Getting There -- Suva is served by Nausori Airport, 19km (12 miles) northeast of downtown near the Rewa River town of Nausori. Express buses operated by Nausori Taxi & Bus Service (tel. 347 7583 in Nausori, or 330 4178 in Suva) are scheduled to depart the airport for downtown Monday to Friday at 8:30am, 9:30am, 11:30am, 2:30pm, 5pm, and 6:30pm. The fare is F$3 (US$1.90/£1) each way. That having been said, I always take one of several taxis waiting at the terminal, whose fares to downtown Suva officially are F$25 (US$16/£8.30). Allow at least 30 minutes for the taxi ride during midday, an hour during morning and evening rush hours.
Express buses leave Nadi airport daily for Suva, a ride of approximately 4 hours on the Queen's Road.
I never drive away from Nadi in my rental car without a good map of Suva, whose streets can seem like a confusing maze, especially at night.
Getting Around -- Hundreds of taxis prowl Suva's streets. Some have meters, but don't count on it. As a rule of thumb, F$2 to F$3.50 (US$1.30-US$2.30/70p-£1.20) will get you to the sites of interest, but plan on F$7 (US$4.50/£2.30) to the Raintree Lodge. If the taxi has a meter, make sure the driver drops the flag. The main taxi stand (tel. 331 2266) is on Central Street, behind the Air Pacific office in the CML Building on Victoria Parade, and on Victoria Parade at Sukuna Park (no phone). I have been very satisfied with Black Arrow Taxis (tel. 330 0541 or 330 0139 in Suva, or 347 7071 in Nausori) and Nausori Taxi & Bus Service (tel. 347 7583 in Nausori, or 330 4178 in Suva), which is based at the Holiday Inn Suva parking lot. Taxis also gather at the Suva Municipal Market.
Although usually crowded, local buses fan out from the municipal market from before daybreak to midnight Monday to Saturday (they have limited schedules on Sun). The fares vary but should be no more than F$2 (US$1.30/70p) to most destinations in and around Suva. Word to the wise: If you're going to ride the bus for the fun of it, do it in Nadi, where you won't get lost and aren't as likely to be robbed.
Tickets are required to park on downtown streets Monday to Friday from 8am to 4:30pm, Saturday from 8am to 12:30pm. Buy the tickets at the silver machines in every block, and display them on your dashboard. On-street parking fees are F20¢ (US13¢/7p) per 15 minutes.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
