Fiji is one of those dream destinations that conjures up images of white sandy beaches, azure lagoons fringed with coconut trees, and of course the warmth of the friendly local people. And Fiji is also the top liveaboard diving spot in the South Pacific, where you can combine your love for great scuba diving with the ideal holiday destination.
The waters of the Fiji Islands are rich with nutrients, supporting large marine ecosystems which, for you the diver, means lots of fantastic dive sites to visit and a great variety of exciting pelagics, reef sharks, barrier reefs and wall diving. But it is the astoundingly colourful and healthy reefs for which Fiji liveaboard diving is best known. In underwater channels where current brings forth enormous colourful blooms of yellow, orange and purple splendour, you'll soon understand why Fiji is crowned the Soft Coral Capital of the World by the scuba diving community.
Bligh Water and the Koro Sea feature vibrant, healthy off-shore reefs, such as those around Namena Island, combined with the breathtaking shark action at Nigali Passage, to make this liveaboard region the leading light for scuba diving in Fiji.
There is a surprisingly low number of liveaboards operating in Fiji, but those that do promise you a range of diving and cultural experiences. The remote spots of central Fiji, Bligh Water and the Koro Sea offer most of the best diving in the country but they are spread out over a large area. This means a liveaboard safari is the only way to see many of these premier sites:
The Bligh Waters is a name that brings up childhood memories of adventure on the high seas, and these liveaboard trips provide plenty of action, taking in some of the most famous dive sites in Fiji such as E6, a huge pinnacle surrounded by a spectacular marine ecosystem. Here you can spot schooling barracuda, hammerhead sharks, eagle rays and enter 'The Cathedral' an awesome swim-through where light filters down from above.
Nigali Passage is a world famous drift where you can see innumerable grey reef sharks, big schools of trevally, barracuda, snappers and red sea bass, and maybe even mantas and hammerheads. Chimneys at Namena Island in the Koro Sea, is a dive site consisting of 3 pillars around which dog-tooth tuna, sharks and barracudas patrol. But there are plenty of smaller things to catch the eye too such as nudibranchs, pipefish, hawkfish and swarms of anthias.
Most liveaboard diving charters here cover the Koro Sea, Nigali Passage and Wakaya. Some include the areas of Namena, where soft coral coverage is spectacular, and Nukurauvula which features spinner dolphins. Experienced divers will be impressed by the marine bio-diversity and health of these areas, and the wide range of different sites. The level of service is also very high. [More details on these dive sites: Bligh Water/Koro Sea].
Trips will either be 7 or 11 nights in duration and are suitable for all experience levels. You will often be diving at spots which daytrippers can not visit, so it very unlikely you will find any of the sites crowded. These cruises are for those interested only in diving the best sites that Fiji has to offer.
These Fiji liveaboard charters are booked long in advance, so you should be planning ahead by several months, if not more than a year.
> [More details: Bligh Water and the Koro Sea Trips]• Shark Feed - Fiji is not only a Pacific island paradise, but also a top quality diving destination. We recommend that any liveaboard trip you make here should include a stay in Pacific Harbour on Viti Levu to join the amazing shark feed dive at Shark Reef, a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with bull sharks, tiger sharks and many more shark species. [More information on these dive sites: Shark Reef].
This hotel/resort-based option is conveniently located close to both of the international airports of Fiji in Nadi and the capital city of Suva.
Fiji has a tropical climate which is relatively stable throughout the year. The summer months of December to April are the warmest at 22-33°, but this is also the wet season and cyclone season. Winter runs from May to November, with temperatures in the 19-29°C range, and this is also the dry season.
The Fiji liveaboards run all year round. Many people suggest that the best time to join a cruise is during the winter months. This is because the visibility is best during the dry season (peak visibility is from July to September) and there is likely to be less wind, but the water is cooler then too, perhaps as cool as 22°C (though it is seldom low in the Koro Sea). The summer months offer warmer seas (around 30°C) but the extra rainfall can reduce visibility. These are the months when mantas and whales can most frequently been seen. Find more seasonal information on our Fiji diving destinations page.
Humpback whales start arriving around the Vava'u Islands in Tonga late June/early July and are at their highest in number by mid-July. Late September, many of the whales leave the area and start to move south to their feeding grounds.
Most international flights arrive at Nadi Airport on the main island of Viti Levu. There are direct flights from several Australian and New Zealand cities, as well as several other Pacific nations. North American flights are from Los Angeles and Honolulu. Hong Kong, Osaka and Tokyo provide other excellent gateways to Fiji.
Ports vary and are detailed for every trip in the 'Departure Schedule & Prices' section on our boat product pages. They will also be sent to you during the inquiry and booking process. Most liveaboard charters depart from ports or docks on Viti Levu; these include Lautoka and Suva. Lautoka is close to Nadi on the north coast and transfers from Nadi are included. Suva is the capital city of Fiji and is located at the opposite end of the island so you are likely to need a 30 minute internal flight. These can be booked through Fiji Airways. Airport transfers are provided.
Our Tonga humpback whale safaris depart from Tonga's capital city, Nuku'alofa on the island of Tongatapu. The nearest airport is Fua'amotu (TBU), around half an hour from Nuku'alofa. There are international flights from Auckland (New Zealand), Sydney (Australia) and Samoa. You can also fly from Fiji, with connections from the USA, Hong Kong and Australia. You will be transferred from the airport to the boat.
Travel plans can change unexpectedly, which is why we strongly recommend securing insurance that covers trip cancellations, diving activities, and other travel-related incidents. Protect your investment with our comprehensive insurance program, get a competitive quote today:
For travellers looking to extend their Fiji adventure with hotel stays before or after their liveaboard diving safari, we recommend checking our trusted partner HotelsCombined.com for the best accommodation options. Their user-friendly platform allows you to browse a wide selection of hotels, with helpful online chat support available to answer any questions. Enjoy flexible booking options - you can either pay immediately by credit card or defer payment until arrival:
Every reservation comes with their 'Low Price Guarantee', ensuring you always get the most competitive rates for your stay in Fiji. This convenient service makes trip planning seamless while guaranteeing value for your money.
For additional information about travelling in Fiji, explore our FAQs page where we answer common visitor questions.
Responsive and personal. I asked questions and had good responses and back and forth email. Other operations would do well to do same, nothing is more annoying than talking to call centre people with no power to help and having to start from the start with a new person every time
