka, Ovalau, Lomaiviti... the heart of Fiji...

Rustic and peaceful, the laidback pace of the Lomaiviti Group is infectious and travellers tend to stay here far longer than they intended

Lomaivitis' Smaller Islands

Caqalai Island
Caqalai, takes about 10 minutes to walk around and is home to basic backpackers with 12 simple bures, a communal fridge and BYO drinks. Visit the local church on Sunday and enjoy the evening lovo (underground cooking).

Leleuvia Island
A lovely 17-hectare island with an atypical tropical island beach and coconut trees. A backpackers with basic facilities is on the island and the beach, snorkeling and diving are great. Here you can get a Nautilus’ PADI open-water certification course for F$390 but only if several people are booked.

Moturiki Island
The body of 2,600 year-old female skeleton was found on the south-east coast in 2002 together with fragments of Lapita pottery indicating a connection with the Santa Cruz Islands in the Solomons dating back as far as 3,170 years. The best beaches are on the east side of the island but camping is discouraged.

Naigani Island
Just 11kms off Viti Levu Naigani has wonderful pristine beaches with only one Fijian village. A comfortable resort with a great meal plan is located on the island and has some of the best snorkeling in Fiji.

Yanuca LaiLai (small) Island
The first 463 indentured Indian born laborers landed at Yanuca Lailai in 1879 and with the advent of smallpox and cholera on the ship the immigrants spent two months in quarantine on this island. A backpackers and camping ground are available.

Gau Island
The fifth-largest island in Fiji and home to 16 villages and 13 settlements. It has its very own hot-spring swimming pool or hike to Somosomo village for a swim in a natural bathing pool. The remains of one of the only surviving pagan temples (bure kalou) in Fiji is located by the road junction at Sawaieke and the “weather stone” is on the beach five minutes from Yadia village. “Bad weather is certain if you step on it or hit it with another stone.” A designer resort is under construction with an artist retreat concept. Great snorkeling on this island.

Batiki Island
Batiki is surrounded by a barrier reef but it has no safe water anchorage for ships. Four Fijian villages are located on Batiki. Village and accommodation may be available but not a sure thing.

Koro Island
Koro is shaped like a shark’s tooth, houses a lighthouse at Muanivanua Point and has 14 Fijian villages on the island. The coast is overwhelmed by coconut and mango trees with higher ground smothered by giant tree ferns and thick rainforest. Koro has a resort with three bungalows and a 3-bedroom house and diving is available. Koro’s airport is a unique experience in that you land uphill and take off downhill – good to get a bit of a run-up.

Makogai Island
Makogai was once a leper colony run by Catholic nuns with many of the old buildings still standing. In the patients’ cemetery lies Mother Marie Agnes the “kindly tyrant” who ran the facility for 34 years and was honored by both the British and French governments with their highest decoration as was Maria Filomena, a Fijian sister who worked for another 30 years at the colony after contracting the disease herself. Today Makogai is owned by the Department of Agriculture and runs an experimental sheep farm.

Nairai Island
There are 7 villages on this island and are well known for their handicrafts. In 1808 the brigantine Eliza was wrecked here and among the survivors was Charles Savage who served as a mercenary for the chiefs of Bau until he fell foul of some of the local cannibals. There is a resort on the island that is only awaiting finalization of government approvals to open its doors.

Wakaya Island
In the old days a hill fort was located at Wakaya’s highest point to warn the locals on the impending arrival of Vanua Levu cannibals. History also has it that a young chief threw himself off the edge of a cliff that was appropriately renamed Chieftain’s Leap, to avoid capture by cannibals. It has become unerringly obvious from history’s chronicles that the major occupation in those days was to avoid being barbequed by the locals.

Wakaya Island is home to one of Fiji’s exclusive resorts, a recluse for the rich and famous including the likes of Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, Bill Gates and Celine Dion. Wakaya, where the red deer run wild and free.