Project Partners: Muanivatu Trails, The i’Taukei Land Trust Fund Board, Vuadomo Village Community, Home Depot Hardware, Woodbox Fiji, UNDP - Drua Innovation Fund, Duavata Collective, Regenerative Vanua Levu, Tourism Fiji - Destination Development Team, Ministry of Tourism & Civil Aviation, Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, Ministry of Forestry & Fisheries, Ministry of Infrastructure & Rural Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Merchant Finance - Vanua Finance Portfolio

Project Build Length: 8 Weeks

Project Leaders: Matt Caen, Jess Simpson, Bella Colley, Abdul Raheem-Diment, Joshua Peasley

Community Participants: Epeli Asaro, Joseva Ravucu, Tawake Naitala, Mosese Tuidama, Aisake Soqosoqo, Viliame Masei, Nacanieli Baleisolomone, Semesa Raulunicawa, Pita Andrew Sedrawaqa, Navitalai Ura, Kelemedi Lenati, Osea Savu, Apimeleki Gaunaleqa, Alipate Nabogi, Vilimone Bulikiobo, Asiveli Loloma, Sakiusa Cama, Vilikesa Ligani, Isimeli Taqea, Elina Loke, Olivia Vakaluvuwaqa, Lia Ligani, Mereani Keleiwai, Seleima Canatagane, Talaite Ranadi.

International Participants: Emma Hutton, Abbie Judge, Brychan Evans, Isabella Spicer, Sam Elbahja, Juliet Huddart-Ouabdesslam, Natasha Rodgers, Cameron Davidson-wright, Ben Wheeler, Hamish Bogle, James Woodhall, Serena Walker, Freddie Reid, Alice Salczynska, Hannah Jones, Roxana Caplan, Isabel Chapman, Charlotte chan, Nedzhmie Yusufova, Oisín Healy, Freya Hufton, Enrico Luo, Daniel Horne, Joseph Gush

Photographs: Lime Tide Media / CAUKIN Studio

Our Services: Community Consultation, Brief Development, Full Design, Construction, Project Management, Educational Workshop Delivery.

For over 20 years, domestic and international tourists have been visiting the waterfall at Vuadomo, famed for it’s beauty and accessibility within the Savusavu area, on Vanua Levu Island. 

As tourism numbers began to return to normal after the COVID pandemic, Vuadomo Village decided to take their sustainable tourism offering further by developing a small portion of the site, to bring improved facilities and open new opportunities for the village’s tourism initiative. 

As a result, a community trust was established and Muanivatu Trails was developed to promote the existing waterfall and create new local tourism experiences. Muanivatu Trails reached out to CAUKIN, to explore the development of improved changing room facilities, a reception area and a treatment room, which would allow them to offer village-based spa treatments to visiting guests.

Located in Vuadomo Village on Vanua Levu, Fiji, the series of three buildings feature a reception area, changing rooms, and a spa treatment facility, each carefully positioned within a steep-sided valley to integrate within the surrounding natural landscape.

The design draws inspiration from the rugged beauty of the project’s context, with each building slightly cantilevered over the river below. This placement amplifies the tranquil sound of the flowing water, fostering a serene and relaxing atmosphere for visitors. Locally sourced materials and traditional construction techniques were integral to the process, ensuring the structures are both sustainable and connected to the village’s cultural heritage.

Beyond its aesthetic and environmental design aims, the project is a key initiative for sustainable tourism in the region. The new facilities provide a platform for Muanivatu Trails to expand their offerings, catering to a growing number of tourists while ensuring that the benefits of tourism are reinvested into the community. The buildings will serve as long-term assets for the village, generating income for the Village Trust and supporting the community’s vision for sustainable economic growth.

By combining a deep respect for local traditions with a modern approach to tourism infrastructure, the Vuadomo Waterfall project not only improves visitor amenities but also ensures that the cultural and environmental integrity of the area is preserved for future generations.

See the Muanivatu Trails website for more information about the waterfall offerings and community based tourism initiatives!

https://muanivatutrails.com/

The project’s successful completion is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team of 25 international participants and members of the Vuadomo community both on and off site.

We would like to extend our thanks to Maxime Chollet, Flik Cooper and the team at Buro Happold who provided the project with structural design support.