Photos of Savusavu in Fiji

We arrived in Fiji a week ago at the port of Savusavu. This town is really a special place in Fiji. It is on the island of Vanua Levu, not the main tourist island of Viti Levu where Nadi and Suva are located. Since it is far away from the main tourist area, we have been told the people here are much more representative of the old Fiji. The people are very friendly and happy here in Savusavu. The animosity you hear about with the Indian people – who have taken a greater role in business in the country – is not nearly as prevalent here in Savusavu. They are very welcoming to the tourists and seem much more welcoming than in other touristy destinations we have visited.

Savusavu is located near a delightful bay whose waters are protected by an island peninsula on the north side, and shielded by the hilly island on the south which is part of Vanua Levu. Savusavu has hot springs which you can sometimes see steaming in the water in the bay. One of the hotels has hot springs you can soak in. The hills are covered in typical lush tropical vegetation. And, its a very beautiful place. Check out some of the pictures below.

The town has a delightful collection of little stores and restaurants. The prices on most goods are very reasonable for us thanks to a favorable exchange rate. So, most of the cruisers are thrilled to hang out here and go out to eat.

There are also three cell phone providers here and the small cell phone stores are constantly busy with people buying phones or re-charging their accounts. They are even in the process of getting 3G service for one of the providers. And there’s a bus station in town which provide an inexpensive way to get around to the main population areas on the island.

We were invited to go to a special event to raise funds for a Women’s Center in town. The local women had brought many local handcrafts and woven mats to help raise the funds, and they had some dances and foods. The guests of honor were a local Indian business family. A small contingent of cruisers showed up and were treated as special guests. The women were dressed in very colorful dresses and it was quite a special event. The dancing was cut short by some rain, but the women had a lot of fun and put on some little skits. One old woman decided the rain shouldn’t stop the fun and had everyone laughing as she danced in the puddles.

So, check out the photos to get a taste of Savusavu, and the people here:

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