Levuka, Ovalau Island, Fiji (July 2012)

After our tour of Suva, we took the Patterson Brothers bus/ferry to Levuka on Ovalau Island.  The town of Levuka was Fiji’s capital until the shift to Suva in 1882.  Founded as a whaling settlement in 1830, Levuka became the main center for European traders in Fiji, and a British consul was appointed in 1857.  The cotton boom of the 1860’s brought new settlers, and Levuka quickly grew into a boisterous town.  Escaped convicts and debtors fleeing creditors in Australia swelled the throng, until it was said that a ship could find the reef passage into Levuka by following the empty gin bottles floating out on the tide.  The honest traders felt the need for a stable government, so in 1871 Levuka became the capital of Cakobau’s Kingdom of Fiji.  Eventually, in 1874, the Deed of Cession, handing over Fiji to Britain, was signed here.  Today, Levuka is host to the Pafco cannery, a number of small stores and a couple of restaurants.  It is an extremely friendly place where we were welcomed warmly by the mixture of indigenous Fijians, Indo-Fijians, Chinese Fijians, part European Fijians along with a few expats who inhabit this sleepy town.

We stayed at the Royal Hotel, Fiji’s oldest hotel, dating back to the 1860s and it’s got character to back it up.  Definitely worth the stay in this charming hotel with wood floors covered with oriental rugs, rattan sofas, potted plants, historic photos, and even a billiard table.  We loved the charming guest cottage with hardwood floors overlooking a tropical garden and pool.

While in Levuka, we attended the Ovalua/Rewa rugby match.  We had promise the Rewa rugby players who we met on the ferry that we would cheer for their team.  They had a great game but lost to Ovalau. All the players played with a lot of heart and passion while the townspeople cheered and sang Fijian songs.