Navala is widely regarded as one of Fiji's last remaining villages where homes are built entirely in the traditional Fijian bure style — thatched structures of timber, bamboo, and grass that have defined highland living for centuries. Tucked into the Ba Highlands of Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island, the village sits roughly 55 miles northeast of the capital Suva, accessible only by rough backcountry roads that make it genuinely remote by any standard. Visitors encounter an authentically preserved community where modern construction materials are, by local custom, largely absent, and the rhythms of daily life remain closely tied to tradition. Gates traveled here in the premiere episode of Expedition Unknown, following a cold trail connected to the Amelia Earhart disappearance — specifically, searching for a man believed to be in possession of a box of bones that may have been brought from the remote Pacific atoll of Nikumaroro in 1945.
Fijian highland communities establish bure-style villages in the Ba Highlands of Viti Levu; exact founding date of Navala is unrecorded
Bones reportedly removed from Nikumaroro atoll arrive in Fiji, according to the Earhart research thread Gates follows; their whereabouts subsequently become disputed
Gates visits Navala in Season 1, Episode 1 of Expedition Unknown, searching for a man believed to hold the box of bones
Navala's cultural significance lies less in any single archaeological discovery than in what it represents: a living example of pre-colonial Fijian architecture and social organization that has largely resisted modernization. The bure construction style — using locally sourced timber, bamboo, and woven grass — reflects centuries of adaptation to the highland environment, and the village is frequently cited by cultural preservation advocates as one of the most intact traditional settlements remaining in the Pacific. No specific expert names are available from the episode transcript, and Gates' visit was investigative rather than architectural in focus.
The Earhart thread that brought Gates to Navala connects to a broader, genuinely contested research area. The theory that bones found on Nikumaroro atoll in the 1930s could be Earhart's remains has been seriously examined by researchers including forensic anthropologist Richard Jantz, who published peer-reviewed analysis suggesting the bones' measurements were consistent with Earhart's known physique. However, the original bones disappeared from the historical record, and their current location — if they still exist — remains unknown. The Nikumaroro hypothesis is one of several competing theories about Earhart's fate, and mainstream consensus has not settled on any single explanation.
The specific claim that a box of bones made its way from Nikumaroro to Fiji and passed through the hands of a small group of men is part of the investigative framework developed by Earhart researchers prior to Gates' visit. By the time Gates reached Navala, two of the three family lines had already been exhausted as leads. The village leg of the investigation ended without the box being located, which is the honest outcome the episode presents — not a dead end so much as a thread that ran out.
What Gates' visit to Navala contributed, more than any evidentiary breakthrough, was a vivid illustration of how cold-case investigations in remote locations actually work: following fragmentary leads, observing local protocols like the kava ceremony, and accepting inconclusive results. The episode does not claim to have solved the Earhart mystery, and the Navala chapter specifically demonstrates how close — and yet how elusive — a potential piece of that puzzle can be.
Navala is widely considered one of Fiji's last villages where all homes are constructed in the traditional bure style, using timber, bamboo, and thatched grass rather than modern materials.
The kava ceremony Gates performed before entering the village is a genuine protocol — arriving without an offering, particularly kava root, is considered disrespectful in many traditional Fijian communities.
The Ba Highlands where Navala sits are among the more rugged and less-visited parts of Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island, despite the island being the country's most populous.
The bones Gates was searching for, if they are the Nikumaroro remains, would have been removed from the atoll around 1940 — meaning they had potentially been circulating for decades before Gates followed the trail to this village.
Navala is generally accessible to visitors, though the road into the Ba Highlands is rough and a four-wheel-drive vehicle is advisable; guided tours from nearby Ba town are reportedly the most practical option for independent travelers. Visitors are typically expected to observe traditional protocols, including seeking permission from the village chief and, in some accounts, bringing a kava offering — a custom Gates himself followed on camera. Check current local advisories and tourism guidance before visiting, as access policies may vary.
Ba, approximately 20 miles southwest; Nadi International Airport is roughly 40 miles to the southwest and serves as the main international gateway.
The Fijian dry season, roughly May through October, generally offers more manageable road conditions for reaching the Ba Highlands. The wet season from November through April can make backcountry access difficult.
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean region connects to Earhart's disappearance and the broader search for her flight path, the central mystery driving Gates' visit to Navala.
Australian Outback
The Australian Outback features in Gates' Expedition Unknown investigations of remote, off-grid locations where leads in historical mysteries require significant overland travel — a similar operational context to the Navala search.
Sky Caves of Nepal
The Sky Caves of Nepal represent another Expedition Unknown investigation into a genuinely remote, traditionally governed community where Gates navigates local customs and protocols to pursue a historical question.