The Top Things to Do in the Lomaiviti Islands on a Budget
The Lomaiviti Islands are a backpacker’s dream, especially on the island of Ovalau, where every few steps bring you to another fascinating historical site that you can revel in for free. Plus, with backpacker accommodations and resorts offering free ways to explore the azure waters and cheap guided hikes to stunning lookouts, authentic Fijian villages and historical places of interest, you can hardly spend “too much” in the Lomaiviti Islands. Take a look at this list of free and cheap things to do on the Lomaiviti Islands for a few examples!
While you’re here, you might also be interested in The Budget & Backpacking Guide to Lomaiviti Islands.
Table of Contents
1. Explore Historic Levuka – FREE
The beautifully preserved Levuka town was once the capital of Fiji. The town was a bustling metropolis of the South Pacific between 1871 and 1881 before the capital moved to Suva. The town is home to a lot of Fiji’s “firsts”, such as the first hotel, first bank, Methodist church, school and more. Start your exploration of the town at The Morris Hedstrom building, now home to the Levuka Museum & Community Centre, where you can pick up maps for a self-guided tour of the town, book a guided tour, or check out the relics in the small museum, as featured in the 5 Best Museums in Fiji. Other historical points of interest in Levuka include the Church of the Sacred Heart (1858) located on Beach Street, the Ovalau Club (1904), the Town Hall (1898) and the Navoka Methodist Church (1862) – the latter three located around Nasau Park.
Location: All over Levuka! Levuka Museum – Beach Street, Levuka, east coast of Ovalau. [Update: Double-check that the Levuka Museum has reopened before making plans to visit].
© Captain Cook Cruises2. Soak in the Views from Mission Hill – FREE
If you only have a short time in Levuka, then we recommend revelling in the views from Mission Hill. Climb the 199 steps leading from the Navoka Methodist Church to the top of Mission Hill. Enjoy views of Levuka and the outer islands of Makogai, Batiki and Wakaya. It’s also possible to spot pilot whales throughout the year or even humpback whales between May and October. From the top of Mission Hill, you have the option to return a different way to the northern end of Beach Street (the main street of Levuka) via a dirt track and beside a village.
Location: Depart from the 199 steps on the same road as the Delana Methodist Primary School and Nasau Park, Levuka, east coast of Ovalau Island.
© Pexels3. Hike or Ride to the Volcanic Crater Village of Lovoni – CHEAP
The village of Lovoni was once home to a feared tribe living in the centre of the impenetrable volcanic crater. The stories of this tribe, believed to be the only village not conquered by Cakobau, the King of Fiji during the 1870s, are best told (in detail) on tour with Epi’s Midland Tour with Joe – a longstanding local tour guide offering affordable tours for around FJ$70-$110. The tour starts with a bumpy ride up the dirt road from Levuka leading to Lovoni where Joe will present a sevuesvu (gift) on your behalf before you enjoy lunch with Joe’s family in the village. The village is now located along the side of the crater for practical reasons but still boasts dramatic scenery and an interesting cultural experience. Hikes to Lovoni are also available with The Baystay in Rukuruku Village – see the 10 Best Budget Accommodations in Levuka – but expect a full-day adventure. It’s one of The Best Day Trips from the Lomaiviti Islands!
Location: Departure points are arranged upon booking (book Epi’s Tours/Joe through your Levuka accommodation on arrival).
© Littleblackpistol on Wikipedia4. Snorkel Among Colourful Reef Fish – FREE/CHEAP
Like in many parts of Fiji, the underwater world of the Lomaiviti Islands is simply awesome. Some of the best snorkelling can be found off the coasts of the affordable Leleuvia Island Resort, with a reef just 10 m (33 ft) away from the beach. Other budget accommodations also offer snorkelling boat trips to take you to outer reefs; for instance, at Kauwai Retreat, snorkelling trips are around a reasonable FJ$50. Finally, good snorkelling can be found at a fringing reef on Ovalau about 1 km (0.6 mi) past Wagadaci Village, as well as on the beach at the Ovalau Holiday Resort, but you will need your own snorkel gear.
Location: Leleuvia Island Resort – Leleuvia Island, off the south coast of Ovalau and Moturiki Islands. Kauwai Retreat – Ovalau Road, Wainaloka, south coast of Ovalau. Ovalau Holiday Resort – Between Vatukalo and Naitavanga Point, Ovalau Road, east coast of Ovalau Island.
© FijiPocketGuide.com5. Paddle in a Kayak, SUP or Outrigger Canoe – FREE/CHEAP
Getting out on the water is a free activity when staying at budget accommodations, like The Baystay or Leleuvia Island Resort. Leleuvia Island Resort also has the unique option of paddling out on outrigger canoes, a traditional style of canoe used by Pacific Islanders for thousands of years. Another excellent base for kayaking is at Kauwai Retrat on Ovalau, where you can enjoy half-day paddles through mangrove forests, to Lando Rock, Nukuvula Sandbank, Lando Yalewa (Pirate Island) and over to Moturiki Island. Finally, on the subject of kayaking, Old Captial Inn provides kayak and canoe hire in Levuka for approximately FJ$10-$20 per hour.
Location: The Baystay – Ovalau Road, Rukuruku, northwest coast of Ovalau Island. Leleuvia Island Resort – Leleuvia Island, off the south coast of Ovalau and Moturiki Islands. Kauwai Retreat – Ovalau Road, Wainaloka, south coast of Ovalau. Old Capital Inn – Beach Street, Levuka, east coast of Ovalau Island.
© FijiPocketGuide.com6. Trek to the Ovalau Waterslide with Bobo – CHEAP
Staying on Bobo’s Farm on Ovalau is an experience in itself, but an exciting activity that is free for house guests (or a small fee for day-trippers) is the walk to the Na Vu Wai waterfall. Bobo will take you on a 20-minute walk through a beautiful forest to a fun set of waterslides to play in until your heart’s content! More activities from Bobo are coming up on this list!
Location: Bobo’s Farm, Ovalau Road, Rukuruku, northwest coast of Ovalau Island.
© FijiPocketGuide.com7. Indulge in Authentic Fijian Cuisine – CHEAP
Eating in the Lomaiviti Islands is an affordable and authentic experience. Meal plans at many of the accommodations that we list in the 10 Best Budget Accommodations in the Lomaiviti Islands range between FJ$25 and FJ$50 per day (or more than double that on Leleuvia Island). But wherever you stay on the Lomaiviti Islands, hosts are keen to share the food that they eat every day: fresh fish from their surrounding waters, usually marinated in coconut milk combined with root crops like taro and the interesting breadfruit. Unlike the “resort experience” elsewhere in Fiji, what you get on the Lomaiviti Islands is the real deal!
Location: Get more tips on dining and cheap eats in The Food Guide to Levuka & the Lomaiviti Islands.
© FijiPocketGuide.com8. Visit Naigani or Nukulevu Islands – CHEAP
About 10 km (6 mi) off the north coast of Ovalau, Naigani Island is a fascinating place to visit. During the reign of Cakabau, Naigani’s villagers were aligned with his enemy, Verata, where a famous invasion of the island in 1860 left all but two villagers dead (and taken to Bau to be eaten). Today, the island has a small population living in villages, some of which are the descendants of the survivors. You may be able to tour the original village on the northernmost peak of the island as well as an old hillfort. Bobo from Bobo’s Farm also offers a boat trip to the island, which needs a minimum of two people to run but only costs around FJ$60 each.
Alternatively, Old Capitol Inn in Levuka offers a private island getaway at Nukulevu Island. For approximately FJ$160 per person daily (minimum three nights, four people), guests enjoy bungalow or tent accommodation, three meals, and non-motorised watersports, providing excellent value! The package includes transport from Natovi Landing on Ovalau to Nukulevu.
Location: Transport to these islands is provided from Bobo’s Farm – Ovalau Road, Rukuruku, northwest coast of Ovalau Island, and Old Capitol Inn – Beach Street, Levuka, east coast of Ovalau Island.
© Airbnb9. Check Out Niukaubi Hill, Levuka Village and Gun Rock – FREE
If you have time to explore Levuka a little further, then head north of the town, where you will eventually reach Niukaubi Hill. This small bluff is where the Supreme Court and parliament were located when Levuka was Fiji’s capital. Now stands a war memorial. Continue 300 m (984 ft) over the hill, and you will enter Levuka Village, which is backed by a large rockface known as Gun Rock. The rock is named after being used as a target to fire cannons during the colonial era to intimidate the islands’ chief and Cakobau. Learn more about the context of Cakobau’s chiefly reign in A Brief History of Fiji.
Location: Start from Niukaubi Hill, northern end of Levuka, east coast of Ovalau.
© Pexels10. Hike to Ovalau’s Highest Peaks – CHEAP
If, after all that, you have more energy to burn, exciting inland hiking trails await, leading to Ovalau’s highest peaks, Tumuna and Vuniasi. Once again, Bobo from Bobo’s Farm provides a guided 2-hour hike to either one of the peaks for only around FJ$30 per person. Alternatively, another well-established local tour guide on Ovalau, Nox based at the Levuka Homestay, offers the Peak Walk. This 2-hour hike takes you through lush forest to an epic lookout from a prominent mountain behind Levuka. The guided walk also costs around FJ$30 per person. For more walks across Fiji, check out the 10 Best Walks in Fiji.
Location: Bobo’s Farm – Ovalau Road, Rukuruku, northwest coast of Ovalau Island. Levuka Homestay – On the same road as the Mission Hill Steps and Delana Methodist Primary School, Levuka, east coast of Ovalau Island.
© Merbabu on Wikipedia More Free and Cheap Things to Do in the Lomaiviti Islands
That’s it for the free and cheap things to do in the Lomaiviti Islands. For more tips to plan a frugal getaway, check out the following:
- 20 Things to Do in the Lomaiviti Islands
- The Food Guide to Levuka & the Lomaiviti Islands
- 5 Ways to Get to the Lomaiviti Islands
Finally, don’t forget to bookmark The Complete Budget & Backpacking Travel Guide to Fiji. Trust us; there are a lot of useful tips!
Sources:
The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across Fiji and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:
- Levuka Tourism Association (Regional tourism website)
- Tourism Fiji (General travel advice - Updated [2025])
- Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association (Tourism trade association - Updated [2025])
- SPTO (Pacific tourism advice - Updated [2025])
- Fiji Immigration (Visa and immigration advice - Updated [2025])
- Fiji Revenue & Customs Service (Customs and visitor taxes - Updated [2025])
- Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (Biosecurity advice - Updated [2025])
- Fiji Meteorological Service (Weather forecast and warnings - Updated [2025])
- Fiji Bureau of Statistics (Statistics and travel data - Updated [2025])
- Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (Tourism statistics - Updated [2025])
- Land Transport Authority (Road safety advice - Updated [2025])
- Safe Travel (New Zealand travel advisory for Fiji - Updated [2025])
- Smart Traveller (Australia travel advisory for Fiji - Updated [2025])
- Travel.State.Gov (U.S. travel advisory for Fiji - Updated [2025])
Our editorial standards: At Fiji Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.
