5 Things to Do in Sigatoka

One of the major reasons travellers choose to holiday in Fiji is the chance to really get away from it all. With wide sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and tropical breezes, the islands of this South Pacific nation are perfect for kicking back, relaxing and letting all of the stresses of life wait until another day.

And while there are spots on the islands where you can find vibrant nightlife and crowded resorts, the Coral Coast town of Sigatoka is not one of them. This sleepy little market town is home to fewer than 10,000 residents and a few small hotels and resorts — and it’s the perfect spot to get a taste of the real Fiji without the crowds of some of the more developed areas. But Sigatoka’s small size does not mean there’s nothing to do or see, though. While you could spend your entire holiday basking in the sun on the pristine beaches, there are actually a few other can’t-miss activities in Sigatoka.

Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park

Since these are the only sand dunes on the islands due to the fact that Sigatoka is not protected by a coral reef, many visitors stay in a Sigatoka hotel in order to fully explore this national treasure. The dunes, Fiji’s first national park, encompass nearly 650 hectares of land with several hiking routes for exploring. The park includes a mahogany forest as well as ever-shifting sand dunes, offering scenic views around every corner until you finally reach the beach. The park is historically significant; at the visitor’s centre, you can learn more about the history of the area and the archaeological treasures that have been found there.

Sigatoka Markets

In addition to the dunes, Sigatoka is best known for its markets, which provide exotic fruits and vegetables to many overseas supermarkets. Visitors can spend hours exploring the many stalls and vendors of the market complex, purchasing fresh produce to enjoy during a day at the beach or on the trip back to a larger resort town.

Sigatoka River Safari

The islands of Fiji are a cultural as well as tropical paradise, and a river tour is the ideal way to catch a glimpse of life on the islands that many visitors never see. From the tour office in the centre of town, guests are shuttled to jet boats on the river, which snakes through a tropical forest past small villages and other scenes from everyday life in Fiji. The tour includes a stop in a village, where you’ll leave the boat and walk to the chief’s hut for a traditional ceremony. The ceremony includes a drink of kava, a very strong traditional beverage; it’s considered a great honour to share kava, and refusing the drink is poor etiquette. After the ceremony, guests enjoy a traditional meal with singing and dancing before taking the boat back to Sigatoka. Many people consider the river safari to be a must-do when visiting Fiji and travel from the other islands for the experience.

Spa Treatments

Capitalizing on visitors’ desires to relax whilst visiting Fiji, many of the hotels in Sigatoka house full-service luxury spas, offering everything from basic massages and pedicures to traditional Fijian treatments. Ask for a traditional Bobo massage and enjoy treatments incorporating local flowers and nuts.

Off-Road Cave Safari

While many activities in Fiji involve water, there is an entire inland world to explore as well. The Off Road Cave Safari leaves from Sigatoka and takes guests into the valley, where they ride all-terrain vehicles and pilot a traditional “bilibili” or barge to the Naihehe cave system, a fascinating historic landmark. Along the way, the tour offers incredible scenery and the chance to see life on the islands, as well as a kava ceremony and a traditional meal.

Fiji offers visitors a wide array of things to do and see, from some of the world’s best snorkelling and diving to cultural experiences unlike anything else on the globe. Don’t overlook Sigatoka as the home base for your Fijian adventure — you’ll experience the best of everything, from amazing beaches and relaxing resorts to incredible cultural experiences.

Image provided by Brit Finucci from Flickr’s Creative Commons

About the Author: Sydney native Nancy Kidwell has travelled to Fiji a half-dozen times. Enchanted by the friendly people and laid-back atmosphere, she chooses to stay in a Sigatoka hotel and  considers the area her second home.