Natuvu: Village History and Coastal Landscape

Natuvu is located in Viani Bay in Cakaudrove. For the people of the village in the Wailevu District on Vanua Levu, sea cucumber fishing is an important source of income. It is also part of the village’s recent history: villagers and traditional leaders developed a community management plan for the fishery. Visitors choosing Natuvu as a destination will encounter not only the coastal landscape but also the question of how a local source of livelihood was managed collectively.

Sea Cucumber Fishing and Community Planning

Between 2008 and 2017, Natuvu villagers regularly harvested sea cucumbers in their waters to ensure their sustainable use.

On September 3, 2020, Fiji’s first community management plan for sea cucumbers was officially launched in the village of Natuvu. It was developed by villagers and their traditional leaders. The plan addressed social, economic, and environmental issues related to harvesting and processing. Processing broadens the focus beyond harvesting: in addition to taking sea cucumbers from the water, handling the catch was also among the topics considered. The harvest between 2008 and 2017 took place before the plan’s official launch on September 3, 2020.

In September 2020, the sea cucumber fishery was considered to be in steep decline. At the time, 14 of the 30 species found in Fiji were among the most valuable to Natuvu’s fishers.

Mangroves, Shoreline, and Landscape

The coast is also part of the village’s history. Natuvu had previously planted mangroves to protect the coast from currents that had carried sand and coconut palms away from the shore. In 2022, Nakasa and Natuvu jointly sought to undertake a planned mangrove restoration project after the coastline had receded by almost a meter. The earlier planting had already taken place; in 2022, the focus was instead on a planned project.

The 750-acre Mission at Natuvu Creek property is freehold and includes tropical and bamboo forests, as well as an extinct volcano rising to 1,200 feet. In contrast to the coastal issues, the focus here is on the forest and volcanic terrain. The property’s landscape features thus complement the story of mangroves and shoreline changes with a different view of the surroundings.

Travel Information

In 2025, a project for a crossing near Natuvu in Viani Bay called for a 16-meter reinforced concrete slab. As this is a project plan, check the current road conditions before setting off if your route depends on this crossing. In the vicinity of Natuvu, the Suncity Ferry Service connected Buca Bay on Vanua Levu with Taveuni in November 2025. The ferry route therefore covers a different stretch from the crossing project near Natuvu. Check the route, schedule, and ferry service availability before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Matei, Fiji, Qamea, Vatutandova, Waiyevo, Naidi, Tavuki, Pagai

For the broader travel overview: Northern Division.