Things to do in Fiji

Plunge into crystal-clear waters around Kadavu to explore one of the world's largest barrier reefs, where kaleidoscopic soft corals and pelagic fish swarm over dramatic drop-offs.

Float in the warm, plankton-rich channel off Drawaqa Island as majestic manta rays unfurl their fins below you, a massive and graceful underwater ballet.

Step into a riot of colour at this ornate Hindu temple, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, where hand-carved wooden deities and brilliant frescoes recount tales of gods.

Wander galleries filled with ancient drua canoe fragments, war clubs, and poignant relics from Fiji's cannibal past inside this compact but rich museum in Thurston Gardens.

Sail from Port Denarau across sparkling turquoise lagoons to postcard-perfect motu islands with blinding white sandbars and coral reefs that beg for an afternoon of snorkelling.

Trek over towering wind-sculpted dunes that conceal 2,000-year-old Lapita pottery shards and burial sites, ending at a wild, driftwood-strewn shore pounded by Pacific surf.

Duck through a hidden underwater entrance into a limestone cathedral lit by shafts of sunlight, where a second chamber opens to a secret open-air pool surrounded by sheer rock walls.

Watch earth-oven-cooked pork and root vegetables emerge steaming from the ground, then sit back as firedancers and warriors tell ancestral stories through rhythmic chanting and stomping.

Stroll the palm-lined seafront of Fiji's first capital, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where weatherboard colonial buildings, stone churches and old kava saloons cling to a cliff-hugging bay.

Paddle through a narrow, jungle-canopied gorge lined with volcanic walls and thundering waterfalls, riding Class III rapids on a remote river deep in Viti Levu's interior.

Walk mossy trails through a misty lowland rainforest just outside Suva to reach a chain of clear, pool-filled creeks where you can jump from rope swings into cool, tannin-stained water.

Wander under a stiletto-heel of volcanic rock among over 2,000 varieties of orchids and exotic gingers, originally planted by actor Raymond Burr in this lush foothill sanctuary.

Dodge between hessian sacks of taro and piles of tropical fruit in this clamorous covered market, then head upstairs for vibrant masi cloth and woven voivoi mats sold by village women.

Sit on the edge of a mangrove-fringed lagoon in Savusavu as banana-leaf-wrapped parcels of fish, chicken and dalo are unearthed from a traditional earth oven for a fragrant feast.

Charge down the face of one of the world’s most powerful left-handed reef breaks, a heaving slab that transforms from a glassy wall into a barrelling beast over shallow coral.

Help hoist the pandanus-mat sails of a restored double-hulled drua and skim across Malolo Lailai’s lagoon, learning how ancient wayfinders read ocean swells and wind patterns.

Climb the hill above Nadi Bay to explore a restored gun battery built in 1941, where concrete bunkers, ammunition magazines and 6-inch naval guns still face the horizon.

Cruise out from Nananu-i-Ra at dawn into the deep blue stretch between Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, where pods of acrobatic spinner dolphins and occasional pilot whales breach nearby.

Bargain for carved kava bowls, cannibal forks and bright sulu wraps along the bustling arcades near the main bus station, breathing in the scent of coconut oil and incense.

Sample Suva’s compact after-dark scene by joining locals at buzzing bars and clubs along the main waterfront strip, where Pacific beats and cold Fiji Bitter flow until late.

Lift off from Nadi’s turquoise harbour and skim above patchwork coral gardens and sand-scribbled atolls, catching a pilot’s-eye view of the same jewel-like isles Hollywood films over.

Gently fin over shallow bommie fields and sea-grass meadows inside the extinct volcanic crater of Beqa, encountering blue sea stars and colourful clownfish in bath-warm water.

Trek through grasslands and native forest in the Ba Highlands to a 20-metre waterfall spilling into a deep, chilly plunge pool – perfect for a reviving swim after the climb.

Sit cross-legged inside a traditional bure with a thatched roof in the country’s last fully thatched village, as a communal bowl of grog is mixed and offered with quiet ritual.

Descend 20 metres onto the encrusted hull of a scuttled island trader, now a thriving artificial reef where lionfish, eels and batfish peer out from its wheelhouse and corridors.