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Captain Cook Cruises Fiji | Blog
Fiji is a diving mecca. An underwater world that is unadulterated, beautifully intact and teeming with life. With over 1,200 species of fish to admire, and a colourful display of both soft and hard corals, divers are spoilt by the sheer diversity of sea life on offer.
The reefs have a complex ecosystem fed by nutrients that are carried by strong currents and trade winds from the Tongan Trench, making it more biologically diverse than the Great Barrier Reef. With these trade winds come countless pelagic visitors like sailfish, sharks and marlin, and the fish population is one of the most varied on the planet.
Fiji has a noticeable lack of development in comparison with other world-renowned dive spots. Combined with the backdrop of lush mountains and the non-jaded, friendly locals, this makes it a great spot for tourists to frequent.
There are 300 islands, many visited on the Reef Endeavour, that makes up Fiji with countless dive sites dotted throughout – so it’s a good idea to get your bearings before you leave and research the type of diving you want to do.
BEFORE YOU DIVE
There are many factors that add up to a great dive, most of which are not within you or your dive instructor’s control (fish don’t work to a timetable!). Yet there are things you can do to prepare to make your trip more comfortable.
Fiji has strong currents that dive operators know like the backs of their hands, however it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with the local conditions on any given dive day. The islands are also buffeted by trade winds and even though the water sits around 20-26 degrees in winter it can get a little chilly boating between sites. Even on a warm day you’ll feel the cold more after you’ve entered and exited the water so pack a jumper or warm clothing just in case.
Experienced divers should at least pack their own regulators and BCDs, along with wetsuits, skins and underwater cameras. Just double-check the maximum baggage allowances for the small planes that ship you between islands if you’re planning to island hop, as they’re quite strict.
WHERE TO DIVE
Divers should book in for a minimum of 3-4 dives, just in case the conditions are too choppy one day, or the manta rays are not coming out to play the next. This way you are guaranteed to get the most out of your diving holiday. The live-aboard cruises, such as Reef Endeavour, are another great way to make sure you see it all with minimum fuss. Captain Cook Cruises Fiji includes 1-3 dive sites a day as part of their itinerary.
Whichever site you choose, no matter the day, there will be underwater beauty to marvel, but here are some of the top picks:
TAVEUNI
The Zoo:This dive spot is a photographer’s dream. Populated by schools of barracuda, trevally and a variety of coral The Zoo is a pelagic heaven. Lucky divers may even spot a bronze whaler shark. The best time to do this dive is on an incoming tide, although the current strength means it’s one only for experienced divers. Jump on board the 4 Night Yasawa Cruise and discovering this dive spot will be only one of the incredible experiences included on the itinerary.
The Great White Wall: Rated as one of the best dive sites in the world, The Great White Wall is a 100m wall covered in the soft white coral Dendronepthya. You’ll also catch sight of a variety of pelagic fish. Depending on the strength of the current, this site may be suitable for all levels of divers. You’ll get to explore The Great White Wall and plenty of other dive sites around Taveuni on the Colonial Discovery Cruise.
NAMENA MARINE RESERVE IN VANUA LEVU
“Chimneys” – full day trip, 2 hours from the marina: Save 3 minutes of air for this one, this reserve is absolutely teeming with life. With a maximum depth of 20m it’s good for intermediate to advanced divers. Expect to see sharks or garden eels with two “bommies” (coral outcrops) to spiral around that are covered in brightly coloured soft corals. Veteran divers note this as one of their favourites.
“Grand Central Station” – full day trip, 1.75 hours from the marina: This is a drift dive with a maximum depth of 30m, great for the more advanced diver. Huge wrasse, tuna, barracuda and snapper pass through and it’s common to spot a scalloped hammerhead and many reef sharks. If you like pelagic fish, this is where they hang out!
LOMAIVITI ISLANDS
Here you’ll find gardens of yellow, white, red and purple corals alongside deep ocean cuts, pinnacles and bommies. The best sites to see are “Jim’s Alley” and “Nigali Passage” where you’ll spot sea snakes, large mantas, reef sharks, giant bumphead wrasse and schooling trevally. These reefs are rarely visited and are best explored from a live-aboard cruise. If you hop on board our Colonial Fiji Discover cruise you’ll get to experience the underwater beauty of the Lomaiviti Islands.
BEQA/PACIFIC HARBOUR
This is a picturesque 260 metre squared lagoon full of lace tunnels and caves. In amongst the bommies made up of bright pink, orange and red soft corals, at “Side Streets” you’ll spot huge sea fans, feather stars, lionfish, batfish and schooling jacks. Shark-feeding dives are a big attraction here.
There are a number of sites offering incredible moored, drift and wall diving that are suitable for all levels of experience. And no matter if this is your first or fiftieth time down in the deep blue, you are guaranteed to see something that will surprise you.
TAVEWA ISLAND
Tavewa Breakers: Located off the southern tip of Tavewa Island, this is a mini wall that drops about 22m. It’s a haven for hard coral and you’ll spot plenty of fish. There’s even been sightings of a hawksbill turtle in the area. As a dive spot, Tavewa Breakers is ideal for beginner divers yet still offers plenty for the more experienced. Our Yasawa Islands cruise makes a stop at this site, which is a favourite diving destination.
FIND THE RIGHT DIVING SPOT FOR YOU
Our cruises include dives in some of these incredible dive spots. What’s more, our scuba diving tours cater to both certified and beginner divers, so whatever your level of experience you can still discover the underwater beauty around Fiji. Check out our diving packages to find the perfect cruise with the spots that you would love to jump in to.
