Diving in Fiji, late March

Hi there

I'm visiting Fiji for a fortnight late March as part of my RTW trip. Any recommendations on good locations from which to dive and/or liveaboards? I'm an experienced diver and have done liveaboards before. Any issues with weather or sea conditions that time of year? Inspiration appreciated before I try and book something.

Many thanks!

Don't know much about diving there, but the weather will still be hot and humid, it is still a bit rainy then. A lot depends on which side of the main island you are on (if you stay in Viti Levu). East is wetter, west is drier. Not sure how it affects diving.

rain in march comes usually daily as short heavy afternoon or evening showers. its hot and humid, seas are in general calm or slight which allows easy boating and access to sites that can be off limmits in the winter season because open seas are in general moderate to rough then.
however water temp is the hotest in march and when tides are at nip then viz can be low.

diving in fijis west is for beginners, for an experienced diver not the place to go.

the north of viti levu arround nana nu ira has beautifull soft coral, sea fans, nice caves and swim troughs, excellent macro live such as molusks, decapods...
similar is somosomo straight between taveuni and vanua levu.

central fiji out of ovalau or via live aboard (naia cruises), is a mix between healty hardcoral reefs and good soft coral. some of the sites there have big fish action and fish density that is unmatched i fiji. only beaten by the beqa shark feeding dive, which is not a realy a dive its a show!
beqa got good soft coral but is in most places fished out.

kadavu is mainly hard coral reef diving, fish live there is ok but not outstanding (to many locals fishing). however kadavu has at the moment one of the most reliable manta (manta magic) sites in fiji.

so fiji diving is quite diverse, a lot also depends on the right tides... you have to make up your mind whats your main interest and whats your budget, good allways to dive with small owner operated shops away from the masses.

Depends on what you want... I agree with melbar, and I'll come right to the point:

If I were to go back today, I'd make a bee-line back to Garden Island Resort on Taveuni and dive the Somosomo straits. (Take a reef hook or gloves, safety sausage, whistle, and any other safety gear: the currents are rippin'! But that feeds some glorious soft corals.)

Nananui-Ra, on the main island, has a nice mix of everything. Good for photographers. Wananavu resort is nice.

Pacific Harbor (and Beqa "Ben-ga" lagoon) has a good mix, but I didn't think it was as good as Nananui-Ra. The shark dive was great. This is a good place to go if you're on a tight budget.

Savu Savu was awful, at least while I was there. Not recommended.

Kadavu ("Kan-Da-Vu") and the Astrolabe Reef has great hard corals but is also remote. The manta dive, if you can get it, makes the trouble worth it.

Don't book anything in the airport at Nandi -- the 'agents' there will just try to sell you what makes them the most commission. They have no idea where the good diving is.

Don't go to the east islands unless you want to party or lay on a nice white sand beach. Those beaches are the remains of the reefs that have been broken up by the typhoons.

Enjoy! Fiji is one of the best places on earth, and the people there are wonderful.

g

Uh, correction... Make that "don't go to the WEST islands"....

g

In Levuka a friend of mine underwent through Ovalau Watersports over 15 dives, 6 of which were deep and boasted to bring up one the best submarine pictures I had ever seen [i can send them upon request] - she is rescue diver so very experienced.
Next Nananu-I-Re - also good area. After all the best sites are in Taveuni. Every diver will confirm you.

good luck

A good diving spot is at blue lagoon north yasawas, there is the largest cabadge patch in the world 'they say'. Amazing and only 8-10 meter deep.

Soft coral is only blooming, when current is present. Currents are not depending on the sites, they depend on tidal differences and they highest difference between low and high tide is generelly around new moon or full moon. You might be unlucky to dive the "white wall" during a small tide and you only see small bits of the soft coral, then some days later when you have a bigger tide difference you have them in full bloom, but also a strong current. That is the same all over the soft coral places.
Best diving in Fiji is found in the eastern and northern Islands.

Many thanks everyone for your top tips. Guess we'll definitely be avoiding the West! Lots of interesting places to choose from what you've suggested - can't wait!

Hi,
Spent time diving on Vuna reef - fantastic. Only one dive operation down there tho' - Susies (now called Paradise). Used to be buget and for the backpacker but now more upmarket. Building new huts (bures) which are very nice and offer discounted rates for the building work. Did not impact on us as we were underwater most of the time. Rainbow Reef is also worth diving

I haven't dived Fiji as extensively as 60South or melbar, but I have done a few dozens dives there in the Yasawas and Kadavu. I really enjoyed both. However, the diving off Kadavu was generally much better with a lot of hard coral in superb condition. I also haven't ever seen as many fish species in one place. I suspect that this was because the part of the Astrolabe Reef opposite Waisalima where I was diving is a defacto marine reserve. A good amount of good grouper and other fish that would often be over fished. Read my entry on the TT here or read it with pictures on my website here. Diving here isn't for everyone - you need to enjoy remote, near-virgin diving that is miles from anywhere.

B-)

Just got in some diving with Kaiviti Divers which who are connected with the Wananavu Resort in northern Viti Lavu. Because of all the rain they have had, the viz is down to about 50' average. However, I'm more interested in macro, so wasn't a problem with me. I was lucky in that there was a group of divers there, so they took out their very nice big dive boat out to Bird Island, which is an hour out. The diving there was very good. The dive operation is very well run (I stayed at the Rakiraki Hotel @ $F90 - the resort is overpriced). A 2 tank day cost $F185, 3 tanks $F280. Ra divers is in the area as well, saw their boat one day with only one diver on board. Not sure where you have been diving before, but I've been diving in Indonesia and the Philippines the last 4 years, the prices here are a bit of a shock. I checked out Nai'a LOB, they want US$2,940 for a 7 day trip which is a lot more than the liveaboards in SEA and PNG ( I got in an excellent 12 day LOB out of Milne Bay in December for US$2280 (30% off reg. price).. I contacted Nai'a and they would give me a last minute deal, 30% off. But after diving in Bligh Water a fair distance from the mainland and finding the viz still low, I will pass. Will probably head to Beqa where they are offering a special as well. It has been raining here quite a bit, but the sea has been fairly calm. Unless you are going on the LOB, I would phone around when you get here and see what's available.