Waya or Nacula?

Hi,

I am travelling to Fiji with a friend in early February 2008 and we are having a lot of trouble deciding whether to stay on Waya Island or Nacula Island. Has anyone been to either or both of these islands ?

What is the snorkelling like off Waya??? I am worried that it would be much better at Oarsman's Bay on Nacula. I have heard that the reef off Waya is colourful & has lots of fish, but are the fish colourful too?

Thanks (in advance) for your help.

Edited by: kgkg

I've been to Waya island, and have some photos on My BLOG.

I enjoyed Waya, but not particularly for the snorkelling. I just wanted to relax at an almost-empty resort for a few days. I liked the scenery and hiking on Waya. I had already enjoyed great snorkelling elsewhere in Fiji so it wasn't a priority for me. Besides, the quality of the snorkelling will depend as much on the resort you stay at as on the island. There are 4 resorts on Waya. Octopus resort up at the north end is a mid-range place and presumably has OK snorkelling off the beach -- judging by reports of others I've read on TT. There's a low-end resort at the south tip of Waya, also with OK snorkelling off the beach. The snorkelling from the other two resorts is not so easy off the beach.

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What is the snorkelling like off Waya??? I am worried that it would be much better at Oarsman's Bay on Nacula. I have heard that the reef off Waya is colourful & has lots of fish, but are the fish colourful too?

The question seems slightly misinformed about reefs and fish. The flora and fauna that make up the reefs all over Fiji (and probably the entire south pacific for that matter) are more or less the same. Differences will be in variety and size, not in presence or lack of 'color' in reef or fish.

Thanks very much for taking the time to reply & for your information about Waya. I really appreciate it.

Perhaps I should re-phrase my question about the snorkelling. I would like to know whether the snorkelling off Nacula (Oarsman's Bay Lodge) is far superior to the snorkelling off Waya (Octopus Resort)- I don't just mean in terms of colour but variety & size & everything that makes up a great snorkelling experience! I've read that snorkelling is great at all tides on Nacula- will this make much of a difference? I'm trying to decide whether it is worth the extra time it will take on the Yasawa Flyer to get to Nacula.

I asked about colour because I had seen a few photos that someone had taken snorkelling at Waya and the fish seemed quite ordinary looking. But I've seen other photos taken by snorkellers in Fiji of beautifully coloured fish.

The snorkelling at Octopus is very good - they have a marine reserve status in front of the resort which has meant fish numbers and varieties have built up greatly in the past few years. My husband prefers snorkelling there at low tide along the edge of the reef, while my preference is for snorkelling at high tide over the coral close to shore (while being very careful not to stand on said coral!). I have not snorkelled at Nacula but I believe that it is more of an "all tides" experience as you say.
Just one thing - if you are considering Octopus in February and have yet to book you may be too late - so that may decide for you.

Thanks for your post TaiMarilyn- much appreciated. In the Lonely Planet book on Fiji it said the snorkelling at Octopus was "ok" so I wasn't sure what to expect. It's helpful to hear that you think it's very good. I still haven't heard anyone raving about the snorkelling off Waya - is there a reason for this?

Did you see any parrot fish when snorkelling at Octopus Resort? I saw some when I was snorkelling in Hawaii & they were amazing. Would love to see some again.

Thanks too for the suggestion that Octopus may be booked out - I considered this but thought it might be ok since February seems to be the month when the least number of tourists are in Fiji.

Anyone's experiences of Nacula would still be appreciated. (-:

Edited by: kgkg

Here's a link to a trip report comparing Octopus with Nacula.

Why are there few raves about Waya snorkelling? Who knows? Personally, I couldn't care less.
There may be few rave reviews about Waya snorkelling because Waya isn't popular with package tourists. To be blunt about it, I give little weight to 'rave' reviews by people who give no frame of reference for their opinions. For all I know, wherever they went may have been their first time snorkelling on a coral reef. That does not devalue the worth of their personal experience, it just means that there is no value in making any generalizations.

It's possible to make broad generalizations, such as diving/snorkelling better the further east you are (eg Taveuni is better than the Yasawas). Overall, though, even the poor can be pretty good -- depends on what a person's expectations are and depends on how willing they are to take a place for what it offers and enjoy the best of whatever is to be found there.

Thanks again,

It was good to read that comparison between Waya & Nacula. Exactly what I had been looking for- ta.

Thanks to those who replied for your help. Just to let you know... my friend and I are now booked to stay at Octopus Resort and are looking forward to it!