Ovalau & the Lomaiviti Group
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Ovalau & the Lomaiviti Group POP 12,064 Why Go? Ovalau ........................... 139 Lomaiviti literally means ‘Middle Fiji’ and although the Levuka .......................... 140 group is just off Viti Levu’s east coast, it really does feel like Lovoni ............................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- Naigani ..........................146 nial days. Yanuca Lailai .................147 South of Ovalau, the tiny coral islands of Leleuvia and Moturiki .........................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 (p 147) 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 (p 147 ) 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 (p 147 ) temperatures temperatures can cool. Whales can hovering around dip below 20°C. be spotted off the » Nadelaiovalu Peak (p 140 ) 30°C. coast. 138 2 Activities bright-blue ribbon eels. There is stunning soft DIVING & SNORKELLING coral at Snake Island, just off Caqalai, in the The Lomaiviti waters off er some wonderful, Moturiki Channel, and excellent hard coral at little-visited dive sites where you can encoun- Waitovu Passage. The Pipeline , two min- ter manta rays, hammerheads, turtles, white- utes by boat from town at Levuka Passage, tip reef sharks and lion fi sh, but at the time is for experienced divers only. Here the fi shy of writing few resorts off ered diving. Blue waste from the Pafco tuna plant attracts gi- Ridge, off Wakaya Island, is famous for its Nabouwalu VANUA LEVU 0 40 km 0 20 miles Vuya Passages Nadi Passages Namenalala Ferry to Namena Ellington V Barrier Wharf B an Reef OVALAU & THE LOMAIVITI GROUP GROUP LOMAIVITI THE & OVALAU a r ua L Nola rie r R ev Point u ee Koro Dere Vatu-i-ra Channelf Bay Makogai Channel E6 Makodroga Makogai Naigani (Mystery Island) Silana Blue Ridge Wakaya Cakau Momo Natovi Ovalau Levuka Landing Lovoni Korovou Moturiki Matacaucau Niabasaga Batiki Snake Nairai Waidalice Island Naleve Landing Entrance VITI LEVU Kasavu Gau Bau Landing K O R O S E A To Suva (5km) Nasilai Reef Nigali Passage Ovalau & the Lomaiviti Group Highlights 1 Enjoying the rickety 3 Hiking through river at the Royal Hotel (p 143 ), colonial architecture of jungles to the proud and oldest hotel in the South colourful Levuka (p 141 ) and remote village of Lovoni with Pacifi c easily imagining its rowdy Epi’s Midland Tour (p 141 ) 6 Spotting whales from outpost atmosphere of 4 Experiencing Fijian village the terrace of Levuka times past life while staying with Seru Homestay (p 143 ), cocktail 2 Spotting Napoleon and his welcoming family at in hand wrasses, banded sea snakes, Silana Ecolodge (p 147 ) 7 Getting spiritual with a phenomenally big schools of 5 Walking down a melodious church service at fi sh and psychedelic gardens noticeable slope on creaking Niubasaga village (p 147 ) on of soft corals while snorkelling fl oors to your bathroom remote Motoriki Snake Island (p 148 ).