Taveuni (pronounced Tah-vee-ew-nee), the garden island of Fiji, is rugged, wet, verdant and pristine. It lies only seven kilometers off the southeast coast of Vanua Levu and is 42 kilometers long and averages about 11 kilometers wide. Taveuni is a archetypically beautiful tropical island, thick with vegetation and resplendent with tropical flowers. It offers the visitor a rich natural history, in particular, a fine array of birdlife. Fortunately (unlike other islands in the Fiji archipelago) the mongoose was never introduced to Taveuni and consequently many of the birds that have vanished on Viti Levu and Vanua Levu still thrive on the Garden Island. Once the home of fierce warriors, Taveuni residents still exude pride and confidence in their step. (The photo at right depicts the trail to Bouma Falls, one of Fiji's most popular national parks.)

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Definitely Do Not Miss
Take a day trip to both Bouma Falls and Lavena area (Ravilevu) Nature Reserves or visit Wairiki Mission, hike to Lake Tagimaucia, go bird watching or check out the old site of the International Dateline (see photo below) and see the nearby Meridian Theater.

Do you live on Taveuni or have an interest in the island? Join the new Taveuni Group!

Additional Info

With a population of around 12,000 inhabitants, virtually all of whom live in traditional Fijian villages, Taveuni is sparsely populated. Once known for its coconut plantations, Taveuni’s attractions include world class diving. (Photo at left and below courtesy of Paddy Ryan.)

According to Undercurrent, a prestigious dive magazine, “Taveuni has great diving but it’s terrible for beginners; there’s high current velocity damn near daily. Bring a compass, and carry both day and night emergency surface signaling devices (tubes, strobes)... This is a good area for sea snakes, soft corals, stonefish, and clown fish…

In addition to underwater attractions the terrestrial displays are signficant—there aer water falls, and an array of rare, indigenous flora and fauna. Taveuni has a number of excellent low and mid-ranged accommodations. The island can be reached via air from Nadi or Suva or on a local ferryboat.

The latest trends in Taveuni mirror those occurring elsewhere in Fiji:

A real estate boomlet fueled by Americans, Germans and others purchasing choice freehold land on the island.An increasingly sophisticated tourist plant that features everything from F$25 backpacker hostels and excellent bungalows in the $US120-160 range to5 Star US$900/per night boutique resorts.

The newest property is the eco-friendly Nakia Resort. Former Hawaii residents Jim and Robin Kelley have constructed a self-sustaining resort 6 km from Taveuni's airport. It is Fiji's first hotel powered by alternative energy sources such as solar and wind power. It caters to families and will have 4 bures in the US$200-300 range (including meals). Located on a bluff overlooking the sea, it reportedly has great views and it's own artesian spring. Nakia will provide guests with organically grown fruits and vegetables. The great thing about this property is that it offers an alternative the pricey honeymoon type properties. For more info contact them at jimandrobinfiji@hotmail.com

Then there’s Hollywood’s interpretation of the island…

To see that, check out Reel Paradise, a movie about the saga of American film maker John Pierson who in 2002 relocated his family (see photo at right) to Taveuni for a year to show free movies at the venerable Meridian Cinema near Waiyevo. This is the FijTaveunii that the Fiji Visitors Bureau doesn’t publicize. I would definitely rent this flick (not so much to see the inner workings of the Pierson family) but to see a raw slice of Fijian life. I’ve always thought that just about everyone in Fiji is a living institution worthy of a bit part in a film and Reel Paradise captures it all—from the good hearted Fijian cook to the drunken, half wit “local European” landlord. (Let’s not forget the self-righteous priest worried about cultural contamination from the American interlopers). The warts and all are there for the world to see about the Pierson family and some facets of Fijian life. However, it’s by no means a negative film. There’s plenty to like about the verite aspects of this film. Three cheers for no phony sentimentality about the “noble savage”.

There’s plenty of dirty laundry aired but it’s equally distributed among the Piersons and the Fijians. John and Janet Pierson are not to Taveunibe confused with Ozzie and Harriet Nelson nor are their Fijian neighbors always perfect models of propreity.

The director doesn’t do anyone any special favors, he simply tells the story of a American family transplanted in the backwaters of Waiyevo. Nobody is perfect around here but despite the occasional crime and misdemeanor people are pretty damn civil and their their good qualities shine through.

At the end of the film the Piersons’ sit, cross-legged, Fiji-style at a good bye party given by the local village in their honor and drink kava. The couple proclaim what they’ve learned after being in country for a year—that Fiji may be poor in material wealth but is incredibly rich in heart. Indeed, more heart than you’re ever likely to find in Hollywood.

Taveuni History

Taveuni, known as Fiji's Garden Island, is an elongated emerald enclave (42 kilometers long and averaging 11 kilometers wide). The third largest island in the Fiji archipelago, it is located just south of Vanua Levu (Fiji's second largest island) across from the Somosomo Strait. Verdant, rugged and volcanic in origin, it reaches a maximum height of 1241 meters at Mt. Uluigala. The island's fertile volcanic soil provides a perfect medium for the abundant flora.

Copious rainfall has produced some spectacular waterfalls and the moisture, combined with the fecund earth, has created a thick carpet of vegetation. The dense, virgin rainforests are festooned with orchids and ferns. High in the center of the island is Lake Tagimaucia, famous for the indigenous red and white tagimaucia flower.

Taveuni is noteworthy for the diversity of flora and fauna, particularly the island's bird life. Perhaps the main reason for the variety of bird life is the absence of the mongoose, which was introduced on many of the other islands (particularly where cane was grown) to control the rat population. Taveuni's relatively inaccessible mountains and abundant food supply also have made it a haven for many species once found throughout the group.

Bird watchers consider Taveuni among the best of the big islands. Bird fauna has been impacted less here and the big pigeons and parrots are easy to see. Among the birds on everyone's wish the Azure Crowned Flycatcher.

Perhaps the most famous of all Taveuni's birds is the fabled Orange Dove. The male of the species has green-speckled plumage that changes in season to flaming orange. No photographs exist of this pigeon and the paintings one sees in the bird texts leave you unprepared for the brilliance of its plumage which is florescent orange. Unlike the Orange Dove, which is hard to find, the Taveuni Parrot is ubiquitous. It's squawk and guttural sounds can be heard throughout the island. They are a Ovalausight to behold with backs and wings an iridescent emerald green rimmed with sky blue. Sometimes they will gather in feeding flocks of several dozen or more to reach mangos, guavas or other fruit trees. You don't have to go far to see this bird. I've seen them in the palm trees just a few meters from the air strip at Matei.

Years before Europeans arrived, Taveuni was famous for its Kula -- a species of parrot also endemic to the area. In ancient times trading parties of Tongans would journey to Fiji to barter is also one of only two islands in the north of Fiji (the other is Cicia) where the Australian magpie was introduced to control coconut pests. Now a conspicuous part of the avian life, it is admired for its curiously melodic song. In addition to several varieties of dove, there is also a species of Goshawk, with a salmon pink breast, and the Vanikoro Broadbill that has a gunmetal blue head, dark blue wings and orange breast.

Birdwatching groups often stay at the Garden Island Resort and with good reason. The hotel is comfortable but not overpriced, the food is good, the water is safe and access to Des Voeux Peak is close by. Why is the latter important? From the road up to th e peak one passes through the territory of the Collard Lory, Vanikoro Broadbill, Black-naped Tern, Wattled Honeyeater and the Fiji Goshawk.

Taveuni is also home to several species of reptiles such as the Pacific Boa, which is still fairly common in the rainforest but is not generally seen by the visitor. The largely unexplored forest and mountains also harbor several known species of palms and other plants not found elsewhere on earth.

Taveuni's magnificent natural rainforest is not only attractive to eco-tourists and naturalists. Sadly, only a few years ago, the island's trees were being cut down by an Asian logging company. This activity, which was approved by the highest levels of government, raised the ire of local environmentalists and dive operators who feared that without proper ground cover the soil will be washed into the lagoon thus ruining the delicate ecology of the reef system. Fortunately the again.

The photo on the right depicts a Taveuni coconut plantation--outside of tourism the most important industry on the island.

Nature Reserves

The development of two successful national park-like entities, which serve as nature reserves, in the Bouma Falls (see photo above) and Lavena Beach (on right) have demonstrated that logging is not the only way to earn hard currency for cash-poor villages. The inhabitants of Bouma Village, where a waterfall has been a major tourist attraction for many years, were also offered money to log their communal land. Instead of selling their birthright, at the behest of the New Zealand Government, they were offered a F$60,000 grant to improve the land and create a park centered around the waterfall. They weighed their options and came down on the side of conservation, rather than the lure of easy money from logging. With the funds, Bouma villagers have improved access to the Falls, constructed trails, BBQ pits, benches and picnic spots. When you visit and pay your F$5 admission, think of it as a contribution to the village. A similar project has occurred at the picnic reserve.