Diving in Fiji

The Fijian Islands

Fiji is a holiday destination with so much to offer: hiking, nature, fabulous beaches and wonderful local people, that sometimes the quality of its diving can be overlooked. Anyone who has been on a diving holiday here, however, will tell quite a different story. From luxury resorts and remote eco-hideaways to fabulous liveaboards, Fiji diving really does offer something for everyone.

Conditions and underwater sights vary greatly here and while some places are tranquil and great for learning, most sites will enjoy some current, ranging from barely perceptible to very strong. It is this presence of current that makes the scuba diving in Fiji so rich.

Currents are the lifeblood of Fiji's reefs, kick-starting the food chain by sweeping nutrients to both corals and fish alike. Fiji is known as "The Soft Coral Capital of the World" and when the current flows the corals bloom into fabulous displays of colourful splendour. The currents also affect the water's visibility which can be the best around, with incoming currents bringing clear sea water into the lagoons and outgoing currents removing any cloudy lagoon water.

Lagoons are a feature of the islands and often the water remains shallow until some distance from shore. This means most Fiji diving is conducted from boat and also that the shorelines are great for adults and children alike to go snorkelling and swimming.

Highlights

Whether you are based in a single place or go for a combination booking or liveaboard, you would be well advised to ensure any trip here includes these excellent areas:

Taveuni and the Koro Sea: The Garden Island past which runs the Somosomo Strait whose soft coral splendour allows Fiji to lay claim to being 'The soft coral capital of the world'. The waters around Taveuni and south into the Koro Sea are rich and nutrient-filled, supporting large marine ecosystems which means lots of great dive sites.

Kadavu - The real Fiji, away from the big resorts where life can go at the pace you want and where the diving feels like the last frontier. Eco-friendly resorts, local culture and plenty of breathtaking dive sites in and around the well-known Great Astrolabe Reef.

Viti Levu - Special mention must go the shark feeding dives conducted in the waters off Pacific Harbour. You can have heart-stopping moments with the bosses of the ocean and just off Fiji's main island. Read about our very own experience here: The Best Shark Dive in the World.

Beqa Lagoon - Just south of Viti Levu lies Beqa Island, one of the most popular Fiji dive destinations for those seeking to avoid a domestic flight. There are a range good good dive sites around the lagoon and the islands that fringe it. You can expect pinnacles, plenty of soft corals and even wreck dives.

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How to Dive Fiji

Geographically there are so many islands that you have to decide whether you wish to travel to see the best diving Fiji has to offer or you want to stay put in one place and get a taste of that area alone.

If doing the former then there can surely be no substitute for a Fiji liveaboard trip which will cover more sites than any land-based experience and which will also give you the chance to dive the more remote and less-visited spots.

If you want to stay in 1 place only and dive exclusively in 1 area then your best choice again depends on what exactly you are looking for. Stay on Taveuni to see the soft coral splendour of the Somosomo Strait, and Kadavu Island is the place to go to get away from it all and explore the Great Astrolabe Reef. We include full details of all the resorts in these destinations, suitable for all budgets, in our Fiji dive resorts section.

Since international flights arrive in Viti Levu no-one should plan a diving holiday here without including the experience of the shark-feeding dives in Viti Levu as a great complement to your liveaboard trip or resort package elsewhere in the Fijian islands.

Diving Season

The dive season is all year round. April to October is the main season for diving in Fiji in terms of diver numbers, although the visibility tends to peak between the months of July and December when the water is cooler (sometimes as cool as 22°C). November to April are in fact Fiji's summertime and when the seas are at their warmest - around 30°C.

Reef Summary

Great for: Large animals, visibility and beginner divers
Not so great for: Wreck dives
Depth: 5 - >40m
Visibility: 15 - 40m
Currents: None to very strong
Surface Conditions: Mostly calm but can be choppy further from shore particularly during July to September
Water Temperature: normally 28 - 30°C
Experience Level: Beginner - advanced
Number of dive sites: >150
Access: Liveaboards and resorts
Recommended length of stay: 2 - 3 weeks

Further on Fiji

So where do you want to go? Read more on all these top spots:

• Fiji tourist information

View a map of:
• Fijian Islands

• Send your diving holidays enquiry

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