Kioa Island
An island off Vanua Levu bought and settled by Tuvaluans in 1947, where a Polynesian community lives in Fiji.
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Kioa lies off the eastern end of Vanua Levu and was bought in 1947 by people from Vaitupu in what was then the Ellice Islands and is now Tuvalu, using money raised by the community, because their home island could not support its growing population. Their descendants live there still, speaking Tuvaluan, building in Tuvaluan style and keeping their own customs inside Fiji. The island is green, small and reached by boat from Buca Bay.
What you actually see
- The Tuvaluan community - a Polynesian settlement with its own language and customs inside Fiji.
- The village - built and organised in Tuvaluan rather than Fijian style.
- The crafts - weaving and carving in Tuvaluan traditions.
- The island - small, green and reached by boat across the strait.
When to go
May to October is the drier season and calmest for the crossing. Boats depend on weather. The community's calendar includes a settlement anniversary in October.
Honest expectations
Visits are arranged with the community rather than turned up to, and the island is not set up for tourism. Accommodation is homestay if anything. Treating a living community as a curiosity is the wrong footing; the visit works when it is invited.
Nearby
Buca Bay is on Vanua Levu opposite, and Rabi is north.
What to pack for Kioa Island
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
