...Highlights: shark action, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics...
...Diving environment: healthy reefs, wall dives, drifts, beginner and advanced divers, off the beaten track...
If you’re planning to dive Fiji, you’re about to discover some of the most spectacular underwater terrain on the planet. Diving in Fiji offers an unmatched combination of soft coral gardens, thrilling shark encounters, and crystal-clear waters that attract divers from every corner of the globe. Whether you’re searching for world-class Fiji diving or a relaxed holiday, this guide covers everything you need to know.
Fiji is often called the 'Soft Coral Capital of the World', and once you experience a single Fiji dive trip here, you’ll understand why. From beginner-friendly lagoons to advanced drift dives through nutrient-rich currents, diving in Fiji delivers for every level of scuba enthusiast.
Fiji is more than just a pretty postcard above water. While many visitors come for the fabulous beaches, hiking, and friendly local culture, those who dive Fiji return for the underwater richness: healthy reefs, manta rays, turtles, schooling barracuda, and macro life that rivals the best on Earth. Currents act as the reef’s lifeblood, sweeping in nutrients that fuel explosive soft coral growth and bring large pelagics close to divers.
Visibility can be the best around, typically ranges from 15 to 40 metres, with the clearest conditions between July and December. And with over 150 recognised sites, diving in Fiji never feels repetitive. So whether you want to dive Fiji from a luxury resort, an eco‑hideaway, or a fabulous liveaboard, this page will help you choose the perfect spot. Keep reading to explore top regions like Taveuni’s Rainbow Reef, Bligh Water’s big‑animal action, Kadavu’s remote hard corals, and Viti Levu’s famous shark dives.
The Highlights
So where do you want to go? Read more on all these top Fiji dive spots:
So where do you want to dive in Fiji? From world-famous soft coral gardens to remote shark encounters, Fiji offers an incredible range of experiences. Whether you book a single resort, a combination stay, or a liveaboard, be sure your trip includes some of these outstanding areas:
Taveuni
Diving in Fiji reaches its most colourful in the Somosomo Strait, where Taveuni’s famous dive sites justify the 'Soft Coral Capital of the World' title. The nutrient-rich waters support Rainbow Reef (a kaleidoscope of basslets, anthias, and crinoids) and the legendary Great White Wall - a sheer drop coated in blueish-white soft corals. You can also explore Annie’s Bommies (hard coral gardens) and Fish Factory (huge schools). Expect whitetip reef sharks, barracuda, and leopard sharks. A short flight is needed from Viti Levu. The Somosomo Strait dive sites are blessed with amazing soft coral coverage; vibrant bushes of orange and brown and pink proliferate and blossom fully when current is present.
For scuba diving with large pelagics, this is arguably the richest region in Fiji. Strong currents funnel nutrient-rich water, supporting eagle rays, manta rays, grey reef sharks, silvertips, and even hammerheads. Top sites include Namena Island and Nigali Passage - thrilling drift dives through soft coral-covered channels. Liveaboards dominate here, but you can also access from resorts in Rakiraki on Viti Levu.
For a true off-the-grid Fiji diving experience, the Lomaiviti Islands (including Wakaya and Ovalau) deliver untouched hard coral gardens and healthy shark populations. Currents here attract grey reef sharks, hammerheads, and schools of barracuda. Sites like Wakaya’s Manta Reef and the Naigani Wall offer some of the most pristine diving you’ll find in Fiji, with fewer boats and no crowds.
Away from the big resorts, Kadavu offers authentic diving in Fiji with excellent hard coral coverage. Naiqoro Passage delivers adrenaline-pumping current dives among purple, orange, and red soft corals, schools of sweetlips and snapper, plus hefty potato cod. For easier dives, Yellow Wall and Broken Stone provide maze-like caverns and swim-throughs full of lobsters, butterflyfish, and wrasses.
One of Fiji's best kept secrets is the top quality scuba diving at Rakiraki with colourful pristine reefs, and coral gardens teeming with turtles, mantas, and reef sharks. Special mention too must go the shark feeding dives conducted in the waters off Pacific Harbour. Kneel in a semi-circle and stare agog at the passing sharks; up to 8 different species (bull, tiger, lemon, and more) pass within metres. 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.
Just south of Viti Levu, Beqa Lagoon provides easy diving in Fiji without domestic flights. Seven Sisters features 7 pinnacles draped in purple, yellow, and pink soft corals; look for octopus, moray eels, and flatworms. The unusual E.T. site has two tunnel chambers covered in cup corals, gorgonians, and lionfish. Occasional nurse sharks rest on sandy floors.
The northern Lau islands are the final frontier for Fiji scuba diving, only accessible by specialist liveaboard or extended charter. This region features dramatic drop-offs, strong currents, and encounters with dogtooth tuna, giant trevally, and pelagic sharks. The hard coral formations are spectacular and completely untouched. This is advanced Fiji dive territory, perfect for those who have done the main sites and want something truly wild.
Geographically there are so many islands that you have to decide whether you wish to travel to experience the best scuba 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 cruise 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 sections: Kadavu, Taveuni, Viti Levu (Pacific Harbour and Nadi).
Since most international flights arrive in Viti Levu no-one should plan a diving vacation 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.
Find Your Liveaboard
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The dive season is all year round. The winter months of April to October represent the main season for scuba diving in Fiji in terms of visitor numbers, although the visibility tends to peak between the months of July and December when the water is cooler (sometimes, although seldom as cool as 22°C). 25°C is a realistic expectation of water temperatures during this period. It can cool enough in this period to reduce plankton activity sufficiently for the visibility to rise to impressive distances, sometimes exceeding 50m.
November to April are in fact Fiji's summertime and when the seas are at their warmest - around 28 to 30°C. This is also rainy season and December to March carries a greater risk of cyclones. Run-off from the rivers can reduce the otherwise excellent visibility, particularly on dive sites off the coast of Viti Levu.
For comfort and protection, many choose to dive with a 5 mm full length wetsuit during winter months from May to October, and a 3 mm full length or shortie during summer months from November to April.
The transition months, where the seasons cross-over are often considered ideal times to visit. They are November, April and May. Things also vary from place to place within Fiji. Morning showers in the highlands of Viti Levu are quite common at any time of the year. Bligh Water's excellent visibility is seldom reduced significantly even during wet season. Plankton blooms, particularly in rainy season can attract larger creatures such as plankton-feeding whales and manta rays.
For more information on the climate in Fiji, visit the Climates To Travel website.
Where is Fiji and How Do I Get There?
Review our map below of the Fiji Islands and their location in the world. Here, you will find information on how to get to Fiji.
Reef Summary
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
Recommended length of stay
2 - 3 weeks
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TESTIMONIAL
Mitchell C. Warachka
Singapore
No Hassles - everything was executed without any problems, very easy and your people are very friendly
