Vanua

Taveuni and Vanua Levu travel guide | Fiji travel

Vanua Levu and Taveuni are the lost borders of Fiji. Formerly the center of Europe's extraction and resulting trading in coppra (coconut oil), they are far away from major stream tourist destinations and provide a great chance for adventurous trips. With 5587 km² Vanua Levu, Fiji's second biggest isle, is characterized by extensive landscapes and has only two cities, Labasa and Savusavu.

Ahead of Vanua Levu's south-east coastline lies the jagged, wooded Taveuni, Fiji's third biggest isle, but not even a 10th the area of its neighbor. Taveuni, called "Garden Island", is overshadowed by the impressive Bouma National Heritage Park, a real attraction for walkers and birdwatchers. One of the best diving spots in the worid is located between the two isles, the Rainbow reef, while the Great Sea Ref, the third biggest system of corals in the worid, stretching over two hundred thousand sq.km. lies off the northern bank of Vanua Levus.

Because of the hospitableness of the local population Vanua Levu and Taveuni are often called "The Friendly North", although the realities of living here are not quite as cute. Over the past few years, the island has been affected by storms and floods and declining price levels for sugars and coppers, offering little opportunity to the younger generations, many of whom have come to Viti Levu in need of work.

Jackson Levu Isle | Isle, Fiji

The second biggest of Fiji's islands, Vanua Levu Iceland borders the Koro Sea in the South Pacific, 40 mi (64 km) north-east of Viti Levu islet. In 1643 the Flemish Vanua Levu ("Great Land") was formerly known as Sandalwood Isle. Nasorolevu (1,032 metres) is the main chain of mountains that divide the islands into humid (south-east) and arid (north-west) stretches.

The Natewa Bay, on the eastern shore, intersects deep into the isle to make a penninsula out of its northeastern edge, while the southern shore is divided by the wide Savusavu and Wainunu coves. The most important city on the northern coastline, Labasa (Lambasa) is the most important settlement and administration center and trading harbour; Savusavu, on the south-east coastline, is the formal entrance dock.

You will find airfields in both cities and several other airfields around the isle. The Vanua Levu company exported sugars, rices, citrus and cobra. The Udu (Undu) Point in the north-east was used for mining until the reserves were depleted in the mid-1960s.