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Fiji scuba diving holidays are amongst the best in the world with thousands of dive sites, dive operators at most resorts, dedicated dive resorts with all the latest equipment and instruction, and several excellent live aboard dive charters to explore the unexplored reefs of the outer islands. Highlights include a fantastic variety of colourful soft corals, over 1200 species of fish, 12 species of whales and dolphins, lots of specialist scuba diving resorts and live aboard dive charters as well as excellent snorkelling off the beach. Fiji dive sites offer good variety and easy access.
Many of the Fiji scuba diving operations around the islands will be independent companies operating from the premises of the hotel. The majority are active members of the Fiji Scuba Diving Operators Association and agree to be bound by the Associations code of practice and thereby support the Fiji Recompression Chamber Facility. A few cowboys do exist at the backpacker resorts so it's wise to check credentials before committing yourself.
In cases of emergencies, divers will be taken by sea, road or low flying aircraft to the Fiji Recompression Chamber Facility in Suva. Charges vary according to circumstances so it is best to have adequate insurance cover. At some of the smaller budget resorts cowboys do exist, so choose carefully and if you're a beginner, don't jump to the chance of diving without proper PADI certified instruction.
PLEASE NOTE - No dive can be undertaken 24 hours prior to flying (local or international flights).
The following provides a quick guide to the different regions.
Viti Levu
The majority of Viti is not great for scuba diving although there are two spots with some of the best dives in Fiji: the famous shark dives in Beqa Lagoon depart from Pacific Harbour and off the north coast of Viti Levu, is the Vatu-i-Ra passage with some of the most extensive dive sites in the islands, many reefs here are undiscovered.
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Pearl South Pacific, Pacific Harbour, Viti Levu
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F$ 365 - 775 per couple
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Pearl South Pacific Resort is located on the sweeping beachfront at Pacific Harbour, the tropical activity centre for the main island of Viti Levu. This well appointed resort offers a great base for exploring the surrounding environment, be it the championship golf course and tennis centre, the tropical mountains and traditional villages, or simply as a tranquil base for Suva City, 45-minutes drive away.
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Safari Beach Lodge, Nananu-i-Ra, Viti Levu
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F$ 110 - 395 per couple
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Safari Beach Lodge is located alongside a sweeping beach along the east side of Nananu-i-Ra island with good swimming, snorkelling and the best wind surfing and kite surfing location in Fiji. Along with professional watersport guides, lessons for beginners and the best equipment for serious wind surfers, this is one of the best places in Fiji to get active on the water.
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Waidroka Bay Resort, Coral Coast, Viti Levu
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F$ 195 - 295 per couple
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Waidroka Bay Resort is tucked off the Queens Highway in a secluded tropical bay facing the ocean. With access to world famous scuba diving and surfing passages around Beqa Lagoon, and mid way between Nadi and Suva, Waidroka is a great base for adventure holiday-makers..
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Mamanuca Islands
The compact nature of the group means that all dive sites are accessible from all resorts. Each resort has its own certified PADI dive concession with prices for a two-tank dive starting at F$120 and an open-water course with 4 dives from F$540. Rich nutrients carried by strong south-easterly currents feed the Malolo Barrier Reef, a ten mile long system along the south-eastern side of the group which extends to Castaway Passage. This nutrient flows create the most spectacular setting for marine life in the Western side of Fiji with over 400 species of colourful reef fish as well as dolphins, sharks and turtles. Hard and soft corals, fans, caves and pinnacles set as the backdrop. Unfortunately, such is the popularity of the Mamanucas and resort-diving that many divers are either novices or recreation divers with little consideration for the protection of the reef or the marine environment. Shark and fish feeding is common to make the dives more appealing, look but don’t touch practice is often overlooked and the popular dive sites can be overcrowded. For a more peaceful environment, dive the Outer Reef around the islands of Tokoriki, Monuriki and Vomo where large pelagics are common and some unusual sites make diving for beginners and experienced divers a more fulfilling experience.
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Tokoriki Island Resort, Mamanuca Islands
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F$ 862 - 1,149 per couple
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Tokoriki Island Resort is a delightful secluded beachfront resort in the quiet outer Mamanuca Islands with stunning sunsets and romantic ambience. Just 34 comfortable beach-front bungalows alongside a sweeping beach ensures privacy. Extensive water sports, fishing and diving amongst the pristine reefs.
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Castaway Island Resort, Mamanuca Islands
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F$ 764 - 1,028 per couple
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Castaway Island Resort Fiji is a 174-acre private island in the heart of the Mamanuca Islands with a truly relaxing holiday atmosphere. Spacious traditional thatch bures with hand painted tapa material and high ceilings are spread along the beachfront and in the garden setting. Castaway Resort is ideal for couples or those looking for quality time with children.
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Musket Cove Resort, Mamanuca Islands
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F$ 505 - 757 per couple
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Musket Cove Resort Fiji is set on 600-acres of private Freehold land on the island of Malolo Lailai. Adjacent to the Musket Cove Marina and overlooking a sandy beach and the adjacent island of Malolo, Musket Cove offers a spacious relaxing environment ideal for those looking to participate in water activities, exploring the island and relaxation.
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Matamanoa Island Resort, Mamanuca Islands
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F$ 386 - 622 per couple
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Matamanoa Island Resort is a small, intimate and secluded boutique island. The island boasts a volcanic cone jutting out of the turquoise blue waters with excellent snorkelling off the coral reef. Created for those who dream of peace and tranquillity, the resort has adopted a year round policy of not permitting children under the age of 12 years.
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Mana Island Resort, Mamanuca Islands
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F$ 376 - 799 per couple
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Mana Island Resort is the largest of the Mamanuca Island resorts, located on a long thin island surrounded by white sand . There's lots of water activities, good snorkelling and great walks around the island with stunning views from its gentle hilltops. The resort offers a wide range of accommodation from honeymoon bures to luxury suites and studio style rooms.
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Yasawa Islands
Although the Yasawas have fantastic snorkelling lagoons, scuba diving is rather more limited. There are excellent reefs of Kuata Island in the Southern Yasawas and around Tavewa in the Northern Yasawas.
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Viwa Island Resort, Yasawa Islands
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F$ 598 - 685 per couple
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Viwa Island Resort is a small beach resort with just ten bungalows on the remote island of Viwa in the outer Yasawa Islands. The flat coral island is surrounded by white sandy beaches and a crystal turquoise lagoon making it a good choice for honeymooners wishing to lounge on the beach and snorkel clear seas.
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Nanuya Island Resort, Yasawa Islands
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F$ 260 - 420 per couple
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Nanuya Island Resort is a mid-market resort in the Yasawa Islands and offers comfortable wooden bungalows, a beautifully designed restaurant and lots of watersports . The beach is gorgeous and there's excellent snorkelling making Nanuya Island one of the best value holiday spots in Fiji. With a total of only twelve bungalows, this is an intimate setting ideally suited to couples.
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Southern Islands
World famous Astrolabe Reef on Kadavu in the Southern Islands (45 minutes flight from Nadi) has excellent hard and soft corals and excellent marine life. More soft corals along the north and south coast with some excellent caves and deep drop-off's on the western tip of Kadavu. Good all-round diving centre but south-easterly tradewinds can make diving difficult at times. On calm days, visibility up to 150 metres. Beqa Lagoon to the north of Kadavu includes numerous soft corals, reef bommies and passages. Small secluded dive resorts accessible only by boat. Lush rainforest and tropical beaches. Humid and wet at times. Very traditional Fijian lifestyle and culture. Beqa Lagoon is accessible by boat (1 hour plus) from Pacific Harbour on the main island of Viti Levu. The famous shark feed with many species of sharks including hammer heads is right off the coast from Pacific Harbour.
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Papageno Resort, Kadavu, Southern Fiji
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F$ 450 - 700 per couple
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Papageno Resort is a small intimate beach resort in Malawai Bay on the north coast of Kadavu. Access is by boat only adding to the intimacy of this resort. The resort is aimed primarily at cultural travellers and scuba divers and prides itself on its organic gardens and home style atmosphere. Non motorised water activities are free of charge and daily diving trips to the Astrolabe Reef can be arranged.
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Matava, Kadavu Island, Southern Fiji
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F$ 490 - 540 per couple
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Matava Resort is a small eco hideaway and dive resort on the south east coast of Kadavu, ideal for Scuba Diving Enthusiasts and Nature Lovers looking for a secluded location yet offering the comforts of hot water, good food, plenty of activities and a traditional environment. Accommodation is in traditional bures set on hill with fine ocean views, but tiny beachfront.
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Northern Islands
World famous Rainbow Reef in Northern Islands (1 hour 20 minutes flight to Taveuni lies between Taveuni and Vanua Levu and has lots of scuba diving experiences including the Great White Wall (all white soft corals) and advanced drift diving through channels. Numerous smaller reefs around Vanua Levu, Taveuni, Qamea, Laucala and Matangi Islands with abundance of soft and hard corals and excellent marine life. The Northern Islands have been developed for Eco-tourism as well as diving and the regions outstanding mountains, rainforests and waterfalls are all relatively accessible with tours and trails to the major attractions. Humid and wet at times.
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Matangi Island Resort, off Taveuni, Northern Fiji
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F$ 1,300 per couple
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Matangi Island Resort is a family owned private island resort with several beautiful white sand beaches and just 14 traditional hand crafted thatch bungalows. Renowned for its down-to-earth friendly atmosphere Matangi Island Resort offers the perfect tropical holiday for weddings, honeymoons, nature lovers and diving enthusiasts away from the commercial centres and crowds.
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Koro Sun Resort, Vanua Levu, Northern Fiji
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F$ 820 - 2,200 per couple
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Koro Sun Resort is a delightful luxury tropical escape, far from mainstream tourism, hidden amongst tropical rainforest on the southern coast of Vanua Levu. Facing a bountiful coral reef with exceptional scuba diving and snorkelling, and backed by rainforest with waterfalls and hiking, Koro Sun is a popular destination for adventurous upmarket holiday-makers.
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Paradise Taveuni, Northern Fiji
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F$ 650 - 765 per couple
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Paradise Taveuni is a secluded boutique retreat on the picturesque tropical outer island of Taveuni in Fiji's north. Paradise Taveuni sits on a rocky outcrop with excellent snorkelling and is the closest resort to the world famous Rainbow Reef (15 minutes by boat) and is naturally popular amongst scuba divers.
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Garden Island Resort, Taveuni, Northern Fiji
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F$ 254 - 329 per couple
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Garden Island Resort is primarily a dive resort with the close access to the world renowned Rainbow Reef. On-site scuba diving operator with full service PADI instruction courses, fast covered dive boats and all inclusive dive packages available. Also makes a convenient base for exploring Taveuni, notably the sliding rocks, blowholes and Lake Tagimaucia all accessible along the south west coast.
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Eastern Islands
Two separate barrier reefs between Viti Levu and Vanua Levu in the north east of Fiji are assessable from Nananu-i-Ra and the Lomaiviti Group. Rich area fed by tradewind currents with excellent marine life including Manta Rays and hammerheads as well as bommies and pinnacles in the lagoons. A handful of small island resorts, some luxurious. Also accessible by charter dive boats that explore some of the unexplored areas of these huge reefs including the up-and-coming E6 reef. Shipwrecks can be explored around the old Colonial capital of Levuka on Ovalau.
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Toberua Island Resort, Lomaiviti, East Fiji
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F$ 607 - 719 per couple
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Toberua Island Resort Fiji is a small coral island off the east coast of Viti Levu in an unspoiled and very secluded location. The resort offers just 15 large traditional style bures with renowned hospitality and some excellent scuba diving offshore. This is a great spot for nature lovers with Mangrove Forest Reserves, Mabualau Island, a protected area for sea birds and nesting boobies and isolated traditional fishing villages nearby.
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