Savusavu

Savusavu sits on a deep sheltered bay on the southern coast of Vanua Levu, protected enough that it is the country's main cruising-yacht anchorage outside Denarau. Hot springs come up through the ground in the middle of the town, hot enough that people cook in them, steaming beside the main street. The town is small, with a market, a couple of marinas, a pearl farm in the bay and rainforest immediately behind. It is the base for northern Vanua Levu.

What you actually see

• The hot springs - geothermal water bubbling up in the town, used for cooking.
• The bay - a sheltered harbour full of cruising yachts.
• The pearl farm - black pearl cultivation in the bay, open to visitors.
• The market - a small working produce and kava market.

When to go

May to October is the drier season. Vanua Levu is wetter than western Viti Levu in any month. Cyclone season runs November to April.

Honest expectations

The town is very small and a day covers it; it is a base rather than a destination. The springs are a curiosity on a street corner, not a spa. Flights are on small aircraft and the ferry from Viti Levu is long.

Nearby

Waisali rainforest reserve is inland, Namena is offshore, and Labasa is across the island.