Kadavu

Ideal stay

5-7 nights

The vibe

Boat-only, forested, deeply unhurried

From our guides

1. 01

   Great Astrolabe Reef

   One of the larger barrier reefs anywhere wraps the island's eastern side, with walls, passages and soft coral that see a fraction of the traffic of Fiji's better-known dive sites.

2. 02

   Manta rays in the passages

   Mantas feed in the reef channels through much of the year, and snorkellers with a boat and a good guide can drift alongside them.

3. 03

   Kadavu's endemic birds

   The island has a parrot, a honeyeater and a fantail found nowhere else on earth, and the forest trails behind the villages are the place to look for them.

4. 04

   Village visits and kava

   Sevusevu, the presentation of kava root to a village chief, is still how you are welcomed. Take a bundle with you and cover shoulders and knees.

5. 05

   Nabukelevu volcano

   The western end of the island rises to a forested volcanic peak of over 800 metres, climbed on guided walks through plantation and rainforest.

6. 06

   Waterfalls and river pools

   Short walks inland from several villages reach freshwater pools, the standard afternoon when the sea is too choppy for boats.

1. Fly to

   Vunisea (KDV)

   Nearest airport to Kadavu, about 22km away as the crow flies.

2. Then

   To Vunisea

   Small aircraft fly from Nadi or Suva to Vunisea (KDV) on Kadavu in about 30 to 50 minutes. Resorts then collect guests by open boat, a transfer of anything from 20 minutes to two hours along the coast.

3. On the ground

   Getting around

   There is barely any road network, so movement is by boat. Resorts run their own dive and village trips out to the Great Astrolabe Reef, and you largely stay put between them.

Public transport: Effectively none beyond a rough road near Vunisea and the occasional village carrier boat. Everything is arranged through your resort, and soft luggage is worth packing for the boat.

Small eco-resorts built with local timber and thatch, dive lodges and village homestays. No chains, no air conditioning in most places, and generators rather than mains power.

• Best base overall

  Vunisea

  The island's administrative centre, where the airstrip and the ferry land, with basic guesthouses and the only real shops. Most visitors move straight on by boat, so treat it as a hinge rather than a holiday.

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• Closest to the sights

  Ono Island

  Inside the Great Astrolabe lagoon, with the manta channels and the best diving a short boat ride away. Accommodation is a handful of small resorts and homestays, and transfers depend on the sea.

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• Quietest

  Kavala Bay

  A deep bay on the north-east coast with village homestays, forest behind and almost no other visitors. There is no road worth the name, so everything arrives by boat.

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• Best value

  Galoa

  A village island off the south coast with simple homestays where you eat with the family. Expect cold-water washing, generator power and a warm, unhurried welcome.

  Find stays in Galoa →

Worth knowing before you book: Boat transfers are charged separately and can cost as much as a night's stay, so ask before booking. Rough seas delay arrivals, so leave a buffer before your flight home.

Getting there

Small aircraft fly from Nadi and Suva to Vunisea. Baggage limits are strict and flights depend on weather, so leave a night's slack before an international connection.

Pack this

Soft bags survive boat transfers far better than hard cases. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a torch and any medicines you need, because shops are minimal.

Etiquette

Villages are conservative. Cover shoulders and knees, remove hats and sunglasses as you enter, and ask before photographing anyone.

Cash

Card payment is unreliable outside resort billing. Draw Fijian dollars on the main island before you fly over.

Connectivity

Mobile signal is patchy and power may run to a schedule. Warn people at home that you will be slow to answer.