Coral Coast

The Coral Coast stretches 80 kilometres along the southern edge of Viti Levu Island. From Nadi International Airport, it's a scenic two-hour drive south along Queens Road to this magnificent coastline, which is dotted with high-end resorts and more traditional villages. You can use it as a stop-off spot to break up a drive to Suva, however the Coral Coast's beaches, forests, rugged scenery and reefs make it a must-see destination in its own right.The magnificent fringing reef begins at Sigatoka and ends at Pacific Harbour, and is so close to the shore you can almost touch it without getting your feet wet. This means there's no need to organise a boat trip or dive tanks - you can just head straight in from the beach. Explore this shallow shelf and its beautiful marine life and marvel as the sea floor falls away into the South Pacific.Check out Korolevu for some of the best snorkelling in the area. Or, if you'd like to get up-close with some larger marine life, book a scuba trip in Beqa Lagoon, where you can swim with giant groupers, eagle rays and eight different species of shark.Visit the 6.5-square-kilometre Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park to see another spectacular natural formation. The park's enormous sand dunes were created by the erosive power of the Sigatoka River and are millions of years old. Explore the park before 11 a.m. or after 3 p.m. to avoid the heat and to catch the dramatic dunes in the early morning or late afternoon light.Take a cruise along the cool, broad Sigatoka river and admire its verdant banks. Head back towards Sigatoka town and stop off at Kula Eco Park, which works to conserve indigenous flora and fauna at risk of extinction. The town itself is primarily Indian, and is home to an intricately decorated Hare Krishna temple. Come here to shelter from a rain storm or to enjoy a traditional Fijian curry. Before you leave, pass through the vibrant marketplace and get a bargain on clothes, accessories, artisan crafts and Indian sweets.No visit to Fiji would be complete without a trip to the Coral Coast and its charming villages, breathtaking scenery and glorious reef.