Levuka & Ovalau

Fiji's first capital and a World Heritage colonial port town, with timber-fronted streets and a village in a volcanic crater: old Fiji without the resorts.

Levuka sits on the east coast of Ovalau in Fiji's Lomaiviti Group, a small town of just over 1,000 people backed by steep volcanic slopes and facing a reef-sheltered harbor. In the mid-19th century it was the main base in Fiji for European and American whalers, traders and missionaries. After Fiji was ceded to Britain at nearby Nasova in 1874, it became the first colonial capital; when the capital moved to Suva in 1882, the town was left largely unchanged. In 2013 it was inscribed as the "Levuka Historical Port Town", Fiji's first World Heritage Site. Exploring is mostly on foot: the timber shopfronts of Beach Street and the Community Centre museum, the Sacred Heart Church clock tower, the Methodist church, the ruins of the Masonic Lodge and the Royal Hotel, the oldest hotel in the South Pacific. Climb the 199 steps up Mission Hill for views over the harbor, head south to the Deed of Cession site at Nasova, or north to the lookout at Gun Rock. Lovoni village, set in an ancient crater in the center of the island, can be reached on foot or by car for a kava ceremony and a taste of Fijian village life; small coral islands off the south coast such as Leleuvia and Caqalai are good for snorkeling and a night or two. May–Oct is the cool dry season; Nov–Apr is hot, humid and wet, and is cyclone season. Getting there: a small plane from Nausori Airport near Suva takes about 12 minutes to Bureta Airport on Ovalau, or take the ferry from Natovi on Viti Levu, about 1 hour (with bus connections). There are no big resorts or sandy beaches on the island; accommodation is mostly guesthouses and small hotels, dining options are limited and ATMs are scarce, so bring enough cash. When visiting villages, wear clothing that covers the knees and bring kava root as a sevusevu gift. Plan on 2–3 days.

Top sights

• Levuka Historical Port Town – Fiji’s first capital and a World Heritage colonial port town, where timber shopfronts on the seafront street preserve the look of the 19th…
• Sacred Heart Church – A Catholic church begun in 1858. Its tower’s green light once guided ships in through the reef, and it is a landmark of the town.
• Cession Site, Nasova – The 1874 signing site where Fiji was ceded to Britain, with three memorial stones recording the starting point of modern Fijian history
• Royal Hotel – One of the oldest hotels still operating in the South Pacific, with 19th-century timber architecture and an old-fashioned billiard room
• 199 Steps (Mission Hill) – A long flight of steps climbing straight up the hillside behind the town. From the top you can see Levuka’s red roofs, the harbor and the c…
• Lovoni Village – A traditional Fijian village set inside an ancient volcanic crater, reachable on foot over the ridge, where visitors can take part in a kav…
• Leleuvia Island – A private islet ringed by white sand and coral reef, where an eco-resort offers snorkeling, diving and sea turtle viewing
• Gun Rock – A giant rock viewpoint north of Levuka, used as a firing target by a British warship in 1849, overlooking the harbor and reefs
• Caqalai Island – A simple resort island run by the Methodist church, surrounded by coconut palms and white sand, good for snorkeling and a backpacker atmosp…
• Levuka Methodist Church – One of Fiji’s earliest Methodist churches, completed in 1869 in wood and stone, closely tied to the history of missionary work
• Masonic Lodge Ruins – Fiji's first Masonic lodge, built in 1913, was gutted by arson during the 2000 coup unrest and only its stone walls remain.

Where to eat

• Kim's Pak Kum Loong Restaurant – A long-standing Chinese restaurant upstairs in the Westpac building on Beach Street, affordable and reliable, and popul…
• Whale's Tale Restaurant – A small restaurant on Beach Street serving Fijian and Western dishes, regarded as Levuka's closest thing to a proper re…

Itineraries

• Fiji Mainland, Levuka & Taveuni – An in-depth journey from the Mamanucas to Suva, the UNESCO-listed historic town of Levuka, and the garden island of Tav…