Colo-i-Suva Forest Park

Colo-i-Suva packs a proper rainforest experience into a small reserve just outside the capital: a network of trails through tall mahogany and native forest, dropping to the Waisila creek where a series of clear pools sit beneath small waterfalls, one with the rope swing that generations of Suva residents have used. Bird calls carry constantly - this is one of the more accessible places to see Fiji's endemic species, including parrots and the barking pigeon - and the whole loop takes a couple of gentle hours, which makes it the standard escape for anyone based in Suva or waiting out a wet afternoon on the humid side of the island.

History

Colo-i-Suva was established in 1872 and covers about two and a half square kilometres of rainforest, with some four and a half kilometres of trails and natural pools for swimming along the Waisila Creek, which flows on to the Waimanu River and supplies water to Nausori and Nasinu. Its stands of African mahogany were planted in the 1940s and 1950s and stand apart from the older native forest, and on 24 October 2018 the forest was dedicated to the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy (Wikipedia, Colo-i-Suva Forest Reserve).

Highlights

• The swimming pools - clear creek pools with a small waterfall and rope swing.
• The forest trails - looping paths through mahogany and native rainforest.
• Endemic birds - parrots, doves and the barking pigeon.
• The upper viewpoints - glimpses over the forested valley.

When to go

The drier season from May to October gives firmer trails and clearer water. Suva is the wet side of Fiji, so rain is common year round and the forest is at its greenest for it. Mornings are best for birds; weekends bring local families to the pools.

What to expect

Trails get muddy and slick quickly after rain - proper shoes rather than flip-flops make the difference. Petty theft from parked cars and unattended bags has been reported over the years, so take valuables with you into the water. The pools are refreshing rather than tropical-warm. It is a park close to a city, not remote wilderness, and is best judged on that basis.

Nearby

Suva's museum and market, the Pacific Harbour coast and the Rewa delta.

Key facts