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Suva is the capital of Fiji and is
a beautiful harbour city built on
a peninsula reaching out into
the sea.
The city is perched on a hilly peninsula
between Laucala Bay and Suva Harbour
in the southeast corner of Viti Levu.
The mountains north and west catch the
southeast trade winds, producing moist
conditions year round.
An exciting multi-racial city, Suva began
as a late Victorian village with frame
houses and stores along the beachfront.
Much of its past still survives, for
there are many small, quaint wooden
bungalows in the old section that sit in
juxtaposition to the modern offices and
shopping plazas.
On Sundays it's well worth attending
church to hear the choral singing that is
magnificent. Most churches have services
in English, but none compare with the
1000 strong Fijian service at Centenary
Methodist Church on Stewart Street. A
vital centre, Suva offers a great selection
of restaurants including Chinese, Indian,
traditional Fijian and European cuisine.
There are tours to landmarks such as the
Thurston Gardens next to Government
House, the official residence of the
president of the Republic of Fiji. The
Fiji Museum is recognised as one of
the best of its type in the South Pacific
which holds a remarkable collection
of archaeological material dating
back 3,700 years and cultural objects
representing both Fiji's indigenous
inhabitants and the other communities
that have settled in the island group over
the past 200 years.
Not to be missed is the sprawling
complex of municipal markets near the
waterfront that comes to life on Fridays
and Saturdays. Here you'll find an
assortment of artifacts and handicrafts
for sale, made by Fijians throughout the
Island group.
There is Fiji's oldest cultural centre
located at Orchid Island near Suva,
where visitors can see Fiji's unique fauna
and f lora.
For those who like history, there's Albert
Park where Charles Kingsford-Smith
landed his plane Southern Cross on his
trans-Pacific f light in 1928.
S U V A
— F i j i —
