Colo-I-Suva

Colo-i-Suva Forest National Park
　
Colo-i-Suva Forest National Park in Fiji is pronounced as 'tholo-ee-soo-va'.

It is managed by the National Trust of Fiji and is a mere 20 minutes from the capital Suva.

Fiji has a land area of 18,270 square kilometers. The terrain is mostly volcanic mountainous in origin. The climate is tropical. Given its marine proximity, there are only slight seasonal variations. Fiji, next only to Hawaii, is an important tourism destination in the Pacific. A large and growing number of tourists visit Fiji for a nature filled experience and the Col-i-Suva Forest Natural Park in Fiji is right in the lap of nature. Many tourists come to the Colo-i-Suva Forest National Park in Fiji to picnic and swim.

Established in 1872, Colo-i-Suva Forest National Park in Fiji is a two and a half square kilometres of verdant rain-forests renowned for tropical flora and birds. There are about four and a half kilometres of natural trails ploughing through the forests and natural water bodies to swim in.

The Waisila Creek flows through the Colo-i-Suva Forest National Park in Fiji making its way to to Waimanu River. It is the water catchment for Nausori and Nasinu creek. African mahogany, planted in the 1940s and 1950s, stands apart from the the older, more attractive vegetation.

The Forest Park is between 122 to 183m (400-600ft) above sea level and is therefore both cooler and slightly wetter than Suva. It gets about 424cm (167in) of rain a year with some falling on average of 4 days a week. November – March are the wet months, while May – August is considered the dry season.

The mean annual temperature is a comfortable 24 degrees Celsius (3 degrees Fahrenheit) between February and July, the warmest and coolest months. The streams rise slowly but surely during very heavy rains.

Colo-I-Suva Forest Park is a delight. The early morning observer may well be the first to greet the unafraid Scarlet Robin and be scolded by the Spotted Fantail. The sounds of civilization fade as the bush deepens, and soon the twitter of the mixed flocks of Golden whistlers, Blue-Crested Broadbills, Slaty Flycatchers and Spotted Fantails take over, punctuated occasionally by the raucous screech of the Sulphur-Breasted Musk Parrot or the Resounding “woof” of a barking Pigeon.

Observe the Fiji Goshawk glide majestically – a bird you only find in Fiji, or the Blue-Crested Broadbill, found only in the Viti Levu rainforest; or you may hear the deep hollow call of the Barking Pigeon – a bird widely hunted, but safe here. Fiji white-eyes, Vanikoro Broadbills, Orange-Breasted Honeyeaters, Lesser Shrikebills, and other Small birds make their way noisily through the bush. Only the experienced twitcher will catch the glimpse of the shy Fiji Warbler in the undergrowth but all can hear their melodious duet. Golden doves too, are more often heard than seen as their abrupt ‘yap’ is delivered with the skill of a professional ventriloquist.
The Bird known as "Robin" in Fiji is an unrelated insect eater whose bright red breast will surprise New Zealanders who are used to seeing only Grey or Black Robins of the same family. The Golden Dove, Sulphur-Breasted Musk Parrot, Orange - Breasted Honeyeaters, Fijian Collared Lory and Blue-Crested Broadbill, all endemic to be found in the park, will impress Australians accustomed to brightly coloured birds.