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Straddling the International Dateline, Fiji is one of the most
exotic and beautiful countries in the world. A popular
honeymoon destination, the 300 islands that make up
Fiji total an area of some 18,000 square miles but are
spread across over a quarter of a million square miles
of the South Pacific; they consist of the larger islands
of Vanua Levu, Viti Levu, Taveuni and Kadavu and numerous
smaller archipelagos such as the Lau, Yasawa & Fulaga
Groups. The islands are the remains of long extinct
volcanos, the larger islands to the west being younger
and less eroded than those to the east and south east.
The more remote islands tend to be a mixture of atolls
or slowly sinking high islands with stunning turquoise
lagoons surrounded by coral reef systems of intricate
and delicate beauty. The islands of Moce, Fulaga and
Vanua Balavu must surely rival even Bora Bora for title
of having the most beautiful lagoon in the world!
Only about 100 of the Fijian islands are inhabited,
and once you get away form the more touristy areas you
will encounter a way of life that is as relaxed and
romantic as any that can be found! People go about their
daily lives in a way that is little changed form when
Europeans first encountered them in the 17th Century.
Fishing, copra production, carving & weaving and
of course brewing fierycava are all traditions
that have remained. Fortunately for us cannibalism is
a trait that has since died out!
Fiji has arguably the best soft coral diving in the
world. Strong currents sweep nutrient laden water through
the islands twice a day, the perfect medium for the
growth of Alcyonacea corals in very colour
of the rainbow - and a few more besides! Almost every
rock and hard coral is bedecked in pink, yellow, white,
red, purple and orange "cauliflowers". Don't
just stand back and admire the grand view! Hidden amongst
the delicate fronds can be found coral crabs, spider
crabs, tiny shells, and other hidden treasures. Such
dive sites as the Yellow Wall, Great White Wall and
Rainbow's End in the Somosomo Straits guaranteed Fiji's
place in the Soft Coral Hall of Fame many years ago.
Since then numerous more soft coral dives have been
discovered, and more will be found in the future, no
doubt. While Fiji is justifiably famous for it's soft
corals, its hard coral formations are of exquisite beauty;
great stepped formations of plate and staghorn corals
(covered in soft corals!) march from the surface down
to the depths. Infinite schools of colourful tropical
fish dart across their colourful domain - anthias, fairy
basslets, humbugs, moorish idols, pennantfish, numerous
species of butterflyfish busy from one place to the
next. Off the reef edge can be seen schools of jacks
and barracuda, turtles, mantas, sharks and other pelagics.
Fiji has it all!
It is an unstated but well known fact that when it
comes to diving Fiji is almost as untouched as somewhere
like Papua New Guinea. The popular resort areas are
located on the main island of Viti Levu and the Mamanuca
Islands. That's not to say the diving in these areas
is bad - far from it. It's just that Fiji is so vast
and spread over such a huge area that it is almost impossible
for a single person, let alone a live-aboard, to cover
all the bases!
We have expanded our portfolio of destinations within
Fiji to provide a varied range of options in respect
of both quality of accommodation and areas to dive.
None tread on the others' toes, as it were, so you can
be assured that a two or three centred holiday will
be perfectly balanced.
Firstly, we offer the fabulous 10-guest Fiji Aggressor
II, looking more like a luxury private yacht than
a live-aboard dive boat, diving the sites of Gau, Wakaya,
Namena, & Koro Islands to the east of Viti Levu
on 7 day charters. The Nai'a is another stunning
luxury live-aboard that dives the northern areas of
Lomaiviti, Bligh Water and Namena, famous for their
prolfici corals.
For lovers of hotel-based diving we also offer a choice
of properties throughout Fiji. On Taveuni, Maravu Plantation
Resort, from where you can dive the world-famous Rainbow
Reef of the Somosomo Straits, is surely one of the most
beautiful & romantic resorts in the world. At Rakiraki
on Viti Levu's northern Sun Coast we have the lovely
Wananavu Beach Resort, accessing the dive sites of Blight
waters. Off Viti Levu's Sourthern Coral Coast is Beqa
Lagoon and the lovely Beqa Island Resort, offering spectacular
reef diving in Beqa Lagoon. Just half an hour away on
the mainland at Pacific Harbour can be found the famous
dive site of Shark Reef, where bull sharks, tiger sharks
and a host of other large predatory fish which can be
enjoyed from the comfiort of the Pearl Resort. And for
those who are looking for a get-away-fron-it-all holiday,
British-run Matava Resort on remote Kadavu provides
access to the world famous Great Astrolabe Reef (and
lots of manta rays!) in a rustic and unspoilt atmospehere.
We would heartily recommend that you consider a combination
of live-aboard and one of the resorts or a two-resort
holiday to really get a flavour of what Fiji has to
offer! |
