Lake Tagimaucia sits in a volcanic crater at about 800 metres elevation in the heart of Taveuni, surrounded by dense cloud forest. The lake is the habitat of the tagimaucia flower — Fiji's national flower and a plant found nowhere else in the world. The flowering season is typically from October through December, when the red and white blooms hang over the water in spectacular masses.
Getting to the lake requires a serious hike — roughly four to six hours return from the road, through thick forest and often muddy trails. It is not a casual walk, and a guide is strongly recommended. The effort is rewarded by the lake itself and the cloud forest en route, which holds several endemic Fijian bird species. The lake can also be glimpsed from the road that crosses the island, which itself offers impressive views of the volcanic interior.