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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).
Scuba Diving around 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 around Beqa 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 still undiscovered.
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Pearl South Pacific, Pacific Harbour
F$ 365 - 776 per couple
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The Pearl Resort is located on the sweeping beach at Pacific Harbour, the adventure activity centre of Fiji. This contemporary designed resort offers a great base for exploring the surrounding environment, be it the championship golf course, the tropical mountains or traditional villages.
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Wananavu Resort, North Viti Levu
F$ 335 - 835 per couple
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Wananavu is a secluded ocean front retreat on the sunny north coast of Viti Levu. With a picturesque outlook over Nananu-i-Ra Island (day trips available), a spectacular restaurant setting, good snorkelling off the marina, and excellent scuba diving reefs nearby, Wananavu is a good choice for adventure-seeking couples.
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Lagoon Resort, Pacific Harbour
F$ 190 - 350 per couple
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Lagoon Resort is set in the residential surroundings of Pacific Harbour overlooking the river and the Robert Trent-Jones designed golf course. An on-site dive operation specializes in the world famous soft coral reefs and shark dives in nearby Beqa Lagoon and there are plenty of adventure tours in the surrounding rainforest.
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Beqa Lagoon & Kadavu
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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Koro Makawa Resort, Kadavu
F$ 900 per couple
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Koro Makawa Resort is located on the small island of Ono and offers just one luxury cottage with a secluded white sandy beach on twenty acres of private plantation and forests bordered by 400 acres of undeveloped native land. This is true seclusion designed for those desiring the ultimate in privacy.
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Beqa Lagoon Resort, Beqa Island
F$ 480 - 650 per couple
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Beqa Lagoon Resort is aimed primarily at scuba diving enthusiasts with an exceptional dive set up including three purpose built dive boats. With modern bungalows fronting a decent white sand beach with good offshore snorkelling, Beqa Lagon Resort is ideal for scuba divers and their non-diving partners.
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Matava Hideaway, Kadavu
F$ 600 - 700 per couple - includes meals
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Matava is a small eco hideaway on the south east coast of Kadavu, ideal for scuba diving enthusiasts or 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.
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Papageno Resort, Kadavu
F$ 420 - 550 per couple - includes meals
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Papageno Resort is a small intimate beach resort 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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Waisalima Dive Resort, Kadavu
F$ 150 - 200 per couple - includes meals
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Waisalima is located on a tidal beach at the eastern tip of Kadavu an hour and thirty minute boat ride from the local airstrip and overlooking the Great Astrolabe Reef and its exceptional diving reefs. With budget accommodation and a truly secluded atmosphere, this is a good spot for diving enthusiasts on a budget.
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Ovalau Region
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, Ovalau Region
F$ 607 - 719 per couple
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Toberua is a small coral island off the east coast of Viti Levu in an unspoiled and very secluded location. The resort offers just 15 bures and has renowned hospitality, some excellent scuba diving offshore and several excellent nature tours including a protected island for sea birds and visiting nearby traditional fishing villages.
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Naigani Island, Ovalau Region
F$ 220 - 385 per couple
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Naigani Island Resort is a small resort off the tourist track ideal for adventurous families. With a sandy beach backed by palm trees, great snorkelling and kayaking, hill walks, a 4-hole golf course and spacious affordable villas, Naigani offers a charming down to earth atmosphere.
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Caqalai Island, Ovalau Region
F$ 120 per couple / $ 50 dorm
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Caqalai Island Resort is a small coral island off Ovalau surrounded by a beautiful lagoon with fantastic snorkelling. The beachfront is sandy and backed by coconut palms making this an exceptional place for budget travellers to experience the South Seas experience away from the more commercial Yasawa Islands.
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Vanua Levu & Taveuni
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, Taveuni
F$ 1,400 - 2,400 per couple - includes meals
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Matangi Island Resort is a family owned private island resort with several beautiful white sand beaches and just fourteen traditional hand crafted bungalows. Renowned for its down-to-earth atmosphere Matangi offers the perfect tropical holiday atmosphere for honeymoons, nature lovers and diving enthusiasts.
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Koro Sun Resort, Vanua Levu
F$ 880 - 2.150 per couple - includes breakfast
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Koro Sun is a luxury tropical escape 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 holiday-makers.
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Paradise Taveuni, Taveuni
F$ 646 - 764 per couple - includes meals
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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 (fifteen minutes by boat) and is naturally popular amongst scuba divers.
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Garden Island Resort, Taveuni
F$ 350 - 450 per couple - includes breakfast
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Garden Island Resort is primarily a dive resort with close access to the world renowned Rainbow Reef and an on-site scuba diving operator with full service PADI courses. Also makes a convenient base for exploring Taveuni, notably the sliding rocks, blowholes and Lake Tagimaucia all accessible from the west coast.
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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$150 and an open-water course with 4 dives from F$600. Rich nutrients carried by strong south-easterly currents feed the Malolo Barrier Reef, a ten mile long system along the south-eastern side of the group which extends to Castaway Passage. This nutrient flows create the best setting for marine life in the western side of Fiji with over 400 species of colourful reef fish as well as dolphins, sharks and turtles. Hard and soft corals, fans, caves and pinnacles set as the backdrop. Unfortunately, such is the popularity of the Mamanucas and resort-diving that many divers are either novices or recreation divers with little consideration for the protection of the reef or the marine environment. Shark and fish feeding is common to make the dives more appealing, look but don’t touch practice is often overlooked and the popular dive sites can be overcrowded. For a more peaceful environment, dive the Outer Reef around the islands of Tokoriki, Monuriki and Vomo where large pelagics are common and some unusual sites make diving for beginners and experienced divers a more fulfilling experience.
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Castaway Island Resort, Mamanucas
F$ 805 - 1,087 per couple
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Castaway Island Resort Fiji is a 174-acre island in the heart of the Mamanuca Islands with a truly relaxing holiday atmosphere. Spacious traditional thatch bures with high ceilings are spread along the beachfront and amongst tropical gardens. Castaway is ideal for couples or those looking for quality time with children.
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Matamanoa Island Resort, Mamanucas
F$ 425 - 685 per couple - includes breakfast
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Matamanoa Island is a small, intimate and secluded boutique resort for romantic couples. The island boasts excellent snorkelling in a turquoise lagoon littered with coral reefs. 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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Yasawa Islands
Although the Yasawas have fantastic snorkelling lagoons, scuba diving is rather more limited. There are good diving reefs off Kuata Island in the Southern Yasawas and around Nanuya in the Northern Yasawas.
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Nanuya Island Resort, Yasawas
F$ 285 - 440 per couple - includes breakfast
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Nanuya Island Resort is an excellent value mid-market resort with comfortable wooden bungalows, a beautifully designed restaurant and lots of watersports . With a total of only twelve bungalows, this is an intimate setting ideally suited to couples looking for a picturesque and secluded beach setting.
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Captain Cook Cruise, Yasawas
F$ 3,120 for 3 Nights - includes all meals and most activities
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This overnight cruise offers luxury sightseeing in the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands. Although bulky in appearance, this is a spacious and well planned small cruise ship with all 50 staterooms offering ocean views. Snorkel in the warm lagoons, savour the bounty of the Fijian village lovo feast and sleep to the sound of surf.
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