Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CAKOBAU'S WAR CANOE
Ra Marama
, the last great double-hulled
Fijian war canoe
to grace the South Seas, was
built at Somosomo during the 1830s to 1840s. The canoe, measuring 30m long and 6m
wide, took seven years to complete and could carry over 130 warriors. At the keel-laying
ceremony, several young warriors were clubbed to death to increase the canoe's
mana
, or
spiritual power; missionaries intervened at the canoe's launch when more warriors were
due to be sacrificed. The canoe was presented as a gift to
Cakobau
of Bau who used it
as a powerful symbol of strength in his wars against Rewa which eventually crowned him
King of Fiji. After Cakobau's death in 1882, the canoe was returned to Somosomo where,
beached, it perished to the wind and sea - no trace of it remains.
Naqara and around
Across the bridge from Somosomo is
NAQARA
, a rather disorganized collection of wooden
shacks and corrugated-iron buildings that passes for the island's main town. Looking com-
pletely out of place in the centre of town is the three-storey Garden State building, site of
several handy services. Food is available from several supermarkets and street-side shacks.
A kilometre south of Naqara at the village of
Lovonivonu
is Taveuni's old wharf, now
known as the
Korean Wharf
and used only by small boats, including those crossing to and
from
Buca Bay
on Vanua Levu. Ten minutes' walk south is the village of
Vuniuto
, where
you can hire a guide to visit the
Kula-na-Wai Waterfall
, an hour's walk inland (F$10 per
person; minimum 2 people).
Waitavala Sliding Rocks
The most popular attraction along the west coast is
Waitavala Sliding Rocks
, a fun 200m-
long natural waterslide where you chute down the rapids of a narrow stream on your back-
