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Soft and table corals under clear blue water on the Rainbow Reef in the Somosomo Strait

Sample journey · 10–11 days

The garden island and a strait of soft coral: Savusavu and Taveuni

Vanua Levu and Taveuni: Fiji's green side of waterfalls, reefs and villages

Photo: Johnny Africa / Unsplash

Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.

Many travellers know Fiji from the Mamanuca and Yasawa islands, the white beaches near Nadi. This journey flies further, to the northeast, where a small plane reaches two greener, slower islands. Savusavu on Vanua Levu is an old copra-trading town, a bay for yachts and hot springs right on the waterfront. Taveuni is the 'garden island', its volcanic mountains wrapped in rainforest, with trails linking waterfalls and villages along the coast.

Between them lies the Somosomo Strait, where currents feed some of the world's best-known soft-coral reefs. The journey is for couples and honeymooners who want more than rest: walking, swimming and a sense of village life. Stays here are mostly small, a few cottages by a bay or on a hill above the sea, so we'd choose them according to whether privacy, diving or the view matters most to you.

The route

The journey

  1. Nadi
  2. Fly to Savusavu (Vanua Levu)
  3. Taveuni
  4. Bouma & Lavena
  5. Somosomo Strait
  6. The Coral Coast (Viti Levu)
  7. Nadi

  1. 01Days 1–4 · Nadi & Savusavu

    A bay where the shore steams

    After the long journey, one quiet night near Nadi airport, then the next morning a flight of about an hour in a small plane over the islands to Savusavu. Three nights by a bay where yachts from all over the world lie at anchor. In the mornings, snorkelling on the reef, a walk through the market selling kava, taro and fish, and hot springs whose steam rises straight from the stones on the waterfront. One day for a rainforest trail in the hills above town, or a pearl farm in the bay where dark, iridescent pearls are grown. The evenings are long and quiet.

  2. 02Days 4–7 · Taveuni: Bouma & Lavena

    Waterfalls on village land

    A short flight, or a road and ferry across the strait, then four nights on Taveuni. On the east coast lies the Bouma National Heritage Park, cared for by the local villages: a trail past the three Tavoro waterfalls, each with its own pool for swimming, the path growing wilder the further you go. The next day, the Lavena Coastal Walk, about five kilometres along black-sand beaches and rainforest to a waterfall that drops straight into a gorge. Along the way, the 180th meridian, where one foot stands in yesterday and the other in today. In the villages we follow local custom: shoulders and knees covered, hats off, and a guide introduces us to the village headman.

  3. A shoal of fish above soft corals on the Rainbow Reef in the Somosomo Strait

    03Days 7–9 · The Somosomo Strait

    The Rainbow Reef

    The strait between Taveuni and Vanua Levu is why divers come here from all over the world: currents carry food to the soft corals, turning the reef pink, violet and orange. For divers, the Rainbow Reef and its famous White Wall, if currents and experience allow; for snorkellers, calmer sites and a village-managed marine park where local guides explain how they are restoring the reef. The last day on the island is free: a hammock, dinner on the shore and, for those who want it, a hard hike to a mountain lake where the rare tagimaucia flower grows.

  4. Soft evening light over the sea and a sandy beach at Korolevu on Viti Levu's Coral Coast

    04Days 9–11 · The Coral Coast

    Two nights with no plan at all

    A flight back to Nadi and an hour or an hour and a half by road to the Coral Coast on the south of Viti Levu, or, if you'd like one more island, a short boat ride to the Mamanucas. The last two nights are for rest: a morning swim in the lagoon, a massage, a long lunch and sunset over the sea. For those who want it, the Sigatoka Sand Dunes or an evening in a village with a lovo feast cooked in an earth oven. On the last day, back to Nadi and the flight home.

Experience highlights

  1. 01

    The Tavoro waterfalls

    Three waterfalls and three pools in rainforest cared for by the villages of Bouma.

  2. 02

    The Lavena Coastal Walk

    Black-sand beaches, forest and a waterfall at the end of the trail.

  3. 03

    The Rainbow Reef

    The colours of the soft corals in the Somosomo Strait, diving or snorkelling.

  4. 04

    Savusavu's hot springs

    Steam rising from the waterfront stones and yachts in the bay.

First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.

Make it your own

  • For divers

    More days on Taveuni or in Savusavu and a multi-day dive programme, including the Namena Marine Reserve between the islands. We always plan diving around the timing of your last dive and your flight home.

  • For a honeymoon

    Instead of the Coral Coast, a few nights on a private island near Taveuni or in the Mamanucas, with breakfast on the sand and time for just the two of you.

  • With the Yasawas

    Before flying home, you can add a few days in the Yasawa Islands, a completely different, drier and brighter side of Fiji.

  • With New Zealand

    Fiji works naturally as a restful ending after a journey in New Zealand or Australia; the flights are short.

Practical considerations

  • The best time is the drier season, roughly May to October. From November to April it is hot and humid with more rain, and cyclones sometimes pass through during this period.
  • Domestic flights use small planes: baggage limits are strict and schedules can change with the weather, so we leave a margin before the international flight home.
  • Villages have their own customs: shoulders and knees are covered, hats removed, and guests usually bring yaqona (kava) roots for the sevusevu welcome. A guide always explains what to expect, and Sundays in the villages are for church and rest.
  • Trails to the waterfalls and into the mountains can be slippery and muddy, especially after rain; the Lavena trail and the mountain-lake hike depend on the weather and stream levels.

General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

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