Kadavu Island

Kadavu lies about ninety kilometres south of Suva on 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.

History

William Bligh was the first known European to sight Kadavu, in 1792 on his second voyage to Fiji in HMS Providence, followed in 1799 by the American ship Ann and Hope. In 1827 the French commander Dumont d'Urville nearly wrecked his ship Astrolabe on the reef that now bears its name, and the island later drew bêche-de-mer traders and whalers from Sydney and New England, while Galoa Harbour became a regular stop for mail ships between Sydney, San Francisco and Auckland. Its people's origins are debated: some say their ancestors were always here, while a linguist has suggested they came from the east, like the people of southern Lau (Wikipedia, Kadavu Island).

The landscape

• 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.

What to expect

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.

Key facts