Dravuni Island (Fiji)

Dravuni is a volcanic island in Kadavu Group of islands, Fiji, south of the main Viti Levu Island. Covering an area of 0.8 km2 (0.3 ml2), it reaches a maximum altitude of 131 ft (40 m). The island is inhabited by about 130 people and is the most northern among several inhabited isles within the Great Astrolabe Reef. Despite its low population number, Dravuni Island swells to the size of a little town when cruise ships call.

Dravuni Island is among those little patches of paradise. It is an unspoilt tropical island measuring just 2 km long by about 0.5 km wide. Passengers could walk around it in no time, except the rocky cliffs coming right down to shore at both ends. However, visitors can walk to its summit if they fancy a hot day's not-so-tough hike.

North of Astrolabe lies Solo Reef - the atoll where, according to a legend, used to be a village that sunk into the sea. Dravuni is home to the USP (University of the South Pacific) research facility that is currently being used by CCC (Coral Cay Conservation) as the main base for conducting surveys on reefs by invitation of Fijian Ministry of Tourism.