Bua covers the western end of Vanua Levu, a thinly settled stretch of coast with mangrove shores and scattered villages. Nabouwalu, the small port at its southwestern tip, is where the ferry from Natovi comes in. Buses carry on from there along the coast road to Savusavu and Labasa. Bua Bay was an early anchorage for European traders, who came for the sandalwood that once grew along this coast. Today the province is best known for what its villages have chosen to protect at sea.
What to do in Bua
The Namena Marine Reserve lies within the traditional fishing grounds of the Kubulau villages, who set it aside as a no-take zone and ask visitors for a voluntary fee. It's a horseshoe of barrier reef around the island of Namenalala, and one of Fiji's largest reserves of its kind. Hard and soft corals cover its walls and bommies, where reef sharks and schooling fish gather along the edges. On land, red-footed boobies nest in their hundreds, and hawksbill turtles come ashore to lay eggs on the beaches. Most scuba divers reach Namena by day boat from the Savusavu side or on a liveaboard, and crossings depend on the weather. Bua is the western gateway to Vanua Levu and Taveuni.
Booking on adventuro
Namena dives from the Savusavu side are the main trips here, along with liveaboard routes that include the reserve. Use the Book here tab to see live dates and departure points.
