A Stop in Levuka – Fiji’s Original Capital
An off-the-beaten-track colonial era port town in the South Pacific
On our way to Suva from Savusavu we made a couple of stops. The first was the uninhabited island of Namena, and the second was in the colonial port town of Levuka.
It’s an isolated town of about 2,500 people on the mountainous Fijian island of Ovalau, with lush jungle-covered volcanic peaks rising 2,000 feet behind the town, and deep river valleys that meet the sea on the waterfront. The island is surrounded by coral reefs with a marked pass that leads to the port. If you don’t come by private boat, it’s a long day of travel to get here with a ferry ride from the big island of Viti Levu to the island of Ovalau, and then a bus trip around the island to the east coast where Levuka town is located.
Levuka is a throwback to old Fiji. The date of first settlement by Fijian warriors is fuzzy, but the first “beachcombers” arrived in the 1820’s. Beachcombers were white residents of the Fijian islands who served as liaisons between the Fijian natives and foreigners. The first American sailor, David Whippy from Nantucket, a carpenter by trade, arrived on Ovalau in 1825. He was dropped off on the island to collect tortoise shells, but the ship didn’t return for 13 years. Rather than languishing, Whippy thrived in his new island home, and went on to become the US vice-counsul to Fiji from 1846 to 1856. The Wikipedia page on his story is fascinating.
Levuka was Fiji’s capital from 1874 until 1883 when it was relocated to to Suva, with its better location for trade and access to world markets. At that point, Levuka was frozen in time, recognized as a historical town in 1989 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013. There is a museum, but it was closed during our visit, and I learned most of the historic facts referenced here from a sign on the waterfront road.
The town is ready for tourists, but we were the only ones in town for the two days that we anchored off the waterfront. Not many boats stop here, and we were an attraction in our own right. Duende was the view, and everyone we met in town said “Oh, you’re from the yacht”.
A monument on the waterfront commemorates the signing of the Deed of Cession of Fiji to Great Britain in 1874. Many of the wooden buildings date back to that time – some in ruins, some better preserved – and may well be the handiwork of Mr. Whippy. Beach Road runs through town, with the seawall on one side and wooden storefronts with a covered boardwalk on the other. (original photos by LJ)
The cathedral is a predominant structure in the center of town – but only the tower is built of lava rock. The surrounding building is wooden and well maintained, but a little run down.
Levuka is the economic center of the island, and everyone on Ovalau comes to town for supplies and services. You can get almost anything if you look hard enough, and the stores are piled from floor to ceiling with a mix of hardware, clothing, home goods, appliances, and food.
There are also a few kava bars on the main street. We’ve heard a lot about kava – it’s a drink made from the root of the yaqona plant. When you go to a village in these islands, you are expected to ask permission to visit and anchor in their waters, and to bring a gift of kava to the people as a gesture of goodwill. Every market sells packages of yaqona root, wrapped up in newspaper and tied with string. We have a package on hand but haven’t had the opportunity to gift it to anyone yet. Dating back to ancient times, kava still plays a significant cultural role in Fijian life.
We stopped in Suruj’s Kava Outlet to see what it’s all about. Emily was the caretaker, and she happily mixed up a batch in a wooden bowl (a tanoa) and sat with us to serve us in little coconut shell cups that you drink all at once. It looked and tasted like muddy water. She explained that the kava ceremony is a way to welcome guests and to come together to celebrate occasions and build community with your friends and neighbors. Drinking it slightly numbs your mouth and tongue and if you drink enough it is mildly narcotic. We only had a taste, and it didn’t really affect us. It was fun to sit with Emily, share a few laughs, and learn more about her life in Levuka.
While Levuka remains mostly untouched by mass tourism, parts of it have sold out for economics. In 1963, the Pacific Fishing Company, a Japanese company licensed to fish for tuna in Fijian waters, built a fish freezing facility in Levuka, followed 10 years later by a large fish cannery. The site was chosen for access to fresh water from the waterfalls and rivers that cascade down from the mountains on Ovalau. With the fish plant came the need for more electricity, and a large diesel-fired electrical generation plant was built next door. There went the neighborhood. A constant hum emanates from the generator building, and you can hear it all over town. We could literally feel it through the hull of the boat in the anchorage. And when the wind blows back over the town front, there’s no mistaking that there is a fish processing plant at the edge of town.
Both these operations are on the site of the old village of Levuka, and many of the buildings near there have been abandoned, with most of the original residents, Emily included, moving out to other villages. While these operations certainly brought some economic benefit with the many jobs they created, they have influenced the quality of life for the residents. Plenty of people work in the plant, but no one wants to live next door.
Levuka of today is a cool town with a conflicted personality. On the one hand, an idyllically located, sleepy little place with a vivid history, and on the other a teeming port with the with the noise and smell associated with a fish production facility. For us, it was a convenient stop on our way south to Suva. The channel entrance to the port was deep and well-marked, the anchorage was sound.
We had a good rest for a couple of days and met some friendly people. Levuka Town is another waypoint on our South Pacific adventure, one we’re happy to have had the chance to experience.
Next stop, Suva! The capital city of Fiji and the largest city in the archipelago is sure to bring on some culture shock after all these months of remote islands, small villages, and few people. But we’re excited, and I’m sure there will be many great stories to share.
Sail on fearless crew! LJ
We are two people exploring the ocean on our 80-foot sailing yacht, without a full-time crew or a fat wallet. To all my constant readers, thank you for coming along on this voyage with us. It’s so much fun for me to share our adventures with you, and I hope you enjoy my stories. Please invite your friends and family to join us. All are welcome onboard SV Duende.
If you are new to the crew, you can see where this adventure started with the Duende Origin Story Part 1 (and 2, and 3, and 4).
Loving this. As soon as my US house sells I am about to go nomad as well. Southern Italy for me. Not as adventurous as Fiji but it’s a start! I love Sicily so much.
Fat fingers! The winderful photos of wooden buildings and painted signs remind me slightly of my first visit to Hilo Hawaii. Walking back in time Thanks for the well written informative article.
I enjoyed how you juxtaposed the sleepy discovery angle with the unfortunate fish factory aspects.
Keep em coming looks like this may be my best option to continue my cruising dreams.