Hidden Naselesele Waterfall on Savusavu Island Fiji

Posted on by exploramum

Hidden Naselesele Waterfall

(on the road to Bua)
We are house sitting on the island of Savusavu in Fiji, n Sunday we decided to ‘find a waterfall’, so we hopped into the hire car – that we hired thanks to the knowledge of  some luxury travel experts in the region – and headed through the hills towards the top left area of the island of Vanua Levu. (We are based at the bottom center right coast).
We needed a break as all week long we had been buying up clothes for the village donation trip scheduled for Saturday. This single parent travel adventure we are on has been hard work hauling the 2 km long hilly ground by foot to our house.  Sometimes I do 3 trips a day, so that is 12 km.  At least I have already washed all the secondhand clothes by now. So here is our next family travel adventure to Naselesele Waterfall.

We pass many people walking to church and love the way these two guys stand as I take their photo – dressed in their sulu’s.

The next guy we stop and ask if we can take his photo is the teacher/preacher – he is on his way to the meeting but needs some reason to bring along his beast.
Fiji man

©Exploramum and Explorason – local Fijian man moving his cattle

Along the road, we meet a friend’s employee who is employed as a farm worker. We stop to give him a ride.
bare feet

©Exploramum and Explorason – most walk bare feet

We first met ‘Marylyn’ and ‘Dave’ back on the other island at Pacific Harbour – they were visiting the church at ‘Deuba Inn’ where we stayed also. We seem to run into ‘Marylyn’ nearly every day and enjoy their company. They are now living in Australia and have a farm in Fiji, and are 3rd generation Fijians.

Anyway, we somehow manage to meet their workers, so we give them a lift for about 10 km. Their farm is amidst a coconut plantation.
coconut trees

©Exploramum and Explorason – coconut palms

Along the way, we meet many more walkers, like this man.
water vessel

©Exploramum and Explorason – off to collect water

As you enter towns, you can hear the church choirs sing in gorgeous harmony – usually ancient hymns. Most Fijians are dressed in their best today.
dressed for church

©Exploramum and Explorason – dressed for church

The terrain changes, and we head over the mountains towards Naselesele Waterfall.

Fijian countryside

©Exploramum and Explorason – beautiful countryside

We hope to first go to the Waisali Waterfall, which is right in the hilltops at the center of the island, but it is Sunday and it is a locked National Park.
Savusavu

©Exploramum and Explorason – beautiful Savusavu

So we head on, and the villagers change from Fijian, to mainly Indian. We pass this interesting mother and son – how different our Sundays are to theirs.
local farmers

©Exploramum and Explorason – local farmers

Not knowing if we can find another waterfall, we head for Batiri village.
Fijian village

©Exploramum and Explorason – Fijian village

People are bathing and washing clothes – it is quiet as most are in church. He has a lot of fun.
washing clothes in the river

©Exploramum and Explorason – locals washing clothes in the river

My son is invited for a swim in the river.
Come on in

©Exploramum and Explorason – Explorason enjoys a swim

We give the kids DVD’s to watch (they have electricity and TV’s here), and also give them some toiletries to share amongst the ladies.
We leave and continue with the search for a waterfall. A policeman stops us and tells us to go up a track. It is so rough and rocky that the 4WD starts to slip up the steep hills and my son is screaming, but we find a fork in the road and turn around.

My son prays and says he sees angels holding the car as we head down the embankment on an angle. This is a flat smooth part of the track where we stop and gather our nerves.

4WD

©Exploramum and Explorason – our little 4WD doesn’t like the road

Alas, we give that waterfall a miss, and head back to the main road where we meet Enochi, who I think tells us he is working for a geology company?

He says his mother’s village is near Naselesele Waterfall and will come and show us. He leaves his daughters by the roadside and jumps in, and says it is ’30 minutes drive’.

Beside the river

©Exploramum and Explorason – down by the river

After a while, it looks more like we are in the middle of Australia. It is red and orange soil and very hot and dry and barren. I am shocked. Where has Fiji gone?
Fiji roads

©Exploramum and Explorason – Fiji looks more like Australia

We drive past many types of animals and the vegetation continually changes.
Savusavu road

©Exploramum and Explorason – orange dirt roads of Savusavu island

After about an hour he tells me I do not drive Fijian, and it will take much longer than the 30 minutes.

I am having a hard time keeping the little car on the road. The rocks and potholes are not as bad as when it changes to slippery gravel patches. My arms ache as I clutch the wheel.
cattle

©Exploramum and Explorason – cattle grazing

Finally one and a half hours later we arrive. It is right off the beaten track, and there lies before us a plateau of rocks and drifting water. It is just lovely.  Yes, we find Naselesele Waterfall.

waterfall

©Exploramum and Explorason – finding the waterfall

Naselesele Waterfall is not a rushing waterfall; as the locals have discovered irrigation and are diverting the water at the top, but still a lovely spot.

 

As we wander around, Enochi explains many things to my son and me.

waterfall

©Exploramum and Explorason – climbing on the Naselesele Waterfall

How the irrigation works and the Indians are planting rice fields nearby.

weir

©Exploramum and Explorason – Naselesele Weir

They wander around – man and boy – black and white – teacher and student. They search and find things together, and I am pleased that learning is fun.  This is one of our first world schooling experiences.

teacher

©Exploramum and Explorason – Enochi is a teacher

It is like a field trip here to Naselesele Waterfall.

Naselesele Weir

©Exploramum and Explorason – here I am Mum

Enochi explains how the volcanic rock was formed from the lava hitting the water.

Volcanic rock

©Exploramum and Explorason – learning about volcanic rock

Then as we walk over the rock ledge, we find a great pool to swim in.

Naselesele Waterfall

©Exploramum and Explorason – the start of Naselesele Waterfall

It is cool, as we sit and enjoy the force of the water.

Waterslide

©Exploramum and Explorason – sliding down the rock. I fall and end up quite grazed

 We have a great time, and Enochi helps my son into the cool water for a swim.
jump in

©Exploramum and Explorason – jump in Explorason

Well, a good time – apart from me falling on the rocks at the end as I slip on slime.

slipping

©Exploramum and Explorason – I slip – caught in action

I am bruised and battered in a few spots and missing some skin, but the water then cooled it quickly.

It is hard to end the day but we have to head back before dark and drop Enochi back to his family near the Dreketi River – the widest river on the island.
having fun

©Exploramum and Explorason – Enochi and Explorason horsing around

It is nearly dark when we get back via the hills – as we stop and enjoy the new foal at the side of the road.

foal

©Exploramum and Explorason – newborn foal

We quickly head home for a shower, then off to the Copra Marina Yacht Club for a great $5 AU dinner, and to meet our cruising yacht friends and local ex-pats.

As we tell folk that evening where we went, they are pretty impressed – few Fijians have been there.

We really are exploring Fiji and finding Naselesele Waterfall was great fun.

Questions and Comments

  • How well do you know Savusavu at Fiji/
  • Have you been to the hidden Naselesele waterfall?
  • Kindly share your thoughts with us.
Savusavu island

©Exploramum and Explorason – beautiful Savusavu

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