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Voykit pocket guide · Fiji
Suva
Give Suva one night, two if you want the museum and Colo-i-Suva: it is a working capital, not a beach stop.
Suva is Fiji's capital and the country's commercial and political centre, on the wet south-east coast of Viti Levu. It has the Fiji Museum, the municipal market, colonial-era buildings and the region's best Indo-Fijian food, but no good swimming beach. Most travellers reach it by bus from Nadi (about 4 h) or fly into Nausori (SUV), 23 km away. One night covers the centre; two lets you add Colo-i-Suva and a day trip.
- Country
- Fiji
- Best months
- Jul–Sep
- Avoid
- Dec–Mar (cyclone season and heaviest rain)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- FJD
- Money
- Currency is the Fijian dollar (FJD, FJ$). Resorts and larger shops take cards; villages, markets, local buses and small taxis are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget FJ$80–140 excl. bed · Mid FJ$150–280 excl. bed · High FJ$300+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodafone Fiji and Digicel both sell tourist SIMs in Nadi arrivals; passport registration is required.
- Emergency
- Ambulance and fire 911 · Police 917
- Plugs
- Types I · 240 V · 50 Hz · Australian and NZ plugs fit; others need an adapter. Some resorts have universal sockets.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: Not expected; leave coins for great service.; Resorts: Put something in the staff Christmas fund box instead of tipping individuals.; Taxi: Round up.; Dive crew or guide: Optional; FJ$10–20 for a great day.
- Water
- Treated in Nadi, Lautoka and Suva but visitors mostly drink bottled or filtered; boil or filter on outer islands and in villages. Many resorts supply filtered water — bring a bottle.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and cafés; public toilets are few — use cafés, petrol stations and the Nadi market. Carry paper on outer islands.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | FJ$5–9 |
| Curry and rice at a local restaurant | FJ$10–20 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at a shop | FJ$8–12 / FJ$4–6 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | FJ$10–15 |
| Local bus ride | FJ$1–3 (check) |
| Fiji Museum entry | FJ$7 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | FJ$20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SUV · Nausori International Airport
- About 23 km (14 mi) and a 30-min drive from the centre; mostly domestic links to Nadi, some flights to New Zealand, Samoa and Vanuatu.About 14 mi (23 km) and a 30-min drive from the centre; mostly domestic links to Nadi, some flights to New Zealand, Samoa and Vanuatu.
- NAN · Nadi International Airport
- The main international gateway; about 4 h by bus or car to Suva via the Queens Highway.
Typical fares
- Taxi SUV airport → Suva centre
- about FJ$50–70, 30 min (check)
- Bus Nadi → Suva
- about FJ$20, 4 h (check)
- Taxi CBD → Colo-i-Suva
- about FJ$25–35 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Downtown Suva is walkable. Taxis are plentiful and cheap for short hops; agree the fare or check the meter before you get in. Local buses run the city and to Nausori, but avoid minibuses. The main bus station is on Rodwell Rd near the market.
See and do
Known for
- Fiji Museum and Thurston Gardens
- Suva Municipal Market
- Indo-Fijian food
- Colonial architecture and the Grand Pacific Hotel
- Rugby at Albert Park
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific Harbour | Bus or car west along the Queens Highway | About 45 min by car |
| Colo-i-Suva Forest Park | Taxi or bus north on Princes Rd, then walk in | About 30 min |
| Nausori | Bus or taxi east along Kings Highway | About 30–40 min |
| Levuka, Ovalau | Bus to Natovi jetty, then ferry and connecting bus | About 4.5 h |
Sleep
- Central Business District (Victoria Parade and Scott St)
- Walk to the museum, market and waterfront; hotels and the main bus station are here. Best for one night with bags.
- Princes Road (north of the centre)
- Quieter, with the Grand Pacific Hotel and guesthouses; 10–20 min walk or a short taxi to the CBD.
- Samabula and Laucala Bay
- Near the university and stadium; cheaper food, longer walk to sights.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | BulaBOO-lah |
| Thank you | Vinakavee-NAH-kah |
| Excuse me / Sorry | Tuloutoo-LOH |
| How much is it? | E vica na kena isau?eh VEE-tha nah KEH-nah ee-sau |
| Where is the toilet? | E vei na vale lalai?eh VAY nah VAH-leh la-LAI |
| No, thank you | Sega, vinakaSENG-ah, vee-NAH-kah |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bula' with a smile; 'namaste' with Indo-Fijians; avoid: Ignoring a greeting on a village path
- Village entry: Come with a guide and kava, hats off, shoulders covered; avoid: Walking in alone or taking photos before the welcome
- Kava circle: Sit cross-legged, clap once before and three times after your cup; avoid: Stepping across the circle or pointing your feet at the tanoa
- Head: Keep your head lower than seated elders when passing; avoid: Touching anyone's head, even a child's
- Sundays: Keep it quiet near villages and go to church if invited; avoid: Swimming or loud music by village beaches
- Gifts and asking: Bring small gifts for hosts (kava, groceries, school supplies); avoid: Handing out sweets or money to children
- Kerekere: Understand that sharing is expected between relatives; you may be asked for things; avoid: Taking offence — a polite no is fine
Scams and watch-outs
- Pickpockets and bag-snatching in the market and bus station area; keep bags zipped and in front.
- Ignore strangers who introduce themselves and steer you to a shop or a 'free' offer: it is a sales or isolation scam.
- No good swimming beach in the city; the water at Apted Park and near the National Stadium is not clean. Go to Pacific Harbour for a beach.
- December to March is cyclone season: watch forecasts and know your hotel's shelter plan.
Suva is friendly but has pickpockets and pushy touts. Keep bags in front in the market and bus station, refuse unsolicited 'free' offers and anyone who wants to lead you elsewhere, and use taxis after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Suva yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Fiji Museum and Thurston Gardens
- Suva Municipal Market
- Indo-Fijian food
- Colonial architecture and the Grand Pacific Hotel
- Rugby at Albert Park
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Suva City Council: www.suvacity.org
- Wikivoyage: Suva, revision 5046160 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5046160
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Suva
Ki na itikotiko oqo, yalovinaka
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
US Embassy, 158 Prince's Rd (check hours); Chinese Embassy, 147 Queen Elizabeth Dr. Other countries: high commissions in Suva or embassies in Wellington and Canberra.
Police 917 and 911 for fire and ambulance are the numbers carried on the country page; confirm locally on arrival.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/suva). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.