Nadi
is the third-largest town in Fiji. It
is located on the western side of the
main island of Viti Levu, and had a population
of 30,791 at the last census, in 1996.
Nadi is a multiracial town; many of its
inhabitants are Indian or Fijian, along
with a large transient population of foreign
tourists. Along with sugar cane production,
tourism is a mainstay of the local economy.
The Nadi region is said to have a higher
concentration of hotels and motels than
any other part of Fiji. With its large
Indo-Fijian population, Nadi is a centre
for Hinduism and Islam in Fiji. The downtown
area is defined by the Nadi river and
Viseisei village on the west side, and
the beautfiul Sri Siva Subramaniya temple
on the east. It is the largest Hindu temple
in the Southern hemisphere, and is a site
for pilgrims. Muslims worship at the Nadi
Mosque and the Ahmadiya Mosque.
Nadi
is 9 kilometers from Fiji's main international
airport, which is served by Air Pacific
(the international airline of Fiji), Air
New Zealand, Freedom Air and Qantas. Thus,
Nadi is the principal port of entry for
air travelers to Fiji, despite that it
is almost diametrically opposite the nation's
capital and largest city, Suva, on the
island of Viti Levu. Nadi is a hub of
commerce and tourism, with about 18 hotels,
and is popular among travelers seeking
to take ferries to island resorts in Fiji's
western Mamanuca Group of islands. The
town is also close to the western mud-flat
beaches. It is also close to the Nausori
highlands to the east, and can access
the Sabeto [sa mbe to] and Sigatoka [si
?a to ka] valleys. Other sites are the
Waqadra [wa ?ga ndra] Botanical Gardens,
and the Sleeping Giant Gardens, which
house Raymond Burr's magnificent orchid
collection.
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