What to See in Fiji: Cities to Explore on Foot

The best things to do in Fiji include discovering its volcanic island landscapes, exploring its layered history and experiencing the cultural influences that shaped life in the South Pacific. Fiji is a country of more than 330 islands, with most people living on Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. Neywo has a free audio guide for Fiji, covering 1 city and 5 narrated places in 11 languages.

What to see and do in Fiji

Explore Fiji’s island landscapes

Fiji is made up of a wide scattering of islands shaped largely by volcanic activity over immense spans of time. Only about 110 islands are permanently inhabited. Viti Levu is the largest island and holds much of the population along its coasts, while its interior is more sparsely inhabited because of the terrain.

The islands have a tropical marine climate and remain warm throughout the year. The warmer months bring heavier rain, particularly inland, and the southeast sides of the larger islands are generally wetter than the northwest. Cyclones occur about once a year, making weather an important part of life in Fiji.

Fiji’s natural environment also extends beneath the water. Its soft coral reefs attract visitors for scuba diving. Some geothermal activity remains on Vanua Levu and Taveuni, while Viti Levu has relatively low-temperature geothermal surface discharges that are not volcanic in origin.

Learn about Fiji’s layered history

Fiji’s human story began thousands of years ago, when Austronesian peoples settled the islands. Melanesians arrived later, and Polynesian influences also became part of the region’s history. Europeans first visited in the 17th century.

The following centuries brought rival clans, Christian influence, foreign settlement and labour recruitment. Britain established the Colony of Fiji in 1874. Indentured labourers were brought from India to work in the sugar cane fields, and their descendants remain an important part of Fijian society.

Fiji’s history continued to be turbulent after independence, with a series of coups and years of political upheaval. A democratic election eventually took place after years of delay. This past helps explain the country’s cultural complexity, where vibrant indigenous traditions meet influences from India, China, Europe and Fiji’s Pacific neighbours.

Visit Suva

Suva, on Viti Levu, is the only Fijian city currently covered by Neywo. Its audio guide includes five narrated places, including the Fiji Museum, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Suva Fiji Temple and two other places listed in the guide under Suva.

The city is a useful starting point for understanding Fiji beyond its beaches and reefs. The Fiji Museum connects with the islands’ long human history, while Sacred Heart Cathedral reflects the Christian influence that became part of Fiji’s social and historical development. Suva Fiji Temple offers another perspective on the varied cultural landscape of the country’s capital.

Understand Fiji’s changing environment

Fiji’s forests, minerals and fish are important natural resources, but the islands’ geography also creates particular environmental pressures. Rising sea levels, coastal erosion and extreme weather make climate change an especially pressing concern for the country.

These challenges are closely connected to the way Fiji is shaped. Communities live across islands of different sizes, while the wetter southeast sides of the larger islands and the rugged interior of Viti Levu influence where people live and how they use the land.

Explore Fiji with Neywo

Download Neywo to explore Fiji with a free audio guide covering 1 city and 5 narrated places. Fiji currently has no walking tours, bus routes or bike routes listed in the app.

Neywo tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Narration is available in 11 languages, so you can use the app while discovering Suva on foot.