Ovalau & the Lomaiviti Group
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©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Ovalau & the LomaivitiPOP 12,065 Group Includes ¨ Why Go? Ovalau .............140 Despite its proximity to Viti Levu, the Lomaiviti Group is Levuka .............140 often overlooked as a tourist destination, which is a shame. Lovoni ..............146 It was in Levuka, the capital of the main island Ovalau, that Rukuruku ...........146 the first Europeans settled and eventually made this the country’s first capital. Its wild and immoral colonial days are Arovudi & Silana .....147 long over but you’ll be seduced by its charms and welcoming Naigani .............147 atmosphere – not forgetting its historic centre that won Fiji’s Yanuca Lailai ........148 first World Heritage site listing in 2013. Moturiki ............148 The tiny coral islands of Leleuvia and Caqalai have sandy Caqalai .............148 beaches, good snorkelling and simple budget resorts. To the north is Koro with its fantastic diving, family-oriented Leleuvia ............148 Naigani and the luxury resort of Wakaya island. Hawksbill Wakaya .............149 turtles visit to lay their eggs, and a pod of humpback whales Koro ...............149 passes the east coast of Ovalau on their annual migration between May and September. Unfortunately Ovalau and the Lomaiviti Islands were badly damaged by 2016’s Cyclone Winston. Best Sights ¨ Levuka (p143) ¨ Snake Island (p148) When to Go ¨ Lovoni village (p140) Levuka ¨ Niubasaga (p148) °C/°F Te mp Rainfall inches/mm 40/104 16/400 ¨ Nadelaiovalau Peak (p140) 12/300 30/86 8/200 Best Places to 20/68 Stay 4/100 ¨ Levuka Homestay (p145) 10/50 0 J FDM A M J J A S O N ¨ Bobo’s Farm (p147) ¨ Caqalai Island Resort Feb–Mar Calmest Aug Often the May–Oct Trade (p148) and warmest coolest month winds keep days months with of the year when dry and nights ¨ Leleuvia Island Resort temperatures temperatures can cool. Whales can (p148) hovering around dip below 20°C. be spotted off the 30°C. coast. 4444444 139 VANUA Ù# Nabouwalu \# Savusavu e# 0 20 km 4444LEVU 444 D (30km) 0 10 miles Vuya Passages Nadi Namenalala Passages 4D 444444 Rotuma Namena (600km) V Barrier a B n Reef a u rr a Nola ie L Point r e 4444 R v 444444 e u f# V e Dere Bay at f u-i Koro -ra Ch #–Airstrip an Makogai 444n4e 4 44 #ÝE6 l Channel Makodroga 444444Mako4gai 44 Naigani (Mystery Island) OVALAU THE& #\ Wakaya 44Nato4vi 4444#ÝBlue Ridge #4 Landing Rukuruku Cakau Momo f# Ovalau f# #\ ##\1 Levuka 444Buresa4la #3 444444 Landing Lovoni Korovou Matacaucau #5 Moturiki #\ \# #2 Batiki Lo 4f#4444444Nairai4 Snake Waidalice Naleve MAIVITI GR Landing Island Entrance VITI 4LEVU444 4444 #\Kasavu : f# : B:au : K O R O Gau S E A O D Landing 44: : 4 4444 UP : : D Suva : : Nasilai A (10km) Reef Suva ct (80km) #Ý 4444 444 Nigali Passage IVI T IE 44Ovalau44 & the Lomaiviti4 Group4 Highlights4 S 1Enjoying the rickety of fish and psychedelic 4Eating homegrown colonial architecture of gardens of soft corals while organic food in the rainforest colourful Levuka (p143) and snorkelling Snake Island at Bobo’s Farm (p147). easily imagining its rowdy (p148). 5Getting spiritual with a outpost atmosphere of 3Hiking through river melodious church service at times past. jungles to the proud and Niubasaga village (p148) on 2Spotting Napoleon remote village of Lovoni with remote Moturiki. wrasses, banded sea snakes, Epi’s Tours (p140). phenomenally big schools 2 Activities off Caqalai, in the Moturiki Channel, and ex- Diving & Snorkelling cellent hard coral at Waitovu Passage. The , two minutes by boat from town The Lomaiviti waters offer some wonderful, Pipeline at Levuka Passage, is for experienced divers little-visited dive sites where you can en- only. Here the fishy waste from the Pafco counter manta rays, hammerheads, turtles, tuna plant attracts giant groupers, eagle white-tip reef sharks and lion fish, but at rays and bull sharks. The famous in the the time of writing few resorts offered div- E6 Vatu-i-Ra Channel is a huge pinnacle with ing trips. Blue Ridge, off Wakaya Island, is soft corals and plenty of big pelagics. famous for its bright-blue ribbon eels. There Nigali Passage off Gau island is a narrow channel is stunning soft coral at Snake Island, just .