Shore Diving in Fiji?

Hey ya'll,

 

My wife and I are considering a trip to Fiji in the next few months. Liveaboards are a bit out of budget right now, so we're looking for a land based resort in Fiji that's photo friendly with shore diving available.

 

I've heard that Beqa Lagoon resort fits the bill, but are there others? How's the shore diving at Beqa Lagoon Resort?

 

Also, how would you get to any resort you might suggest? Fly into Nadi or Suva? Then what?

 

Grateful for any and all help!

 

Cheers,

Ken

Hi Ken,

 

If it's the same Bega Lagoon Resort that I stayed at (there were a lot around there so I may be confused) they didn't have shore diving. If fact, they were located on a bayou full of mangroves...

 

James

i'm more of a silent reader than a poster on forums, but since nobody was chiming in, i thought i'd throw in my 1/2 cent. I stayed at Taveuni Island Resort for my honeymoon in dec, it isn't a dive resort (anymore, it used to be apparently) but its on the beach and had a nice reef right off the beach. I snorkelled off the beach, and i'm sure you can get tanks from one of the 2 dive operators right next door (swiss divers and jewel bubble divers). The two pictures are from the reef right off the beach. hope this helps.

Hi Ken,

 

Shore diving isn't big in Fiji. But most of the land-based resorts offer two dives a day in their package. I just came back from leading a group to Dive Kadavu. If the wind direction is okay (you need the South easterly trades or no wind at all) shore diving in front of the resort should be good (I only snorkeled).

 

You fly to Nadi and then catch a puddle jumper to the island of Kadavu. The resort will pick you up. Food is good and the diving great. Saw my first ever great hammerhead here and they throw in a free shark dive.

 

Cheers,

 

Paddy Ryan

Author of Fiji's Natural Heritage

 

 

 

 

Hey ya'll,

 

My wife and I are considering a trip to Fiji in the next few months. Liveaboards are a bit out of budget right now, so we're looking for a land based resort in Fiji that's photo friendly with shore diving available.

 

I've heard that Beqa Lagoon resort fits the bill, but are there others? How's the shore diving at Beqa Lagoon Resort?

 

Also, how would you get to any resort you might suggest? Fly into Nadi or Suva? Then what?

 

Grateful for any and all help!

 

Cheers,

Ken

I've heard that Beqa Lagoon resort fits the bill, but are there others? How's the shore diving at Beqa Lagoon Resort?

 

 

Ken,

We've stayed at Bega lagoon twice in the last 3 years and absolutely loved it. You go for the vis and the sealife, you'll come back talking about the amazing Fijian people. Very good food, well run operation. Go ahead and pop for the beachfront bure. well worth it. I've made something over 4000 dives around the world and three of my top ten were out of Beqa. There is beach diving on a nice reef for macro out in front or the resort but it's a pretty good swim out through the boat channel.(200 yds) If you ask nicely they'll let you off the boat on your way back in from the morning dives with a 3rd tank and you can dive your way in if your still up for it. It's not like any other place we've ever been. Beqa is an hour boat ride from the main island, four villages dot the shore around the island. You are really out there, away from it all. All the kids on the island go to the same school about 500 yds from the resort. Make sure to ask for a tour of the village and school.

If you and your wife are the adventurous types they have a small island where they will drop you off with lunch and you can go native for the afternoon. Two castaways on a deserted tropical island. It doesn't get any better. Beqa is the ancestral home of the "firewalkers" they will do a dance for you one afternoon.

Anyway you get the idea. One other pointer, they tie the hammocks to the coconut trees. Bad idea.

When the boat leaves to take you back to the world the whole Fijian staff sings you on your way and they leave a trail of flowers behind the boat so you can find your way back. Have fun you'll love Fiji.

Steve

We just got back from Fiji on Sunday. We stayed at Wananavu Beach Resort and dove with Kai Viti divers. Kai Viti offered three tank dives out to Vatu-i-Ra passage in addition to their normal two tank days. We did learn from the shop that you can make shore dives on the "house reef", just pick up the tanks from the shop.

 

The house reef is fair. The vis was beyond poor and the reef bottoms out at 30 feet. This makes a tank last for a good long time, and in the shallower sand patches, there was some pretty decent muck/macro life. All in all, it was good stuff, and I'd recommend Kai Viti as a pretty good land based dive option in Fiji.

 

Cheers,

Ken

Hi Ken,

 

Good to hear! I like Mike and the guys at Kai Viti.

 

Can't wait to see some pix!

 

James

Congratulations Ken!

 

Hope you enjoyed your honeymoon and like James, I'm really looking forward to the pics. We just booked our flights to Fiji last night for our honeymoon in Jan. We were thinking of organising a Wananaru/Kai Viti package too. Would love to have a bit of a chat to you. Do you have skype? I'll drop you a PM?