Top things to do in savusavu & surrounds
Go Diving
The reefs in the North are some of the best in Fiji – especially just off Savusavu. So if there’s one thing you should do there, it’s go diving. Offshore, Namena Marine Reserve’s world-class dive sites have benefitted from the landowner’s decision to ban fishing there since 1997. The result is an astonishing variety of corals, invertebrates and over 1000 fish species. This close to a big fish migratory path, you’re likely to see dolphins and all types of whales as well.
You might also like to explore sheltered Natewa Bay’s all-weather dive sites or head to the island’s northern coast for one of it’s best kept secrets – the Great Sea Reef. At close to 200km long, it’s one of the largest reefs in the world and virtually unexplored – there’s only one dive company!
Savusavu & Namena: Various dive companies
Natewa Bay: Ocean Ventures Fiji
Great Sea Reef: Nukubati Resort
Visit a Pearl Farm
The first thing you’ll notice about JHunter pearls is their unusual earthy hues of metallic blues, cool greens and bright bronzes. At just 2500 pearls per harvest, they are the rarest pearls in the world and coveted by top European jewelers. Peek behind the curtains and see how they’re made at the JHunter pearl farm in Savusavu Bay. On the tour you’ll learn how they load and clean the lines and even watch them seeding or harvesting during the season. Bring your own snorkels if you want to swim over the shell beds as well. The tour ends back at their showroom where you’ll see the final product – and maybe even grab a few of these gorgeous gems for yourself too!Visit a Pearl Farm
Get your Adventure on
Satisfy your thirst for adventure in Savusavu’s in rainforests and reefs. Take a tubing trip down the enchanting Sekawa river, plunge under a waterfall’s pounding cascade or treat your tired body to a soothing hot mud spa in the middle of the jungle. There are mountains to hike, rustic trails to bike and reefs to snorkel as well.
Ask your resort about their off-site activities and operator recommendations.
Get your Adventure on
Tour Flora Tropica Gardens
If you’ve got a penchant for plants, then this delightful little nursery on Lesiaceva Point Road is just up your alley! The property’s 5 acres of steep hillside and creek flats are crammed with ornamental and fruit trees but it’s the palm collection that’s the real showstopper. Planted throughout the garden are an impressive 250 palm species from around the world; some very rare and endangered. Even if you can’t tell a sago from a banana tree, you’ll still love the peaceful ambience and glorious views over Savusavu Bay. Pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it!
Group tours run at 10am (weekdays) but you can also take a private tour.
Hot Tip: Call ahead to book and take lots of water.
Tour Flora Tropica Gardens
Go Kayaking on the Salt Lake
Go with the flow on a leisurely paddle up the Qaloqalo River to Savusavu’s Salt Lake. Spanning 100 acres, this small ‘inland sea’ is fed by the ocean’s tides; a perfect spot for exploring the mangrove forests by kayak or SUP. Ask your guides about the local legends and how their ancestors used the river as a shortcut to beautiful Natewa Bay.
Check with your resort for more details.
Go Kayaking on the Salt Lake
Track Dolphins in Natewa Bay
Picturesque Natewa Bay – the largest bay in the South Pacific – is home to two large pods of spinner dolphins. Join a guided tour and spend an enjoyable morning tracking their playful antics on the water. The pod heads out to sea most afternoons, so you’ll most likely round off the trip with some fantastic snorkelling in the bay before heading home.
Check with your resort for more details.
Track Dolphins in Natewa Bay
Visit Waisali Rainforest Reserve
The Waisali Rainforest Reserve’s 130 hectares of protected rainforest dominate the hills outside Savusavu. A unique collaboration between the Waisali community and the National Trust of Fiji, it’s one of Vanua Levu’s last unexploited rainforests – and a great place to go for endemics. Look closely and you might spot a shy ground frog or rare birds like the Orange Dove, the Red Shining Parrot, the Collared Lory and the Orange Breasted Myzomela hiding in the canopy.
The Reserve opens weekdays from 9.00am-3.00pm. For a small entry fee you can organise a guided tour with one of the rangers.
Call ahead to book. Phone: 9517277 / 3301807
Visit Waisali Rainforest Reserve
Stop by Naag Mandir ‘Snake’ Temple
Apart from the 3m-high cobra-shaped rock within, the Naag Mandir Temple outside Labasa town looks like most others in Fiji. But devotees believe the rock has special healing powers so they make it lavish offerings of flowers, milk and fruit. Equally odd is the stone’s mysterious growth spurt (from 6ft to 17ft) since it was discovered close to a century ago. Priests have even had the temple roof raised twice to accommodate the extra height! Visitors are welcome to stop by but if you do, make sure to remove your shoes before you enter.Stop by Naag Mandir ‘Snake’ Temple
Kokomana Chocolate Tour
Savusavu’s tantalising ‘chocolate’ tour is tucked away in a little agroforest behind Daku Resort. From the cocoa tree groves to the onsite factory, Kokomana’s ‘tree to bar’ tour demonstrates the entire chocolate making process. Depending on when you visit, you’ll see the fermenting beans, drying racks in the sun or the chocolate maker crafting on the factory floor. The tour ends with a delicious tasting session and the chance to buy some bars to take with you.
Catch the Kokomana tours 3 times a week between 10am – 4pm.
Call ahead (+679-2989426) to book your spot.