Suva Secrets – More Than Just a Capital

I’m not sure if it’s my interest in colonial times or simply that Suva has always offered up a good time, good meals and good people for me, but I’ve never understood why people miss out on a visit to Fiji’s capital.

Sure it’s busy, the traffic can be a nightmare, but scratch the surface and Suva provides a fantastic weekend away, or longer if you explore the neighbouring islands.

The national carrier Fiji Airways recently started direct flights from Auckland and Sydney to Suva to encourage more visitors to the capital and the response has been overwhelming.

More and more people are discovering there’s as much, if not more to see and do on the east side of Viti Levu.

It’s about a 45-minute drive from Nausori airport to the CBD. I landed in the afternoon and drove through outlying suburbs and farm areas, passed colourful buildings and even more colourful kids in bright school uniforms.

On arrival at the Grand Pacific Hotel, I’m greeted by a smartly dressed porter and ushered in to the GPH’s grand lobby, immediately taking me back to colonial times with its high ceilings, framed photographs of Queen Elizabeth’s visit in the 1950s and brass ceiling fans.

The GPH is the Grande Dame of Suva’s hospitality industry and rightly claims to be where elegance meets history.

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