Fiji: Country Roads – Travel News

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By getting off the usual tourist merry-go-round in Fiji, visitors can gain unique insights, writes Eli Orzessek.

Once you spend enough time on the road in Fiji, you’ll notice that the landscape starts to look strange.

The journey started as we left Nadi for Lautoka, stopping at the Sleeping Giant Zipline. We could see the aptly named sleeping giant lounging in the mountains in front of us.

It took me a few seconds to see it, but there he was: a face with its mouth open, its arms crossed, its feet kicked up.

Thanks to the interesting (perhaps intentional?) placement of the power pylons, it looked as if something else was sticking out of the lower end of his tall torso—but hey, it was morning.

Instead of hanging around the resort pool, we headed out to explore around Viti Levu to take in all that Fiji’s largest island has to offer.

As we drove off the main road, the roads got rougher and the cars here were all wildly modified, something that would never be allowed back home – I was happy to be driving a huge 4WD. We passed small villages, schools and sugar cane fields, and every now and then meerkats ran across the road. The meerkats were brought in to control rats that ate the sugar cane, but they became a problem themselves as they began to eat the local snakes.

It’s a bit late now, so you’ll see these strange creatures everywhere. At first glance, it’s easy to mistake them for large lizards.

Navarra is one of the few villages that has preserved its traditional architectural style.

Our first stop is in the foothills of the Sleeping Giant, where the eponymous zip line is set amidst 35 hectares of pristine rainforest.

I’d never done a zipline before, but it’s basically a zipline on steroids – and it proved to be a fantastic way to see the lush nature from a different perspective, with the longest lines lining up above the rushing river.

We were joined by a couple in their 60s, proving that the ride was enjoyable for all ages, if a little intimidating at times. But by the third glide, I had mastered the art of taking mid-air selfies with my brand new iPhone—thanks in part to my travel insurance.

We woke up and set off for Lautoka, also known as Sugar City due to its booming sugarcane industry. It was the perfect place to stop for some sweet and juicy treats. The air in Lautoka’s bustling and colorful market was filled with the scent of fruit, while the surrounding shops sold a wide variety of pirated DVDs. I chewed a refreshing iced pineapple, which was cut open and the stem looked like a fruit lollipop.

Sugar City set the precedent. My trip was filled with sugary treats like fresh pineapple and mango or the slightly more artificial pineapple Fanta that quenched my thirst after too many chili and salt-flavored taro chips.

We continued along Queen’s Road to Ba, where we needed to purchase a special piece of cargo that was very important for our next destination: Kava root, which my guide carefully selected at the local market. This was a savusavu (ceremonial gift) for the chief and his family of the village we were visiting.

One thing everyone comes back to talk about after a trip to Fiji is how friendly the people are there – and that stereotype is certainly true. I quickly lost count of how many times I yelled “Bula!” It was so genuine that it was truly a pleasure to do. As we drove over the bumpy and dusty roads to the village of Navarra, everyone we met turned their heads to smile and wave.

We arrived at Bulou Eco-lodge on the outskirts of Navarra and met Tui, the nephew of the village chief. He was not at home when we arrived, but fortunately, after the hustle and bustle of Lautoka and Ba, it was a good place to wait – except for the singing of birds, the fragrance of flowers all around, and peace. Soon, Tui arrived, bringing a few German tourists with him. When our truck would not start, Tui helped, and we were soon on our way to the main village.

Navarra's young smiling face. — Navarra’s young smiling face.

When we arrived, every child in the village rushed out to greet us, running beside the car as we passed through the thatched houses. Once we parked, it was difficult to get out because we were surrounded by eager faces and smiles.

Navarra is one of the few villages that has retained its traditional thatched house style and we were lucky enough to go inside the building with Tui and some of the village elders for a kava ceremony. It was clearly a residence and contained a small religious shrine with a tapestry of The Last Supper hanging on the wall and pictures of the school nearby.

I had only tried instant kava powder before, so I was eager to try the real thing – pounding the root we bought earlier and scooping it out of a wooden bowl with a coconut shell. While it’s definitely an acquired taste and not for everyone, the fresh flavor is much better. As I took a sip of the coconut shell, the room erupted in applause until it was all gone.

When we returned outside – feeling very relaxed after our kava – we saw two children playing with a ball on a tyre swing while some of the many dogs looked on. It seemed an idyllic place to spend a childhood. There was a small school behind the pitch where a group of teenagers were playing rugby – no doubt inspired by the recent gold medal winning sevens team whose pictures were on the classroom walls.

We were reluctant to leave after such a warm welcome, but we had to get going again. We were heading to the Vanunavu Beach Resort in Rakiraki, on the northern tip of the island. The area was badly hit by Cyclone Winston in 2016, but has since been largely cleaned up and is welcoming visitors.

The resort is right on the beach and offers many water activities, including scuba diving training in the pool – I chose to go snorkeling one morning. It was one of the best snorkeling experiences I’ve ever had, with lots of colorful corals and fish to admire. Afterwards, I was sent to relax on the beach of a nearby island, where I saw some evidence of hurricane damage. I stumbled upon an abandoned backpacker’s hostel, with furniture and decorations scattered on the floor, as if time had stood still.

Back on the mainland, a supermoon rises between the palm trees as I enjoy a Fiji Gold cocktail on deck.

The next day we set out for Suva, but first we had to complete a mission. According to my guide, mangoes are much cheaper in the north than in Suva, so we went to nearby villages. Whenever we saw a mango tree on a piece of land, we stopped and asked the people there if we could buy some. After about half an hour, bags of mangoes were piled on the back seat and the aroma filled the car.

We take the scenic road to Suva. The Queen’s Road is quicker and more popular, but the King’s Road is equally scenic. The road takes about two and a half hours and passes through lush, rugged countryside, with views of the Wainebuka River and the occasional village along the way.

The radio was on and off until we got closer to the capital, when things started to get busy.

We passed the funky Government House, a Georgian mansion that is the home of Frank Bainimarama, and then we went to the Fiji Museum. The museum has some interesting artefacts and is well worth a visit to learn more about the country’s history and culture.

The Governors Museum, Fiji’s only museum-themed museum, tells you more about history
The restaurant is located in an old colonial manor. I had a delicious lunch of squid and otah (a local water fern, spicy and crunchy).

Soon, however, we were on the road again, leaving Suva for Pacific Harbour and heading back to Nadi. Along the way, we sped past my favourite anti-drunk driving billboard: a cracked egg with blood gushing out of it. “Drive like an egg, die like an egg” it read, with Bainimarama smiling in the corner.

The mountains began to change shape again. My guide pointed out a peak that looked like a thumb – officially Joske’s Thumb. When I read more about it later, I discovered it had even beaten Sir Edmund Hillary on his first try. Like him, it had even once appeared on a banknote – on the 2012 Fijian $10 note.