What to do in Fiji - Levuka

Levuka is Ovalau 's capital in the Eastern Division of Fiji. The town was founded in 1820 by European settlers and traders as the first modern Fiji town. A disparate band of settlers made up Levuka's population -traders, missionaries, shipwrights, speculators, and vagabonds, as well as respectable businessmen. Priests established a mission in Levuka in 1858 and by 1870, the town had a population of more than 800. In 1984, after Fiji was annexed as a British colony, Levuka remained the capital until 1877, when the administration was moved to Suva, although the move was not made official until 1882. The move was prompted by concerns that the 600-meter high cliffs surrounding Levuka gave it no room for expansion. Today, Levuka has a population of 3,750 people, more than a third of Ovalau's total. It is the economic hub and the largest of 24 settlements on the island. Levuka and the island of Ovalau are seeking recognition from UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.