Fiji Suva mosquitoes. Suva, Fiji. A brief excursion into history

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Suva is located on the southeastern shores of the island of Viti Levu, in the territory, being the capital of the country, as well as its political, economic and cultural center. This city has a rich history, beautiful scenery and developed infrastructure. Over a short period of time, it has grown significantly in its development and is now considered one of the most comfortable cities in the republic.

Peculiarities

Among the main industrial sectors of Suva, food processing enterprises and factories for the production of building materials stand out, on which the city's economy largely depends. In the vicinity of the capital, sugar factories operate, gold mining and agriculture are established. Tourism occupies a special place in the life of Suva. Despite the fact that there are practically no good beaches within the city limits, tourists arriving at the popular resorts of Fiji invariably visit the capital of the republic as part of a cultural program, and also come here for the purpose of shopping, fortunately this is facilitated by the status of a duty-free trade zone. The presence of comfortable hotels allows guests not to experience serious difficulties with accommodation, and the abundance of restaurants and entertainment venues, combined with numerous excursions, make their stay in the city as varied and eventful as possible. The ethnic composition of the population is quite diverse. Residents of the capital, in addition to native Fijians, are Fijian Indians, as well as people from the Asian, American and European continents. Citizens communicate in English, Fijian and Hindustani.

general information

The area of ​​Suva is not that significant for the capital, and the population is less than 100 thousand people. Local time is 9 hours ahead of Moscow in winter and 10 hours in summer. Time zone UTC+12 and UTC+13 in the summer. Official website www.suvacity.org.

A brief excursion into history

The first settlements appeared on the Fiji Islands about 1000 years BC, and the first Europeans to try to develop these lands were the Dutch. In 1874, the archipelago fell to Great Britain, which wanted to have the seaport of Suva at its disposal. It acquired its capital status in 1882, when the main representatives of the colonial British headquarters moved here from the city of Levuka, located on the island of Ovalau. Initially, the territory of the settlement was a little more than 2 square meters. km, and a significant part of the surrounding area was occupied by swamps. Subsequently, after the annexation of the Muanikau and Samabula districts, the area increased significantly, and in 1952 Suva was officially recognized as a city. Then, it grew even more, and the emergence of new plants and factories contributed to its economic recovery. Over the past decades, the South Pacific Games have been held here several times, adding to the city's international prestige.

Climate

Suva has a humid tropical climate with high rainfall, which is the main disadvantage of the region. It rains here regularly throughout the year and is often accompanied by hurricane winds. The only month when the rainfall is less than usual is July. The average air temperature is stable and fluctuates between +24 - +30 degrees. When traveling to Suva, it is recommended to check the weather forecast for the coming days in advance.

How to get there

The closest international airports to Suva are Nausori and Nadi. From them, buses and taxis go to the city. From the city port, transportation by sea vessels is carried out to the rest of the islands of the archipelago.

Transport

Within the city, the most common means of transportation are buses and taxis.

Attractions and entertainment

Among the most visited places in the capital that regularly enjoy tourist attention, the Fiji Museum stands out, located in the heart of the historic Thurston Gardens, not far from Government House and the old Parliament House. The museum halls house unique exhibitions, including an impressive collection on anthropology and the history of the archipelago. Of no less interest are the frescoes in St. Francis Xavier High Church, the Centenary Methodist Church and the Catholic Cathedral. Just 10 km from Suva, in the town of Weisari, there is the cultural center of the country - Orchid Island, with a whole scattering of exotic vegetation. The Orchid Island Polynesian Cultural Center, the magnificent Albert Park and the Bure Kalow Temple are also located here.

Nightlife lovers should head to Victoria Parade, where the largest number of discos, hotels and restaurants are concentrated. In addition, the city Municipal Market is located here. Those wishing to swim in the waters of the Pacific Ocean are advised to take a walk to the shores of Pacific Harbor Bay, 20 km from the city, where there are excellent sandy beaches, a modern golf club and a diving center. An excellent place for diving and surfing is the island of Kandavu, 100 km from Viti Levu. The Coral Coast, where the resorts Shangri-La, Naviti, Natadola and Tubakula are located, is also considered a popular area.

Kitchen

The city's culinary establishments offer their visitors a varied selection of dishes, including seafood, exotic types of fruits and vegetables, meat and fish delicacies, as well as delicious drinks and desserts.

Shopping

The shops and stalls offer an impressive range of goods and souvenirs to suit every taste at very affordable prices.

Suva is one of the most colorful cities in the archipelago. The abundance of lush green vegetation against the backdrop of the blue expanse of the Pacific Ocean, nice buildings in the classic British spirit of the colonial era and a special island ambiance, combined with the benevolent atmosphere that reigns on the local shores, perfectly match the image and allow you to fully experience all the advantages of a vacation in this exotic land.

Geography

Suva is the economic and political center of Fiji, the largest city in southern Oceania outside of Australia and New Zealand. The main seaport of the country.

The city of Suva is located on the southeastern coast of the island of Viti Levu on a small peninsula. In the past, a significant part of the city was occupied by swamps.

Story

In 1868, part of the territory of the modern city of Suva was transferred by the Fijian chief Seru Epenisa Cakobau to settle the debts of an Australian company that intended to develop cotton plantations on this land. However, all attempts to grow cotton failed due to the unsuitable climate. In 1877, after the annexation of the Fiji Islands by the British Empire, it was decided to move the capital of Fiji to the city of Suva. The early main colonial settlement of the islands was the city of Levuka on the island of Ovalau. The entire administration of the colony was transferred from Levuka to Suva in 1882.

In 1910, the settlement received the status of a municipality. Initially, Suva's area did not exceed 1 square mile, but in 1952 the districts of Muanikau and Samabula were annexed to it. As a result, the territory expanded to 13 km². Subsequently, the territory of the settlement expanded several times. In October 1952, Suva was declared a city, the first in Fiji.

In 2003, the city hosted the South Pacific Games, the third in Suva's history.

Population

Suva is a cosmopolitan city. The majority of the population is made up of indigenous Fijians and Fijian Indians, the two main ethnic groups in Fiji. However, Asians, including the Chinese, also live in Suva.

The most common language is English, although local residents also speak Fijian and Hindustani.

Administration

Suva has municipal status. The city is headed by a Lord Mayor. There is a city council of 20 deputies.

Infrastructure

Suva is an administrative and port city and has no beaches. The city is home to the country's government buildings, the Fiji School of Medicine and one of the campuses of the University of the South Pacific (occupies the territory of a former New Zealand military base).

Attractions

Fiji's tallest building, the Reserve Bank Building, is located in Suva. One of the city's attractions is the city library, built in 1909.

The official residence of the President of Fiji, built in 1882 and rebuilt in 1928, is located in Suva. The city also houses the Fiji Museum, which displays rich collections of archaeological and ethnographic exhibits from the Pacific Islands (founded in 1904).

A large number of parks (78 in total).

Transport

Not far from the city is Nausori International Airport, from where domestic flights and flights to Tuvalu are carried out. International flights are served by Nadi International Airport.

The Fiji Parliamentary Complex was built in 1992. According to the architect's idea, this complex was supposed to personify the traditional family home of the Fiji tribes - "vale". The main building of parliament is called “vale ne bose lawa”.

The architectural features of the structure are open corridors, a lot of air and a light breeze that brings coolness. Inside, on the walls of the halls you can see colorful tapestries with national ornaments. The main entrance to the Parliament building faces Ratu Sukuna Rd.

Thurston Botanical Garden

Thurston Garden Botanical Garden is located in the capital of Fiji - Suva. Previously, this garden was called the Suva Botanical Garden, but then the name was changed in honor of the Governor of Fiji, Sir John Bates Thurston.

In 1879, Sir Thurston asked John Horne, director of the botanical gardens on the island of Mauritius, to visit Fiji and make recommendations for the establishment of a botanical garden. The botanical garden was laid out on the site of the old city of Suva, which was burned in 1843 during bloody battles.

Thurston Gardens is home to Suva's main attraction, the Fiji Museum. The museum was opened in 1955 by the then Governor of Fiji, Sir Ronald Garvey. Historical and archaeological exhibits from many islands of the archipelago are collected here.

In 1913, the gardens were reorganized, work was carried out to drain the land, and alleys of 101 royal palms and 39 tree ferns were planted. Nowadays, the entire territory of the park is surrounded by the greenery of palm trees, and water lilies are fragrant in the reservoirs. The colorful vegetation delights visitors to the park, and for those who want to get acquainted with the flora of the island in more detail, each plant is equipped with a sign with its description.

What sights of Suva did you like? Next to the photo there are icons, by clicking on which you can rate a particular place.

Fiji Museum

The main attraction of the city of Suva is the Fiji Museum, which is located in the Thurston Botanical Gardens. The museum was opened in 1955 by the Governor of Fiji, Sir Ronald Garvey. Historical and archaeological exhibits from many islands of the archipelago are collected here. Some exhibits in the archaeological collection are over 3,000 years old.

The first mention of the idea of ​​creating a Fiji Museum, reflecting the fascinating history of this place and the culture of the tribes inhabiting the Pacific region, dates back to 1904. Sir William Allardyce presented his collection of artifacts to the Suva City Council, which met at the Town Hall. After 4 years, a special committee was elected whose tasks included studying the culture, life and history of the country. And in 1910, government funding for the museum's caretaker was determined, and in 1929 the museum was officially opened. The council organized the purchase from the population of exhibits and artifacts that were of interest to the museum. There were also many voluntary donations.

Nausori International Airport is located in the eastern part of the island of Viti Levu, 23 kilometers from the busiest city - the capital Suva. There is an internal transfer to Vanua Levu here. Tourists have weekly international flights to the paradises of the Pacific Ocean - Nuku'alofa and Funafuti.

The airport is a modern complex that includes a network of bars and restaurants, a medical center, an Internet cafe, a parking lot with 263 spaces, and shops where you can purchase unique locally produced and luxury goods.

Air New Zealand, Jetstar Airways, Air Niugini, Pacific Blue airlines cooperate with the airport. The largest airline Air Pacific operates flights to Auckland, Melbourne, Sydney, Honolulu, and Los Angeles.

The master reconstruction plan, designed for 20 years, provides for the construction of the most modern terminals and a complete renovation of the airport complex.

The most popular attractions in Suva with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose the best places to visit famous places in Suva on our website.

Situated on a hilly peninsula between Laucala Bay and Suva Harbour, in the south-eastern "corner". It is the political and administrative center of the country, as well as its main port and oldest city.

Suva and its surrounding communities are home to almost half the city's population, making it considered by many to be one of the busiest cities in the Central Pacific.

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Suva became the capital of Fiji in 1882, when it became clear that the old capital city of Levuka had nowhere to expand. Initially, Suva was a small settlement with a few Victorian stone houses, buried in dust in summer and mud in winter. However, its transformation into the largest city in Fiji happened quite quickly; by 1922 it became the largest port and quickly gained weight and influence in the region.

Now it is a very cosmopolitan city, home to Fijians, Indians, Chinese, people from Europe, Tonga, Samoa and Rotuma, as well as many other nationalities. Accordingly, the city’s monuments belong to different cultures, which gives its mosques, temples, churches and cultural centers color and originality. Suva's main attraction is the charming Fiji Museum (www.fijimuseum.org.fj), which lies in the heart of the historic Thurston Gardens, next to Government House and the old Parliament House.

The Fiji Museum is considered to be the archipelago's richest collection of anthropology and history, and is the first of its kind in the Pacific Islands. Also of interest are the building of the University of the South Pacific, the beautiful frescoes in St. Francis Xavier High Church on the hill through which the "Road of Kings" passes, the Centenary Methodist Church on Stuart Street and the Catholic Cathedral (1902) one one of the city's most prominent landmarks. Suva is literally surrounded by greenery, lush palm trees frame every patch of land, and the city itself has about 80 parks of all sizes and types.

Almost all of Suva's business life is concentrated on the central street, Victoria Parade, which is home to several colorful colonial-era buildings, banks, hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and much more. Very close by is the Municipal Market, the main shopping center of the city, and not far from it lies an abandoned Jewish cemetery. Just 10 km from the city limits, in Veisari, is the oldest cultural center of Fiji, Orchid Island. Here is the Orchid Island Polynesian Cultural Center, which contains a huge number of samples of local flora and fauna, the famous Albert Park, where the Australian pilot Charles Kingsford-Smith landed in 1928, the first to fly to the USA Australia, as well as the traditional temple of Bure-Kalou (“Mbu-rey ka-low” “house of the spirit”) with a fifteen-meter tower and a small Cultural Village with traditional handicrafts and an ethnographic theater. The city has its own beach, but everyone prefers to swim and sunbathe in Pacific Harbor Bay, which is located just 20 minutes from the capital. The bay is sometimes called the “Adventure Capital”; numerous resorts in the bay were specially built according to a single plan, with foreign tourists in mind.

There are many luxury hotels, dozens of first-class beaches, and even a golf club with 18 courses. The nearby island of Beka (Bena-ga) is home to the Sawau tribe's unique tradition of walking on hot coals (vilavilairevo). Also along the entire coast of the bay there are several dozen fishing and diving clubs, which is not surprising, the local waters are truly beautiful, and marine life is widely known for its species diversity. Several nearby islands serve as a constant draw for tourists. Kandavu (100 km south of VitiLevu) is a medium-sized pastoral island with many villages and a real mecca for divers (the nearby Astrolabe Reef, 50 km long, is one of the best in the region) and surfers. Yanuca (Yanutha) is famous for its inexpensive beach camps and excellent surfing conditions.

We arrived in Suva and stopped at the quarantine checkpoint for processing yesterday at noon. The place is very beautiful, the roadstead is protected by an outer coral reef, on which, apparently as a warning, are scattered the wreckage of the losers who could not find the entrance to the lagoon. Mountains, palm trees, a beautiful city with multi-storey buildings, in the northern corner you can see the masts of yachts moored at the royal yacht club. The authorities were ordered in the morning. We are still standing. Something unplanned is happening here. The whole day the port control tried to help us somehow, but in the evening they got in touch and said that they could not collect the necessary set of authorities, and the registration was postponed until tomorrow.

It’s a quiet evening in the roadstead, large ships rumble around with diesel engines, and nearby there is a “Big Green Vessel”, near which we were shown an anchorage. There are four Russians on it, with whom we have already talked, shouting into space, the captain is a Kiwi. On the other side, four Chinese fishermen stand side by side. They have everything as it should be - in the evening there is rice and Chinese music for the entire raid, although only for an hour, in the morning there is political information. The noise of a long rally can be heard from the shore. I was struck by the speaker’s expression and passion. I immediately remembered the old chronicles, with the speeches of Hitler, Ribbentrop... In general, he really rocked it. (Later it turned out that it was a preacher!)

There is a solid port with a large number of ships, a large floating dock and repair shops. After our arrival, the Fijian armed forces, I think in full force, all six boats, took to the sea and did something there for an hour.

LATITUDE: 18-07.34S
LONGITUDE: 178-25.59E
COMMENT: Anchorage near Royal yacht club.

We arrived in Suva at noon yesterday, but only got ready this morning. I ask why? They smile and shrug. A sanitary doctor, an animal and plant inspector, a customs officer, and an immigration officer came to do the processing. They were brought by a “launch” - a traveling boat painted orange with a crew of two cheerful Fijians. He approached carefully, without touching the side. He picked them up half an hour later, coming up again. All the papers, as well as the formidable order of preliminary notification, carefully copy the New Zealand set.

You only have to pay the sanitary doctor - 33-75 FD (Fiji dollars, two-thirds of American dollars), and the cheerful guys from the launch - 106 FJ dollars for the work. Since I don’t have fiji money with me, the launch then comes the next day for money, and the sanitary bill had to be paid by going to the city - another 2-10 for a taxi.

We changed anchorage, standing a cable's distance from the local Royal Yacht Club. For the facilities provided - shower, laundry, bar, restaurant, water, fuel, dinghy dock, the yacht club charges 8 FD per day. If you want to join the coastal pontoon, the price is different - 19-40 per meter of full length per week. Despite the fact that we came at the very beginning of the season, there are no places on the pontoons; it seemed to me that there were barely enough for the locals.

Taxis are quite cheap, the taxi drivers are Indian. The city makes a strong impression. There are many, many buses, all without windows, so that it is not so hot, taxis, which, even passing on the other side of the street, will honk at you, suddenly you need it, but you didn’t notice.

The city prison next to the Royal Yacht Club, painted with popular prints from the Bible, artlessly and powerfully, I think, by the prisoners themselves.

Dirty streets, fumes from worn-out diesel engines, bright clothes, Indian music, bazaars, bazaars, bazaars... This is not Pacifica, this is the East. The driving style on the roads, by the way - left-hand drive, is also recklessly oriental. Although there is a distinctly “Euro” part of the city, the main style has developed under the influence of Indians. They are slender, many with very delicate features, usually in trousers, the older generation even in jackets. Polished high boots, like the ones we wore at school.

There are many shoe shiners on the streets. The cleaners, as a rule, are powerful older Melanesians, in general - there are also a lot of Melanesians - cheerful, black, curly, in shorts, T-shirts, and sandals.

There are also Melanesians in boots, but, as on Chuka, mostly in “show-off” tourist or mountain boots. People love good things... You can see them barefoot on the streets
only beggars. Apparently, according to local standards, this is the final limit. Here, for the first time during the expedition, I felt the presence and influence of Muslims. The city is interesting, I want to spend more time here.

We are in Fiji until Monday. During this time, you need to find good products and stock up, add water and fuel. And there is hope that there will be no problems with all this here, unlike previous ports of call. Today we went to a couple of shops and a market. There is everything, even cucumbers and tomatoes. We have a rather long passage ahead in calm weather to the Marshalls or Kiribas - more than 1600 miles, and then another 2700 miles home. So the issue with fresh vegetables is quite serious, we will solve it.

Since we are standing on a roadstead not far from the local prison, we go to bed and get up to the prison siren. Very impressive. I was again very lucky with the crew. I hope that over the next month and a half I will be able to completely heal the remnants of narcissism. Our water here is 32, and the air is also somewhere like that. Every day begins with clear sunny weather, in the evening the clouds descend from the mountains and it begins to rain, sometimes heavily. Sometimes it goes on all evening, sometimes all night. We have already prepared rainwater for drinking wherever possible. Today I went to a fishing tackle store, I couldn’t have found it myself, I asked the locals where they showed it. I bought another fish - a wobbler for sea bream and tuna. All the previous ones were either nibbled or bitten by fish. Today I also bought a CD with Fijian traditional music. Very sad - Russian folk songs look even more cheerful... It’s so interesting in the city, there’s a lot of oriental stuff. There are a lot of mixed people, some of them are very beautiful. Printing houses are everywhere, I have never seen anything like this. On Monday we are leaving for the north, the road is long, only about 5 thousand miles to home. So we'll be there soon.

Yesterday I spent the whole evening trying to wash my clothes in the yacht club laundry. I did everything according to the instructions, put it in the machine, poured in the powder... It doesn’t wash. I went to the office and they said I had to pay for a restaurant that would open at six in the evening. In the evening I came, paid, they turned on the car, albeit a different one. I had to drag everything into another car along with the powder. It rained again all night. It’s morning now, the sun will turn on soon, I’ll hang it on the boat to dry.

Today Sasha was supposed to leave by bus to Lautoka. I didn't want to take the car. Sasha doesn't know how to steer. I tried it in Samoa - it turns out that you drive all day and see nothing but the road. I’m here, walking around Suva, I still need to tighten the steering, look at the rigging... a lot of small work on the boat. I bought a bunch of DVD films in English, it’s hard to choose here, they cost pennies, I picked up whatever I got, I’m going to learn English. The boat is anchored on two anchors, in the company of a New Zealander, an American, and a German. They don't seem to steal here. We will buy groceries tomorrow by taxi and bring them from the supermarket. Here, of course, you need to spend at least a couple of weeks, visit the islands along the way, stop in Lautoka, but neither I nor Alexander have time, so onward and forward.

We are cheerful, cheerful... really cheerful and cheerful!

Sasha just returned, spent the night in Nadi, the laundry was dry yesterday by lunchtime, but I can’t get enough of playing with my camera right now, somehow everything started to work out, only now! Today an American came - a catamaran, which was with us in Samoa and left for Toputapu. Instead of Nuitoputapu, they went to Vava'u, this is also Tonga, but further south. They didn’t go into the toputapa, as I understand it, they were afraid to go into the inner lagoon because of the strong surf. He complained that at first it was stormy, and then there was no wind for a couple of days. He circumnavigated the world in these places 27 years ago. Then I was traveling on a trimaran, without an engine or electricity, without GPS,
with a sextant. Really cool guy. Now he is on a nostalgic trip to the past - with his wife, friend, young couple (as I understand, with a daughter) and a little girl, probably a granddaughter. I talked to his wife, they are then going to Vanuatu, and he advised me who to contact in the parking lot, where to go for beauty.
She says, “We’ll go wherever Quen says, he’s a navigator, I’m just a cook.” (Cook, in English...). The American was really happy to see me in Fiji. Well, already old acquaintances. I drank beer with them at the bar, and a German also joined them, who is standing here nearby, on the roadstead, and seems to be walking around the world alone. As always when meeting with the older generation, we talked about where this planet is heading, but we also managed to talk about more vital topics.

Fiji is increasingly reminiscent of the Russian hinterland, perhaps in the recent past. First of all, the severity of the laws, which are not at all necessary to comply with. For example, the law prohibits children from visiting bars and gambling establishments, from being in a bar wearing shorts, with their heads covered, wearing glasses, about women’s clothing in general, horror, horror, horror, God forbid, if bare knees appear. People do not pay attention to these laws, although strict notices are posted everywhere, even in our “royal” yacht club.

It's funny, children mostly play this billiards, and sliders crawl under the feet of their parents sitting at the bar. Where should we put them? In the city, many women dress in European fashion, even to the point of wearing shorts and minis, which is strictly prohibited by the laws of Fiji. Machine civilization is quickly rolling out the religious foundations imposed a little more than a hundred years ago under the asphalt. But, they say, people continue to live traditionally in the villages. When visiting the village, you need to present a gift to the leader - a bag of dried kava (at least half a kilogram, this is about 500 rubles), in the village it is absolutely impossible (um, this is already in Polish, I got it from Jan in Samoa) wearing a hat or any glasses. You cannot wear a backpack, carry a camera, or carry a bag over your shoulder - only in your hand. Knees and shoulders are closed. In general - a page of all sorts of strict warnings and recommendations...

The second is thimblemakers and other scammers who, for example, get acquainted under the pretext of a deep knowledge of the Russian language (they say “good afternoon” in Russian), and then try to sell roughly crafted crafts of “local” art, and at the same time feverishly quickly pick out your name on this craft, like, you’ll be ashamed to refuse later. But I refused on the first day, and this morning too, easily. It’s worth looking at life through the eyes of a “ruthless samurai,” as Sasha dubbed me, and all these tricks look very primitive.

Third, the dirt on the streets and the quality of the roads, street kiosks whose windows are covered with large steel mesh, remember how we had them a few years ago...

Today I was leaving the supermarket, I went to get ready to buy groceries - the out of breath security caught up with me and tried to hand over my thick wallet. I say, this is not mine! Well, he says, it was left after you at the checkout, it’s yours!!! With difficulty he fought back, it turns out that for him all white people look alike. This, of course, does not remind us of Russia in any way; there are two big differences here.

Now in the morning, according to the authorities, get clearance from customs officers and stamps in passports from immigration. Then we go to the supermarket for groceries, load everything into a taxi, then we stop at the market for pineapples, catch a boat, and leave. (By the way, we didn’t buy pineapples; it didn’t work out.)