Unbeatable Surf. Coral Islands.

The country’s main island and home to its two largest cities, Nadi and Suva, this is the one place in Fiji where you might not always be alone. If you know where to go, Viti Levu can give you an unparalleled look into the islands’ rich history and multicultural heritage. Escape urban living on the three-day Mount Batilamu trek through Koroyanitu National Heritage Park, go white-water rafting on the upper Navua river, and watch for octopi on your dive in Beqa lagoon.

Just west of Viti Levu lies this idyllic collection of 20 volcanic islands, among the most popular in all of Fiji. Spend plenty of time on Malolo, with its clear blue lagoon, just north of Tavarua’s legendary surf breaks, including restaurants, cloudbreak, and wilkes passage. Sink your toes into the sand on Vomo’s white-sand curves, among Fiji’s best beaches, before going beneath the surface to the Omo caves, a maze of intricate caverns and swim-through passages.

Along with the Mamanucas, these 20 islands are the most popular in Fiji, and considered the most idyllic. As soon as you see their signature, dramatic combinations of rugged mountains, dense jungle, and stretches of silky alabaster sand, you’ll understand what all the fuss is about. Before you move on, pay a visit to Yasawa island resort & spa, yet another intimate, world-renowned property, this time with18 private bures, each nestled in the jungle overlooking the beach.

Fiji’s second-largest island, Vanua Levu has managed to avoid the development of its large southern neighbor, Viti Levu. Hike into the dense Waisali rainforest reserve, keeping your eyes open for unfamiliar birds and colorful flowers, ending your day at one of many small coastal villages, a collection of traditional huts. Plan to spend the rest of your time on and in the water, with a number of excellent dive spots clustered around Fiji’s northern islands.

Climb up through the rainforest in Bouma national heritage park to the Bouma falls or along the Vidama rainforest walk to scenic vistas overlooking nearby islands. Back down at sea level, treat yourself with a visit to a black pearl farm in Naselesele lagoon, and grab a snack at Audrey’s island coffee & pastries, where an expat American baker serves up cake, tea, and Kahlua on her front porch.

Somosomo has earned Fiji the title of ‘soft coral capital of the world’. A strait running between Taveuni Island and Vanua Levu its colourful corals, in shades of vibrant red, pink and orange, attract divers from all over the world. Underwater life here includes turtles, barracudas, reef sharks and manta rays – head to the ‘zoo’ dive site to see them all.

To have one of the most remote, protected, Lau island group and rarely visited places in the world so close to all the tourism and development of Fiji would be a surprise if it were anywhere but Fiji. Located 200 miles east of Viti Levu, practically on the international dateline, these volcanic islands and atolls are a world away from what you’ll come to know in the rest of the country, with life here for the small local communities little changed for decades, if not centuries. As you float along, oversize bats screech above you, strange fish dive through caves below you. As the awe sets in, realize that you are one of the only people on earth ever to see this place.

Once home to a bustling port town and Fiji's first capital, this group of nine (Inhabited) Islands - Namenalala, Makogai, Koro, Wakaya, Batiki, Nairai, Gau, Ovalau and Moturiki - no longer gets the same traffic as its western brethren. Hike up through the lush forests to the peak, the extinct volcano’s crater, on which perches the cute and equally unchanged village of Lovoni.

Hiding out off the beaten path, south of Viti Levu, this predominately untouristed and undeveloped island is a hidden gem for an adventurer and outdoors enthusiast. On the island itself, the dense jungle blanketing huge volcanic mountains hints at the biodiversity beneath the surface. Float between tiny inlets and protected bays, seeking out secluded mangrove swamps, home to countless different kinds of wildlife. Trek up the mountains, past waterfalls and through villages, watching for such rare birds as honeyeaters and velvet fruit doves, and species of fantails found nowhere else in the world.

Perched on a hilly peninsula extending out into the sea, the scenic harbour city of Suva is the heart and soul of Fiji, teeming with colonial architecture, exotic eateries, gardens, nightlife, museums and markets. Suva is a perfect final destination to soak up the vibrant cultural scene and enjoy the relaxed pace of Fijian life.