Fiji
Suva
Suva appears to be an absolutely exciting city to visit. It is the largest city in Fiji and is also the capital city of Fiji in the South Pacific.
This capital city is located on the largest island, Viti Levu, Suva holds almost half the population of Fiji. Suva is a harbor city with a melting pot of cultures, and with that, a huge array of stores and eateries – so head to Guide to the Best Eats & Restaurants in Suva for more information.
Lautoka
You’re going to love traveling to Lautoka and seeing the wide streets decorate in foliage. Lautoka, one of the best cities in Fiji is located on the eastern side of Viti Levu, and it takes only a 35-minute drive from Nadi, Lautoka is often seen as Nadi’s better-looking sister.
With the large Indo-Fijian presence, this city has lots of streets having lively Indian flare. The shops and large markets give visitors a great city-shopping alternative to Nadi. Lautoka’s recent history is entwined with the fortunes of sugar, which gives rise to its other name, Sugar City.
Nadi
Most international visitors who come to this famous city in Fiji to see the and third-largest city, Nadi. Home to the Nadi International Airport, this is where around 95% of internationals start their holiday in Fiji. For some, this is twice too often and many people ensure their Nadi exposure is as brief as possible: this ramshackle town doesn’t offer much, though it’s a good place to stock up on supplies, plan trips and make use of facilities that may be lacking elsewhere. Between the mosque and the Nadi River, just north of downtown Narewa Rd leads west to Denarau island, where you’ll find Nadi’s top-end resorts. There’s also a busy tourist shopping and eating area at Denarau Marina, where boats depart for the Mamanuca and Yasawa Groups. This popular city in Fiji is spread across several different urban areas along Queens Road, where there’s a mix of shops, temples, markets, eateries and nightlife to experience. As a tourist hub, there are plenty of resorts, tours and island excursions to keep visitors entertained.
Labasa
Moving away from the mainland, Labasa is located in the north of Fiji’s second-largest island, Vanua Levu. This most beautiful city in Fiji is predominantly an Indo-Fijian city, which was built on the sugar trade and is still much alive with the industry. The hub for northern Vanua Levu feels like stepping into India with curry houses and stores selling Indian attire and trinkets. The city is built along the Labasa River. Labasa, Vanua Levu’s administrative center, is a dusty sugar and timber town that doesn’t hold much allure for the average traveler. This is one of the famous cities in Fiji sitting about 5km inland on the sweltering banks of the Labasa River and reclaimed mangrove swamps, the top sights in town.
Ba
Ba in Viti Levu is situated along the Kings Road, 63 km north of Nadi. Named after the Ba River, Ba is the central hub for the Ba Province, which is the largest province of Fiji. The district celebrates this fact and its lively social history with the Ba Civic Museum. The majority of the population are Indo-Fijian, with the main industry being agriculture and the sugar cane industry in particular. Ba is Fiji’s fifth-largest city in Fiji and characterized by its sizeable Indo-Fijian and Muslim population – most of whom are soccer-mad. Ba boasts Fiji’s best racecourse and the town’s horse-racing and bougainvillea festivals are in September.
Levuka
Fiji’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site, Levuka is the capital of Ovalau, the main island of the Lomaiviti group, and it was also the first colonial capital of Fiji. This is where the first Europeans settled in the early 19th century, and its historic center, with old wooden buildings, achieved World Heritage status in 2013. Today, the town is not a thriving tourist destination, rather, it’s a quaint window into old Fiji, nestled amid mango trees and coconut palms.
Highlights include the Royal Hotel, opened in the 1860s and still operating today as the oldest hotel in the South Pacific; Sacred Heart Cathedral and Presbytery from the 1860s; and the Morris Hedstrom bond store.