Lautoka is the second largest city of Fiji. It is in the west of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometers north of Nadi, and is the second port of entry in Fiji, after Suva. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane growing region, it is known as the Sugar City. Covering an area of 16 square kilometers, it had a population of 52,220 at the 2007 census, the most recent to date.
Lautoka is known as the Sugar City because of its sugar cane belt areas. The main Lautoka Sugar Mill is the city's biggest employer by far. Built for the Colonial Sugar Refining Company (Fiji) (CSR) by imported labourers from India and the Solomon Islands between 1899 and 1903, it hires some 1,300 employees today. Other industries include timber milling, garment manufacturing, distillery, brewery, jewellery, blending, steelworks, fishing, hatchery, domestic items, paints, and construction.
The name of the city is derived from two Fijian words meaning "spear hit." According to an oral tradition, the name arose following a duel between two chiefs. As one speared the other, he was reported to have cried "Lau-toka!"
The first known European sighting of the Lautoka area took place on 7 May 1789. Captain William Bligh spotted and roughly charted the coasts of Lautoka while making his epic voyage to Timor, in the wake of the Mutiny on the Bounty in which he and a few sailors loyal to him were thrown overboard and cast adrift on a life boat.
PLACE TO VISIT
The Hare Krishna temple is a very friendly place. If you happen to be there on a Sunday, then pop in and they will probably invite you to stay for lunch.
Visit the Botanical gardens which have a large variety of tropical plants most of them labelled with the botanic and common names
if you visit around midday on a working day you might catch the horticulturist Shri on site who has a wealth of information on the plants
The iyc park opposite the gardens is also a favourite play ground for kids and there are toilet facilities there
HOW TO REACH
Bus or taxi from Nadi or Nadi Airport
