The Top Activities While Sailing in Taveuni
Get ready to drop anchor and explore the stunning “Garden Island” of Taveuni.
This lush paradise is a sailor’s dream, boasting prehistoric jungles teeming with giant ferns, colourful birds and tropical blooms. But the real treasure lies offshore, where the vibrant Rainbow Reef awaits beneath the waves.
Whether you’re navigating the seas or trekking on land, Taveuni offers a deep connection with nature that’s hard to beat.
So, hoist your sails and chart a course for the Garden Island – we’ve got the ultimate bucket list of things to do in Taveuni that you won’t want to miss!
For more nautical know-how on visiting Taveuni, check out our Complete Sailing Guide to Taveuni.
Table of Contents
1. Walk the Lavena Coastal Track
If you’re only going to do one walk in Taveuni, make it the Lavena Coastal Walk. The walk starts on a pristine beach by the Lavena Lodge, where you will need to pay a small fee to access the trail.
The 3-hour return walk features a varied coastline of black sand beaches, volcanic cliffs, the village of Naba (please stay on the trail), and a suspension bridge.
At the end of the walk is Wainibau Falls, beautifully framed by a passage that allows for a better view when swimming through. There is a rope to help navigate to the left side of the passage, where you can then hold onto an underwater ridge to help get closer to the falls.
For many more activities like this, check out the 10 Best Walks & Hikes on Taveuni.
Location: Lavena Village, Bouma National Heritage Park, at the end of the east coast road.
Yachts can anchor near Lavena Village on Taveuni’s southeastern coast. Note that there are no moorings, and dinghy landings can be made on the beach near Lavena Village.
© FijiPocketGuide.com2. Have a Go on the Waitavala Sliding Rocks
If you’re feeling adventurous, have kids to entertain or just appreciate nature’s playground, check out the Waitavala Waterslide.
This 200 m (656 ft)-long natural waterslide chutes down an undulating set of rapids into a narrow stream at the bottom.
Be prepared for a few bruises, but also make sure that the slide is safe before you try it yourself, as the currents can be strong after heavy rain. Watch the locals slide down before giving it a go yourself.
See more activities like this in the 10 Things to Do in Taveuni with Kids.
Location: Just south of Vuniotu, west coast of Taveuni.
From the Garden Island Resort, walk five minutes north to a dirt road beside a bus shelter. Walk up this dirt road for about 20 minutes and turn left just past the sign for the prison. Look out for a worn trail on your right, which leads up to the waterfall.
© FijiPocketGuide.com3. Scuba Dive at the Great White Wall or Rainbow Reef
With the famed Rainbow Reef on Taveuni’s doorstep, scuba diving is a no-brainer! The reef boasts 30 vibrant dive sites, 390 species of coral and around 1,500 species of vibrant fish. It’s common to see large groupers, blue ribbon eels, sea turtles, sharks, lionfish and more.
One of the most breathtaking features of the Rainbow Reef is the White Wall, a 46 m (150 ft)-high, 61 m (200 ft)-long coral structure covered in soft white coral. Note that the vast majority of dives around the Rainbow Reef are drift dives, so only attempt solo if you have the expertise.
While scuba diving is easy to organise from just about any accommodation in Taveuni and the islands of Qamea and Matangi, the specialised dive resorts, such as those we list for Taveuni in the 20 Best Dive Resorts in Fiji, are a good place to start.
Location: See recommended resorts listed in the link above, as well as additional dive operators in our guide, Scuba Diving in Fiji: The 50 Best Dive Shops & Operators.
© FijiPocketGuide.com4. See the Tavoro Falls (Bouma Falls)
If you’re not much of a walker but still want to see some of Taveuni’s stunning natural features, then Tavoro Falls, more commonly known as Bouma Falls, is an excellent choice.
From the Tavoro Visitor Centre in Korovou Village (a.k.a. Bouma Village) in the Bouma National Heritage Park, pay a small fee to enjoy a self-guided walk to three stunning waterfalls.
The first waterfall is only a 10-minute walk away. The next one is 40 minutes from the start, and the next is 1 hour and 10 minutes from the start.
The last waterfall is a more demanding hike, but well worth it due to the 10 m (33 ft) waterfall cascading into the best swimming hole of the three… Plus, most visitors don’t make it this far.
Location: Bouma Village, Bouma National Heritage Park. On the east coast road.
© FijiPocketGuide.com5. Play Some Island Golf
Taveuni really does have it all! Enjoy a round at the Taveuni Dive Resort, home to Taveuni’s only golf course, a well-kept 9-hole course on the island’s remote west coast.
Alternatively, play on a private island golf course at COMO Laucala Island, an 18-hole championship golf course amidst a 12 km² (5 mi²) private island.
While Fiji is fast becoming a golfing holiday hotspot, the Laucala Island golf course is regarded as Fiji’s final golfing frontier.
Find out more about the golf course in The Complete Guide to Golf in Fiji.
Location: COMO Laucala – Laucala Island, off the east coast of Taveuni (anchorage available).
Taveuni Dive Resort – Central west coast of Taveuni. Anchorage available – see The Complete Sailing Guide to Taveuni.
© FijiPocketGuide.com6. Do Some Time-Travelling at the International Date Line
Travel between today and yesterday as you stand on the 180th Meridian, where the world time zones reset!
Taveuni’s own International Date Line sign marks the location where the 180-degree meridian passes through the island. The line indicates where the time zones determine the beginning and end of each day.
Of course, Taveuni observes the same time zone as the rest of Fiji for convenience. Regardless, the signs showing “today” and “tomorrow” give a fun and free photo opportunity along with the 10 Free & Cheap Things to Do in Taveuni.
Location: Along the road from Waiyevo leading to the police station.
© FijiPocketGuide.com7. Experience Snorkelling in the Somosomo Strait or Kioa Island
It’s always worth setting aside some time for snorkelling in Taveuni! We don’t need to tell you that you’ll have access to some wonderful snorkelling locations from your yacht and even some moorings (we love the House Reef of Paradise Taveuni).
Keen snorkellers should set their sights on the Somosomo Strait near the Rainbow Reef. This narrow passage between Vanua Levu and Taveuni is a rich feeding ground for all sorts of marine life. It’s also one of the places where you’re likely to see stunning manta rays and reef sharks, as mentioned in our 5 Epic Places to See Sharks in Fiji.
Rivalling that of the Rainbow Reef is the soft coral wonderland surrounding Kioa Island, located just across the Somosomo Strait near Vanua Levu.
Needless to say, be sure to anchor in a location that doesn’t damage Taveuni’s incredible coral life.
Location: Somosomo Strait -16.807501247448137, 179.93569198569975. Kioa Island -16.676764253130205, 179.8870687192365.
Snorkelling tours to the best spots are available at most resorts on Taveuni, as well as resorts like The Remote Resort and Viani Bay Resort on the other side of Somosomo Strait on Vanua Levu.
© FijiPocketGuide.com8. Vitalise All the Senses on Bobby’s Farm Tour
Na Bogi Ono Farms, affectionately known as Bobby’s Farm, offers a sensory journey through Fiji’s natural remedies.
Join Bobby for an enlightening tour of this conservation farm, teeming with birdlife, medicinal plants and tropical fruits. You’ll discover sustainable farming practices and learn about the importance of preserving local flora and fauna.
For those seeking a more immersive experience, opt for the three-hour tour that includes a delightful “garden-to-table” vegan lunch. Savour fresh produce straight from the farm as you indulge in this farm-to-fork feast.
Alternatively, the standard 2-hour tour incorporates birdwatching and food tasting.
You can visit the farm independently (it’s located south of Waiyevo) or arrange a tour through any of the resorts on Taveuni.
Learn more about Bobby’s hiking tour in the 10 Best Walks & Hikes on Taveuni.
Location: Southwest coast of Taveuni.
© FijiPocketGuide.com9. Surf the Epic Reef Breaks at Qamea Island
From November to April, the waves off the coast of Qamea and Matangi islands are pumping, making Taveuni the perfect base for a surf stop.
Needless to say, the reef breaks, best left to the intermediate to experienced surfers, are blissfully uncrowded. Check out some of Taveuni’s best in the 5 Surf Spots in Taveuni.
Resorts that specialise in surf trips in Taveuni include Matangi Private Island Resort, Qamea Resort & Spa, Tides Reach Resort and Maqai Beach Eco Resort.
Location: See recommended resorts and their locations in the links above.
© FijiPocketGuide.com10. Watch the Vuna Blowholes
For adventures in the south of Taveuni, check out the volcanic remnants from Taveuni’s last eruption some 500 years ago.
The black volcanic rocks spill into the ocean and, at the turn of low tide, shoot up seawater 15 m (50 ft) into the air!
This is the Vuna Blowhole, otherwise known as the Matamaiqi Blowhole.
Location: Southern tip of Taveuni, between Kanacea and Navakawau villages. The closest anchorage is at Paradise Taveuni.
© FijiPocketGuide.comMore About Taveuni for Yachties
That’s it for the best things to do in Taveuni for yachties; for more information about Fiji’s garden island, check out the following articles:
- Yacht Provisioning: Shops & Services in Taveuni
- Where to Eat in Taveuni: Guide for Yachties
- The Sailing Guide to Fiji: Tips for Yachting in Fiji
Finally, if there’s anything we’ve missed, you’re likely to find it in our Complete Sailing Guide to Taveuni.
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:
- Tourism Fiji (General travel 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])
- Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (Tourism statistics - Updated [2025])
- SPTO (Pacific tourism 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])
- Taveuni Tourism Association (Regional tourism website)
- SV Soggy Paws (Sailing resource for the South Pacific)
- Ocean Posse (Mooring data for the South Pacific)
Our editorial standards: At Fiji Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.
