Taveuni

Often referred to as ‘The Garden Island’, Taveuni’s stunning natural beauty can be found both above and below the sea, making it a fantastic ecotourist destination. Fiji’s third largest island at 435 sq km, Taveuni is 42 km in length and roughly 10 km wide. A world class dive zone, this island is also home to a profusion of beautiful flowers and plants. What is also unique about Taveuni is that the beauty found here is dispersed equally throughout the island. Breathtaking rainforests, effusive waterfalls, gorgeous beaches and a superb marine landscape, all make Taveuni a wonderful island to explore.

Located across the Somosomo Strait, 9 km southeast of Vanua Levu, Taveuni is a volcanic island. Incredibly fertile, rainfall is abundant here with much of the island’s interior lush and green. Populated mainly by indigenous Fijians, there are no real urban centers on Taveuni. Rather you will find many tiny villages and towns scattered across the island. Somosomo is the largest village the island and is the administrative seat of the region.

On Taveuni you will also find some of Fiji’s highest mountains, Des Voeux Peak is 1195 meters, while Mount Uluigalau stands tall at 1241 meters high. Playing host to a number of native plants and animals, here you can spot the rare Tagimaucia flower, the Fiji fruit bat, the Taveuni beetle, the Taveuni silk bat, the kula parrot and the orange dove. To protect the wildlife here, two nature preserves have also been created. The Taveuni Forest Preserve lies in the center of the island, while the Ravilevu Nature Preserve sits on the eastern coast. Lake Tagimaucia is perhaps the most famous tourist attraction here and is followed closely the beautiful Bouma Falls.

If you are a diving enthusiast, the Rainbow Reef and Vuna Reef are famous for its excellent diving and snorkeling opportunities. Home to a wide variety of marine life, here you can find many vibrant and colorful coral species. Prince Charles Beach and Lavena are two of the best beaches on Taveuni, with the offshore islands of Matagi, Laucala and Qamea offering some superb beaches as well.