Culture of Viti Levu Island. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

As you get to the capital of the island – Suva – where about a half of Viti Levu and the whole archipelago’s population live, find some time to visit the Fiji Museum. The museum is a rather peculiar building which is dedicated to the country’s history and culture. Here you can see a great number of fascinating artefacts created by the locals’ ancestors and learn the island’s history since the day first settlers came till today. Moreover, the museum’s exhibition proves that the island has a rich past except for Europeans’ first arrival. There are also fossilised shell remains and stuffed animals that inhabited the island’s territory in different periods. A thirteen-metres-long canoe that is more than 100 years old is exhibited there as well.

Thurston Gardens is must-visit for those who are starving for learning everything about the local flora. Local plants as well as those which don’t’ grow on Fiji but still represent the Pacific flora, endangered species and just those that were never brought here can be seen in the gardens. Besides, there are about 80 parks in the capital city, so there is plenty of space to walk around and enjoy local views. One of the most attractive is the Albert Park. It’s located in the exact same place where Charles Kingsford Smith’s plane landed during his famous flight between Hawaii and Fiji.

Then, many tourists like the government building which is designed pretty unusual and combines modern administrative features and traditional national elements. Furthermore, the building is partially open for public visits. The Sacred Heart Cathedral is really marvellous from the outside, it was built in 1902 and has been working for more than a century. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Suava is not just the Viti Levu Island’s capital but also a large port from where one can get to the adjacent islands. For instance, you can get to Orchid island where the Polynesian Orchid Island Cultural Centre is located. Here you can learn about traditional Pacific crafts and, what is more, buy a nice memento by local craftsmen. There is a small touristic park too. In addition, a trip to Beqa Island inhabited by Sawau would be a really nice one. A bright half-ritual ceremony during which members of the community do a nice coal walk is performed here for tourists every day. The oldest Christian church of the archipelago is also on Beqa.

Nadi is not just the first time you’ll stay by as you arrive at Fiji. It’s also a cultural centre that attracts Hindus who come here from the archipelago and all the neighbouring territories. And, there is the thirty-meters-high Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple. The temple consists of three parts which were built in honour of Lord Murugan, Ganesh and Minakshi. The temple is believed to be the largest one in the Southern Hemisphere.

Also, don’t miss a chance to see Lautoka – the local Sugar City. It’s particularly famous as a sugar-production centre. Here you can join a tour group and have an excursion to the sugar factory or just explore the way sugar mill (was constructed in 1903 and still functions) works on your own. There is also a large Hare Krishna temple which is always crowded with pilgrims here on Lautoka. You can have a free vegetarian lunch here and, moreover, it would be very gracious to make a modest donation.

One more place that is definitely worth visiting is the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park. The area covers 650 hectares and is also a significant centre for the local archaeology. Sixty 2500 years old burials were found right here. Diverse tools, weapons and crockery that belonged to the local population that used to live here during the settlement period were also found in this place. The Naihehe Caves as well as a dozen of fortified Tonganian villages – one of which is Tavuni Fort – are located in the Sand Dunes.

The local museum with its various exhibitions is certainly worth seeing too. There is also a grave of the famous cannibal who ate more than 3000 people on Viti Levu. Partially saved Momi Bay Battery is a really fascinating war memorial. Weapon, dugouts and trenches dug by American soldiers during World War II can also be seen here. Naililili Missionary School looks extremely magnificent standing far from the city buzz.