Fiji itinerary- 10 days w/ a dive boat

I was looking to get a little bit of help in figuring out an itinerary for Fiji when I arrive there from February 26th to March 9th. I fly into and out of Nadi, which I hear is mostly a hole and not a place I should be dwelling in for any longer than I have to. Note that I'm 24, I'm a backpacker on a moderate budget, and I lean more towards the nature and activities than the partying/nightlife.

1. What are the most important islands to visit, given my profile?
2. I've heard the diving there is world class and I'd like to do a 2-4 day liveaboard boat if I can. What are the best embarkation points and companies for this?
3. What would be a good route to travel through the country, given my timeframe and the fact that I want to fit in a dive boat?
4. Is there anything cultural or otherwise going on during this time that I should be sure not to miss?

I appreciate any suggestions or advice anyone can offer. I realize I'm asking for information that you could find in a guidebook, but in the past I've found the ThornTree suggestions to be better than a lot of the ones made in the appropriate LP so I figured I'd give it a shot again. Thanks guys.

Cheers,

Rakesh

Nadi isn't a hole, just nothing particularly interesting there (main street with a lot of tourist shops for people on package holidays). I still would recommend getting somewhere else as fast as possible.

Is there a special reason why you want a liveaboard boat? I suppose they are functional if access to a reef is difficult or inconvenient from land. But there are a number of very good reefs and dive sites on Fiji where access is very easy from the shore - eg astrolabe from resorts on Kadavu, or rainbow reef accessed from Taveuni or Vanua Levu. If you are shore based, that opens up possibilities for other activities (village visits, jungle hiking), making better use of your limited time.

With the limited amount of time you have, I wonder if an itinerary is a good idea. Pick your diving destination and stay more or less in the area. Flying to Kadavu or Taveuni is the most sensible option with limited time.