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Vanua Levu (Great Land of the People) is the second largest of Fiji's 333 islands and seldom visited by travelers. However, Vanua Levu has a lot to offer and a good base for the more adventurous who want to discover the 'real' Fiji, away from the tourist resorts of Viti Levu and the Mamanuca and Yasawa island groups. Vanua Levu is largely a cane growing area with around 20% of Fiji's population. The island has quite good transport services which make it a fairly easy island to visit.
Vanua Levu has an area of about 2,140 square miles. It is divided along its length by a mountain range with peaks rising to more than 3,000 feet. The main towns are Labasa on the north coast and Savu Savu in the south. Savu Savu is a charming town surrounded by copra plantations (Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut) and is famous worldwide for its diving. Situated on the shores of a large picturesque, deep water harbour, it was originally established as ort for sailing ships plying the north-eastern regions of Fiji. Although Labasa is the larger of the two, Savu Savu is more popular with travellers as it is a popular transit point for ferries and flights to other islands.
Gaze across the gloriously blue waters of vast Savusavu Bay, and you may find it hard to understand why there aren't more visitors. |
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