Introducing Suva

If you've only come to Fiji for the islands and beaches then you best join the people on package tours and avoid Suva (pronounced soo-va) altogether. Nestled into a yawning harbour, this city is sticky with sweat and industry but it's Fiji's most concentrated confluence of ethnicities and cultures. Swimming in the urban milieu you'll discover the influence of every island and background.

Downtown is a jigsaw of colonial buildings, modern shopping plazas, abundant eateries and a breezy esplanade. Small passages transport you to a city somewhere in India with curry houses, sari shops and bric-a-brac traders. Dribbled along the hilly ascent behind the central business district are Suva's suburbs, some of which have the best urban views in the country. When the sun is out the city is relaxed and ambient and you can easily fill a couple of days visiting the sights and shopping.

Suva is Fiji's political and administrative capital and home to almost half of the country's population. It's also the largest city in the South Pacific and has become an important regional centre; students from the Pacific region and a growing expat community make up a significant chunk of the population. As with most cities, crime and poverty are factors to be aware of and around half of Suva's inhabitants are crowded into settlements on land that has no title.

On a less serious but equally grey note, clouds tend to hover over Suva and frequently dump rain on the city (around 300mm each year). You may, however, find this a welcome relief to the heat and humidity that often cloak the city.