©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Ovalau & the Lomaiviti Group POP 12,064

Why Go? ...... 139 Lomaiviti literally means ‘Middle ’ and although the Levuka ...... 140 group is just off ’s east coast, it really does feel like ...... 145 the middle of nowhere. It is therefore hard to believe that it Rukuruku ...... 145 was in Levuka, the capital of the main island Ovalau, that the fi rst Europeans settled and eventually made this the Arovudi & Silana ...... 146 country’s fi rst capital. Today it’s laid-back and the political Other Lomaiviti machinations long departed, but with the right wind you Islands ...... 146 may yet catch a whiff of the town’s wild and immoral colo- ...... 146 nial days. Lailai ...... 147 South of Ovalau, the tiny coral islands of Leleuvia and ...... 147 Caqalai have sandy beaches, good snorkelling and simple Caqalai...... 147 budget resorts. To the north is Koro with its fantastic diving, Leleuvia ...... 148 family-oriented Naigani and the luxury resort of Wakaya is- Wakaya ...... 148 land. Hawksbill turtles visit to lay their eggs, and a pod of Koro ...... 149 humpback whales passes the east coast of Ovalau on their annual migration between May and September.

Best Places to Stay When to Go » Caqalai Island Resort (p147 ) Levuka °C/°F Te m p Rainfall » Leleuvia Island Resort inches/mm 40/104 16/400 (p 148 ) 12/300 » Levuka Homestay (p 143 ) 30/86

» Royal Hotel (p 143 ) 8/200 » Silana Ecolodge (p147 ) 20/68 4/100

10/50 0 Best Sights J FDNOSAJJMAM » Levuka (p 141 ) Feb–Mar Calm- Aug Often the May–Oct Trade » Snake Island (p 148 ) est and warmest coolest month winds keep days » Lovoni village (p 145 ) months with of the year when dry and nights » Niubasaga (p147 ) temperatures temperatures can cool. Whales can hovering around dip below 20°C. be spotted off the » Nadelaiovalu Peak (p 140 ) 30°C. coast. shy fi , two min- , two ) (p 147 on in the Caqalai, ff ), (p 143 Levuka Levuka S E A Pipeline (p 143 ), ), (p 143 cocktail K O R O Bay Dere , just o Nigali Passage . The Spotting whales from from Spotting whales Getting spiritual with a Royal Hotel Royal Koro c fi 00 20 miles 40 km the terrace of the terrace Homestay Homestay in hand melodious church service at service melodious church village Niubasaga remote Motoriki remote 7 6 at the in the South hotel oldest Paci Naleve Entrance Nola Point Cakau Momo Gau Snake Island Snake ) (p 141 Moturiki Channel, and excellent at hard coral Moturiki waste from the Pafco tuna plant attracts gi- tuna plant attracts the Pafco waste from utes by boat from town at Levuka boat from utes by Passage, the Here is for experienceddivers only. Waitovu Passage Waitovu bright-blue ribbon eels. There eels. ribbon bright-blue soft is stunning coral at ) (p 147 Reef Namenalala Barrier Namena Blue Ridge Blue Wakaya Walking down a down Walking Hiking through river river Hiking through Experiencing Fijian village Fijian village Experiencing Makodroga oors to your bathroom bathroom your to oors noticeable slope on creaking slope on creaking noticeable fl jungles to the proud and the proud to jungles with Lovoni of village remote Tour Midland Epi’s life while staying with Seru while staying life at family and his welcoming Silana Ecolodge 5 3 4 Levuka Nadi Passages Makogai Channel ered diving. sh, but at the time ff fi er some wonderful, ff Lovoni Niabasaga Silana u

f Ovalau LEVU ev

e ) (p 141 and VANUA e Island a L Snake u n r R a rie ) (p 148 V r Moturiki Nasilai Reef a Island) Naigani

B (Mystery Levuka Vuya Passages , is famous for its is Island, Wakaya E6 ff Landing Landing Matacaucau

, o Waidalice Enjoying the rickety the rickety Enjoying Vatu-i-ra Channel Spotting Napoleon Nabouwalu Kasavu Activities sh and psychedelic gardens gardens sh and psychedelic

Ferry to Ellington Wharf easily imagining its rowdy rowdy imagining its easily of atmosphere outpost past times colonial architecture of of architecture colonial colourful wrasses, banded sea snakes, snakes, sea banded wrasses, ofphenomenally big schools fi snorkelling while corals soft of Island Snake 2 Ovalau & the Lomaiviti Group Highlights 1 Natovi VITI Landing To (5km) LEVU DIVING & SNORKELLING & DIVING little-visited dive sites where you can encoun- where you dive sites little-visited turtles, hammerheads, rays, ter manta white- and lion tip reef sharks of writing few resortso

The Lomaiviti o waters 2 Ridge

OVALAU & THE LOMAIVITI GROUP 138