Although you could easily spend several days poking around the capital, eating, drinking, shopping and hanging around with locals & expat community, there some tourist attractions in Suva also.
Sitting on a ridge about 1km southeast of downtown, the Parliament of Fiji (tel. 330 5811), resides under a modern shingle-covered version of a traditional Fijian roof. There are no organized tours, and access has been restricted since the 2000 coup, so call the main number or check with the Fiji Visitors bureau before coming up here. If you can get in (and another coup isn't in progress, God forbid!), you can watch the debates from the visitors' gallery.
At an altitude of 121 to 182m, Colo -- I-Suva Forest Park, 11km from downtown Suva (tel. 332 0211) provides a cool, refreshing respite from the heat of the city below. You can hike the system of trails through the heavy indigenous forests and stands of mahogany to one of several lovely waterfalls that cascade into swimming holes. Bring walking shoes with good traction because the trails are covered with gravel or slippery soapstone. The park is open daily 8am to 4pm. Admission is F$5. Take a taxi or the Sawani bus, which leave Suva Municipal Market every 30 minutes. If you drive, do not leave valuables in your vehicle.
A vast array of tropical produce is offered for sale at Suva's Municipal Market. It is Suva's main supply of food and the largest and most lively market in the South Pacific. If they aren't too busy, the merchants will appreciate your interest and answer your questions about the names and uses of the various fruits and vegetables. The market teems on Saturday morning, when it seems as if the entire population of Suva shows up to shop and select television programs for the weekend's viewing. Few sights say as much about urban life in the modern South Pacific as does that of a Fijian carrying home in one hand a bunch of taro roots tied together with pandanus, and in the other a collection of rented videocassettes stuffed into a plastic bag.
At an altitude of 121 to 182m, Colo -- I-Suva Forest Park, 11km from downtown Suva (tel. 332 0211) provides a cool, refreshing respite from the heat of the city below. You can hike the system of trails through the heavy indigenous forests and stands of mahogany to one of several lovely waterfalls that cascade into swimming holes. Bring walking shoes with good traction because the trails are covered with gravel or slippery soapstone. The park is open daily 8am to 4pm. Admission is F$5. Take a taxi or the Sawani bus, which leave Suva Municipal Market every 30 minutes. If you drive, do not leave valuables in your vehicle.
A vast array of tropical produce is offered for sale at Suva's Municipal Market. It is Suva's main supply of food and the largest and most lively market in the South Pacific. If they aren't too busy, the merchants will appreciate your interest and answer your questions about the names and uses of the various fruits and vegetables. The market teems on Saturday morning, when it seems as if the entire population of Suva shows up to shop and select television programs for the weekend's viewing. Few sights say as much about urban life in the modern South Pacific as does that of a Fijian carrying home in one hand a bunch of taro roots tied together with pandanus, and in the other a collection of rented videocassettes stuffed into a plastic bag.
Finish the day going for a walk at Albert Park and visiting the Fiji Museum. You'll see a marvelous collection of war clubs, cannibal forks, tanoa bowls, shell jewelry, and other relics here, in one of the South Pacific's finest museums. Although some artifacts were damaged by Suva's humidity while they were hidden away during World War II, much remains. Later additions include the rudder and other relics of HMS Bounty, burned and sunk at Pitcairn Island by Fletcher Christian and the other mutineers in 1789 but recovered in the 1950s by the famed National Geographic photographer Luis Marden. Don't miss the masi cloth and Indian art exhibits in the air-conditioned upstairs galleries. The gift shop is worth a browse.
Check this video to get a first idea about Suva
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