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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.
Suva is the only place in Fiji where
you'll see buildings taller than palm
trees.
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 museum is
recognised as one of the best of its type
in the South Pacific. 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
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