16 August 2024
Fiji is an archipelago of hundreds of islands, 106 of which are inhabited. It is known for its beautiful soft corals and its sharks.
Best Dive Sites in Fiji?
The best dive sites in Fiji include those around the islands of Taveuni and Namena. Deep water upwellings in the Somo Somo strait by Taveuni deliver food to the fish and invertebrates there – resulting in a proliferation of life. The Namena Marine Reserve is managed by ten village chiefs who banned commercial fishing back in 1997.
Beqa Lagoon – Shark Feeding
One of Fiji’s most famous dive sites in the Beqa lagoon where Bull sharks and others are hand fed. This controversial practice has both positive and negative aspects to it. On the plus side, it is better to feed sharks than to kill them, and the shark tourism provides much more money than could be earned by killing them. However, feeding sharks alters their behaviour and leads to one species increasing in numbers at the expense of the others(1). In Beqa the winner is the bull shark. The smaller tawny nurse shark, silvertip shark and sicklefin lemon shark have become very rare visitors.
When to Dive Fiji?
When to go diving in Fiji? Fiji’s dry season is from June to October. The visibility is best during these months, but the water is colder and it can be windy.
April and May are calm and warm with plankton blooms: poor vis offset by the chance of seeing large, pelagic, plankton-eaters like manta rays.
Avoid December to March as it is the cyclone season. Some resorts close in February and March.
What is the water temperature in Fiji?
Water temperatures in Fiji range from 24oC to 29oC (75oF to 84oF), making it a warm and comfortable diving destination.
What kind of marine life can I expect to see in Fiji?
Depending on where you are, and the time of year, you can expect to see:
Sharks & Rays: bull shark, tawny nurse shark, silvertip shark, sicklefin lemon shark, grey reef shark, white tipped reef shark, hammerhead shark, tiger shark, manta ray, eagle ray.
Whales: pilot whale, humpback whale (June to October)
Turtles: green turtle, hawksbill turtle
Reef Fish: too many to list but including lionfish, clownfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, grouper, goatfish, damselfish, parrotfish
Invertebrates: many nudibranch, clam, hard coral, soft coral, echinoderm, sponges…
The above video, by Nick Hope of Bubble Vision, shows you what the diving is like around Fiji (and Tonga).
Dive Sites of Fiji Fiji Diving Operators & Liveaboards Fiji Accommodation Further Fiji Reading Your Comments Find a Hotel in Fiji Specialist Diving Travel Insurance
Somosomo Straits
“Renowned as one of Fiji’s top dive sites. Prepare to be awestruck by a steep wall that descends endlessly to the bottom, completely smothered in lush white soft coral. Off the deep edge of the wall you will find some pelagics. Often schools of batfish stop by to greet us while we drift along the wall. At the end of the dive is a deep swim-through cavern providing an exciting exit to an amazing dive.”
Stuart Gow
“Everything about it is top class”
Paul Molloy, UK
” Great white coral on wall. Only one of four places in the world to see it. High speed current but beautiful scenery.”
Scubajack, USA, 2008
” This is located in the Somo, Somo straights, Taveuni, Fiji. It has a huge number of soft Coral some which looks like snow flakes, and one dives through a large hole in the wall. There are large numbers of clown fish, parrot fish and other tropical fish, sharks, and barracuda. It is not a hard dive as long as the current is slack, but is
probably an intermediate-advanced dive due to the depth.”
Marilyn Drath, USA, 2012
“One of best dives ever, saw everything from turtles to manta rays (swimming round us!) to sharks, rolling beds of blue and red coral, fab nudibranchs, leaf fish and scorpionfish. Incredible!”
Gemma Steel
“Where to start? Pristine reef, super visibilty, turtles, rays, shark etc…and best of all not another boat in sight!”
Paul Coysh, UK
“The Great Astrolabe Reef is the fourth largest barrier reef in the world. Sitting just off the southern shore, this spectacular reef hosts tuna, marlin, sharks and an array of reef fish, with excellent hard and soft coral cover.”
Kathryn Curzon, New Zealand, 2022
Matangi / Quamea
“This is a drift dive near Matangi and Quamea islands. All sorts of soft coral and large ocean going fish which include at times hammer head sharks, white tipped reef sharks, sea turtles as well as tropicals(lion fish, clown fish, tiny blue, large groupers, angel fish) are present. There are huge numbers of giant clams and other sea
shells. The soft coral is purple, and there are also sea fans, staghorn coral, brain coral, and there are tiny sea horses hanging on some of the coral and sea worms, giant green moray eels, and spanish dancers. It is effortless and one floats past deep walls covered with sea life. Any level of diver can dive here.”
Marilyn Drath, USA, 2012
Bligh Water & the Koro Sea
“The Namena Marine Reserve stretches across 70 square kilometers and has incredible marine biodiversity. Encompassing both Namena Island and a horseshoe-shaped barrier reef, the area has been a no-fishing zone since 1997. As a result, the dive sites are busy with vibrant tropical reef fish, critters, large pelagic fish and reef sharks.”
Kathryn Curzon, New Zealand, 2022
Bligh Water & the Koro Sea
“If you’re looking for a thrilling drift dive, make sure you visit Nigali Passage. It has just a 3-hour window for diving, outside of which the currents scream past at over 4 knots. Dropping into the swift currents, you ride through the passage for around 20 meters. The steep walls on either side are covered in hard and soft corals and the passage itself hosts many barracuda and sharks.”
Kathryn Curzon, New Zealand, 2022
“The E-6 pinnacle is also a must for any dive trip to the area. Sitting in the narrowest section of Bligh Water, this seamount is constantly washed by nutrient-rich water and is a jaw-dropping marine ecosystem.”
Kathryn Curzon, New Zealand, 2022
“Jim’s Alley is ideal for novice divers who want to experience the wealth of life in Fiji’s waters. This shallow coral garden has numerous hard and soft corals, sea fans, whip fans, and anemones. “
Kathryn Curzon, New Zealand, 2022
“Barefoot Manta Island sits to the south of the Yasawa Islands and is known for hosting plenty of mantas from May to October each year.”
Kathryn Curzon, New Zealand, 2022
Naviti Island
“A unique cave dive at Babylon Caves, with a complex cave system that requires navigation and ends at a reef-capped wall. “
Kathryn Curzon, New Zealand, 2022
If you own or manage a dive centre: get yourself added to our directory. Have you dived in Fiji? Let us know about the diving centre you used.
Fiji Liveaboards – Compare prices online. Book now & pay later.
This massive ship has 64 cabins and is not just for divers. Many on-board facilities make it enjoyable for non-divers too, like swimming pool, spa, gym and two bars. For the divers there are two dive tenders to take you to the dive sites.
“I had full charter of the Fiji Aggressor last month (Sept 2016). When we boaded the ship we were told that the Soft Coral Captial of the World had been destroyed by Cyclone Winston and we were taken on a different route to Kadavu Island. Here we spent six boring dive days searching for any signs of marine life. An underwarer desert where the occasional nudibranch became exciting and the handful of clusters of soft corals only made us more sad reminding us what we must be missing in the real Soft Coral Capital of the World.
After our liveaboard we travelled to the the north east Rakiraki Province and stayed at Wananavu Beach Resort with a 5 Star PADI dive center. Imagine our surprise and dismay to see the lovely pictures guests were brining back from their day scuba dive trips in the Bligh Waters. Healthy reefs and colourful corals. And this in the area we were told by Aggressor staff had been “completely destroyed and nothing left to see.”
Comfortable but ‘tired’ – tatty carpets, mould in bathrooms, many sighting of cockroaches. Very poor value for money. Kadavu Island is just not worth more than a one day two dive trip not worth seven days
”
Adam Preston, Thailand, September 2016
Nadi > Tokoriki Island
Tokoriki Diving
Tokoriki Island Resort
PO Box 10547
Nadi Airport
Fiji
Taveuni Island
off Taveuni
Dive Academy Fiji
Viani Bay – off Taveuni
GPS: -16° 44.691′ S / 179° 53.561′ E (we are only accessible by boat, hence the coordinates)
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: +679 7258184 or +679 7258167
PADI 5*Dive Resort, PADI Freediver Center
Dive Academy Fiji with Viani Bay Resort, located in Viani Bay off Taveuni, is the dive operation closest to the sites on the famous Rainbow Reef, offering private diving with maximum 4 divers on the boat and a holiday experience where it feels like visiting friends.
Taveuni Island
Taveuni Dive
Taveuni Estates
P.O. Box 89
Taveuni Island
Fiji
Tel: (679) 888 0063
E-mail: [email protected]
Taveuni Island
Sau Bay Resort
Taveuni Island
Fiji
Tel: +679 603-1003
Whatsapp: +1 949 532-0224
E-mail: [email protected]
Zentral
Aboard-a-Dream Dive
Suva
Zentral
Fiji
Ovalau Watersports
PO Box 149 Levuka
Ovalau
Fiji
Tel: (+679) 344 0166
E-mail: [email protected]
Hibiscus Highwayy
Savasi Island
Vanua Levu
Savusavu
Fiji
Tel: (+679) 934 1033
Savusavu
Matangi Island
For hotels and resorts see the Agoda site…
Taveuni
P.O. Box 1B
Waiyevo
Taveuni
Fiji
Tel: +679 888 0286
Fax: +679 888 0288
E-mail: [email protected]
Coral Reef Fishes, Indo-Pacific and Caribbean
- by Ewald Lieske and Robert Myers, Harper Collins, 400 Pages, Paperback
An excellent, comprehensive guide to reef fishes, which is small and light enough to pack regardless of amount of diving equipment. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to identify the fish they see whilst diving the tropics.
Read the full review…
1. Shark Feeding Dives change Relative Abundances of Sharks, SCUBA News
Please send us your comments on Fiji. Do you want to recommend a diving centre or dive site? Let us know. If you own a dive centre get yourself added.
