Diving in Beqa Lagoon

Dive at the Island of the Fire Walkers

One of the best known Fiji scuba diving destinations and once christened "The Mecca of Pacific Diving", Beqa Lagoon (pronounced Benga), lies just south of Viti Levu, the main island of Fiji where international flights arrive.

It's a popular spot for those who wish to get straight into the water without taking a domestic flight to the outer islands. When you slip below the surface from your resort in Beqa you can visit a variety of different sites (there are said to be over 100 in the area) including pinnacles and bommies, fringing reefs and even a wreck or two.

While it would be fair to say that the lagoon diving at Beqa Island is not the best that Fiji has to offer, it is among the best diving around Viti Levu and many divers return there year upon year. You should not expect the array or volume of reef fish here that one might find in Nigali or the soft corals of Namena, but there is quite a variety of reef life including numerous fish as well as sharks and octopus, as well as some huge fans and healthy soft corals.

The lagoon itself consists of over 100 square miles of clear water surrounded by the protective arms of some 30 solid kilometres of barrier reef. This makes it one of the world's largest barrier reefs (read more about the Fiji coral reefs). Given this geographical feature you'll find that the water stays around 26°C for most of the year and there are only gentle currents when diving in Beqa Lagoon.

Highlights

Fantasea - The dive sites of Beqa Lagoon are quite varied and Fantasea is a good example of a site that offers a lot of that variety. Fantasea is home to Sea Fan Alley, an impressive corridor between 2 rocks which is literally filled with huge, sprawling sea fans.

Schools of reef fish and the occasional shark may be around as you investigate the nooks and crannies of this dive site's varying topography. There are plenty of interesting small things to be seen including garden eels, orangutan crabs and numerous nudibranchs. The dive ends on a colourful pinnacle flat full of life and colour and so typical of diving in Fiji.

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How to Dive Beqa Lagoon

Beqa Lagoon can either be dived from Beqa Island itself or from nearby Pacific Harbour on Viti Levu. Anyone diving in Beqa Lagoon is almost certainly going to have the chance to partake in the exhilarating shark diving at Pacific Harbour.

If you wish to stay on Beqa Island then there is really only one resort choice. Otherwise you can stay in a resort in Pacific Harbour. Either way travel times to the dive sites are about the same.

Diving Season

You can dive at Beqa Lagoon all year round, although the conditions do vary. The best visibility is likely to be found during the July to September period, and there can be a little surface swell from November to January. Water temperature does not fluctuate much, ranging between 24°C and 28°C.

Reef Summary

Great for: Sharks, soft corals, small animals, non-diving activities
Not so great for: Large animals, wall dives, drift diving, advanced divers
Depth: 5 - 30m
Visibility: 10 - 30m
Currents: None or gentle
Surface conditions: Can be choppy, but can be rough in windy season
Water temperature: 24 - 28°C
Experience level: Beginner - intermediate
Number of dive sites: >22
Distance: 14 km south of Pacific Harbour, Viti Levu
Access: Beqa and Viti Levu dive resorts
Recommended length of stay: 1 week

Dive Site Descriptions

For more on the detailed Beqa Lagoon dive sites:

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