Moala Island
Moala is a volcanic island in the Koro Sea, the largest of the Moala subgroup within Fiji's Lau Province and the ninth largest island in the country. Around 1,400 people live in eight coastal villages, farming taro, fishing the reef, and living in ways that have changed little for generations. There is no resort, no hotel, no paved road, and no restaurant. Moala is one of the most genuinely remote inhabited islands in Fiji, and that is precisely what draws the small number of visitors who find their way here.
Essential Travel Information: Moala Island
Moala is not a tourist destination in any conventional sense. It is a living, traditional Fijian community on a remote volcanic island. These essentials cover the basics of what to expect.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Quick Facts
- Island Size
- 62.5 km² (24 sq mi)
- Airport
- Moala Airport (MFJ)
- Language
- Fijian, English
- Currency
- Fijian Dollar (FJD)
- Time Zone
- UTC +12
- Electricity
- 240V, Type I (Australian style plugs)
- Activities
- Village visits, hiking, fishing, snorkeling
- Average Stay
- 3 to 7 nights
- Internet
- None
Where is Moala Island?
Moala lies in the Koro Sea, roughly halfway between Kadavu and the southern Lau Islands, in Fiji’s Eastern Division. It is the principal island of the Moala subgroup, which also includes Matuku and Totoya. The main village and administrative center is Naroi on the northeastern coast.
Best Time to Visit
May to October is the drier season, with calmer seas and more reliable transport connections to Suva. November to April brings heavier rain, rougher seas, and cyclone risk December to March. The dry season is strongly recommended for the only reliable access window.
Climate
May to October is the drier season, with calmer seas and more reliable transport connections to Suva. November to April brings heavier rain, rougher seas, and cyclone risk December to March. The dry season is strongly recommended for the only reliable access window.
How to Get There
Moala Airport has infrequent domestic flights from Suva’s Nausori Airport. Inter-island cargo boats from Suva and Levuka serve the island on irregular schedules. Transport is limited and unreliable. Arrange all connections well in advance and build in extra time around any international departure.
