Kadavu Island

Kadavu lies about a hundred kilometres south of Viti Levu, long and narrow with a mountainous spine, and it has almost no roads: movement is by boat along the coast. The rainforest holds four endemic bird species, including the Kadavu musk parrot and the whistling dove, and the Great Astrolabe Reef runs along the eastern and southern side. Small village-linked resorts are scattered around the coast and there is nothing resembling a town outside Vunisea.

What you actually see

• The Great Astrolabe Reef - the barrier reef along the eastern and southern shore.
• The endemic birds - the Kadavu musk parrot, whistling dove, honeyeater and fantail.
• The rainforest - forested ridges running the length of the island.
• The boat travel - movement along the coast by small boat rather than road.

When to go

May to October is the drier season and calmest for boats. Kadavu is wetter than western Viti Levu in any month. Cyclone season runs November to April and the island is exposed.

Honest expectations

Getting around requires boats and the sea is often too rough, which strands people. Flights are on small aircraft with strict baggage limits. Facilities are village-level and power is often generator-only.

Nearby

The Great Astrolabe Reef surrounds the island, and Suva is north across the channel.