The Pacific's most surprising capital — where Indo-Fijian roti, lovo-cooked pork, and a market full of kokoda define a city most visitors overlook
Suva is the largest and wettest city in the Pacific Islands — a working capital on Viti Levu's southeast coast with a genuine urban identity that Nadi, the tourist gateway, entirely lacks. The Municipal Market is one of the best in the Pacific: taro, cassava, and fresh coconuts from Fijian farmers alongside the spice-heavy Indo-Fijian stalls where roti is made to order, curry dhal comes in a takeaway leaf, and the fish counter displays walu (Spanish mackerel) and kawakawa caught that morning. Kokoda — raw fish cured in citrus, mixed with coconut cream and onion in a technique shared across th…
Fiji's colonial history began in earnest with British cession in 1874 (at the request of Fijian chiefs seeking British protection from inter-tribal conflict). Suva was established as the colonial capital in 1882 in place of Levuka. The colonial sugar economy — like other British Pacific territories — was built on indentured Indian labour (1879–1916); the descendants of these workers now form approximately 37% of Fiji's population and maintain a living Indo-Fijian culture of cuisine, religion, and language distinct from indigenous Fijian society. Post-independence Fiji (1970) has experienced f…