A Fiji Scuba Diving Tale
Dive Travel Consultant Anna Williams shares captivating insights from her tour of Fiji last year, highlighting top diving spots, spacious resorts and other local experiences. Read on to discover her recommendations for exploring every corner of this tropical paradise, from manta ray sightings in the north to one of the largest barrier reef systems in the south.
Consisting of hundreds of islands over a land area roughly the size of Wales (but with less than a third of its population), the archipelago of Fiji is famed for its white beaches, luxurious hotels and of course incredible diving. On my recent whistlestop visit, I vowed to return – not just for diving, but for the mountains, tropical forests, waterfalls, rivers … and for the many new friends I made there.
Like the more vast and famous diving meccas of Indonesia and the Philippines, Fiji boasts several distinct dive areas. Thankfully, Fiji’s smaller size means you could easily cover two or three areas overland on Viti Levu (the island you arrive on) in a 10-day trip.
I stayed at Pacific Harbour’s spacious Waidroka Bay Resort on the south coast for access to Beqa Lagoon and the Shark Reef Marine Reserve. Established 20 years ago, the reserve boasts the largest aggregation of bull sharks anywhere in the world. With regular sightings of up to seven additional shark species, the dive is worth doing more than once! Superbly organised and accessible for all diving levels, you definitely get a thrill seeing these magnificent creatures up close.
Left wanting more, I headed to the Yasawa Islands, a sprinkling of about 20 volcanic outcrops up the west coast of Viti Levu. After an early breakfast, a couple of hours’ drive and a comfortable and superefficient catamaran ferry ride to Barefoot Kuata Island Resort, I was in the water for my next dive by early afternoon. Beautiful topography and technicolour corals keeps even the most discerning diver interested. North of the Yasawa Islands is yet another island chain, the Mamanucas, where huge manta rays cruise its deep channels year-round.
Back on the mainland near Nadi, a couple of hours’ drive north along the coast brings you to the famous marine protected area within Bligh Water. A stay at the luxurious Volivoli Beach Resort will not disappoint, with pinnacles, walls and schooling fish.
A scenic 50-minute flight south of Nadi is Kadavu Island, surrounded by one of the largest barrier reefs in the world, Great Astrolabe Reef. With 40+ dive sites, this alone could occupy your entire holiday. If time allows, hop across islands from Nadi and venture over to the almost 200-kilometre-long Great Sea Reef to the west of Vanua Levu. It’s the third-longest barrier reef in the world, known for its hard coral, many fish species and massive parrotfish. On the east side of the island lies the Somosomo Strait in Taveuni, home to Rainbow Reef, which has deservedly obtained the nickname ‘the soft coral capital of the world’.
One of the many advantages of Fiji is that dive sites are mere minutes from your resort, most offering additional water activities and inland adventures. You’ll be spoiled for choice, deciding between rafting spectacular gorges, kayaking the coast, paddleboarding the mangroves or hiking the tropical forest – in addition to a plethora of cultural activities. With excellent road networks, reasonable transfer costs, and friendly people in a place ‘where happiness comes naturally’, you’re guaranteed to want to return.
If you want to enjoy a scuba diving holiday to Fiji, we have various itineraries, including Dive Fiji's Soft Corals and BIG in Fiji: Dive Great Astrolabe Reef & Beqa Lagoon. To find out more about these trips, contact our expert Dive team.
