Tropical Dive Times - July 2009. Fiji Special Edition

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Diving in Fiji

Fiji is often referred to as the “Soft Coral Capital of the World”, and is deservedly rated as one of the top 10 dive destinations in the world. And all this is only 3 hours away from Auckland!

Fiji’s reefs are exceptional, offering divers drama and diversity, brilliant lavish underwater panoramas, deep water rich with food and hiding places for the mysterious and shy.

It is a vast, varied and colourful underwater playground that boasts something spectacular for divers of every skill level… breathtaking hard and soft corals, wall dives, caves, grottos and shipwrecks, one of the best shark feed dives in the World, and all in 26-30º water with 20 – 30m vis.

Recent Devaluation makes fiji even cheaper

Fiji has recently devalued their $$$ by 20%, making it better value than ever.

Book now to take advantage of this cheap destination.

In This Issue

Fiji Special Edition
Dive Holiday Tips
Dive Fiji Hotline
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Fiji Special Edition

Here are some of best Fiji dive destinations:

Rakiraki

Red soft coral The Vatu-I-Ra Passage and deep waters of Bligh Sound on the Northern tip of Fiji’s mainland offer some of the best displays of magnificent multi-hued soft corals, hard corals and huge gorgonians in Fiji.

You’ll also find a maze of tunnels, swim-throughs and canyons through the reefs, which makes for exciting diving. Strong currents surge through the Vatu-I-Ra passage bringing rich nutrients and prolific fish life such a reef fish, schools of trigger fish, trevally, reef sharks, lion fish and some big pelagic fish to get you excited.

There are two great dive resorts here, serviced by 1 great dive operator. Ra Divers have been diving these waters for many years, have great dive boats, a great safety record and a huge wealth of local diving experience. More on Rakiraki »

Accommodations at Rakiraki

Wananavu Beach Resort

Wananavu Beach Resort has 31 comfortable deluxe bures (bungalows). There are two bedroom deluxe self-contained villas, two bedroom deluxe bures, 2 bedroom beachfront bures plus a Honeymoon Bure right on the beach. All have balconies and either fabulous garden or ocean views. All rooms are air conditioned, have ceiling fans, refrigerators plus tea & coffee making facilities.

Set among tropical gardens outside the restaurant is the Resort’s magnificent swimming pool, with its own delightful waterfall. Nearby are two tidal beaches embraced by vibrant tropical vegetation. More on Wananavu »

Special Divetimes Package at Wananavu Beach Resort

7 nights twinshare Gardenview Bure
Transfers to / from Nadi Airport
6 Dive Package

Price: NZ$ 1185.00pp
To book or more information contact:

Dive Fish Snow Travel
Email: divetravel@divefishsnow.co.nz
Ph: +64-9-4792210 or Toll Free NZ: 0508 348 334

Volivoli Beach Resort

Clean comfortable budget – moderate accommodation
Self catering options
Great place to learn to dive

Volivoli Beach Resort features comfortable divers’ dormitory style accommodation, plustwin/double Lodge rooms with ensuite bathrooms and brand new studio vales, which have just opened this May. They have a café style restaurant + snack bar, two bars and kitchen facilities for those who prefer a self catering option.

Volivoli Beach is a perfect place to learn to dive, as beginners can explore the shallow waters right off a natural sand-spit that stretches 80m out to sea. More on Volivoli Beach Resort»

Special Divetimes Package at Volivoli Beach Resort

7 nights twin share Lodge Room
Transfers to / from Nadi Airport
6 Dive Package

Price: NZ$760.00pp
To book or more information contact:

Dive Fish Snow Travel
Email: divetravel@divefishsnow.co.nz
Ph: +64-9-4792210 or Toll Free NZ: 0508 348 334

Kadavu Island

The Great Astrolabe Reef
The manta ray dive is sure to be the highlight
Matava Resort – Recognised as a great eco resort

A 1 hour scenic flight from Nadi gets you to Kadavu Island, home of The Great Astrolabe Reef. This fringing reef extends along the entire southern side of Kadavu, stretches for over 120km, and is rated as one of Fiji's premier diving locations. Here you’ll find virgin reefs crowded with purple and pink soft corals, great vis of 25+ metres, a huge variety of fish life and great pelagics, plus an equally diverse range of both hard and soft corals. The area abounds in fish life including schools of sharks, wrasse and barracuda. At one spot regular visitors are giant manta rays, some with spans of up to 4-5 metres. This is one of the few dive sites in the South Pacific where you are almost guaranteed to dive with mantas.

The dives are all boat dives and you will usually do 2 dives each day with a surface interval back at the Resort or on a local sandy beach. The boats are custom built dive boats, staffed by experienced qualified dive instructors with years of experience. . More on Kadavu Island »

Accommodation at Kadavu Island

Matava Resort

Matava is an Eco resort for those looking for a natural Fijian experience without any glitz or glamour. The Resort can accommodate up to 24 guests in twin, double, triple or quad bures.

The traditional thatched Fijian ‘bures’ with timber polished floors, louvre windows, timber four poster beds and private decks are nestled in the rainforest to offer privacy, comfort and superb ocean views.

Most bures contain private bathroom facilities and showers, while there are shared facilities for three bures as well as the dormitory bure.

The restaurant at Matava is at the centre of the resort. Dine al fresco under the swaying palm trees where the cuisine is as much of a feature as the lovely sea views.

Matava is also a great fishing spot and they operate a fully rigged fishing boat. More on Matava Resort »

Special Divetimes Package at Matava Resort

7 nights twinshare Oceanview Bure
All Meals
Domestic Airfares from Nadi to Kadavu
Transfers to / from Kadavu Airport
6 Dive Package

Price: NZ$ 1875.00pp
To book or more information contact:

Dive Fish Snow Travel
Email: divetravel@divefishsnow.co.nz
Ph: +64-9-4792210 or Toll Free NZ: 0508 348 334

Beqa Lagoon

shark Beqa Lagoon is situated on Fiji’s mainland at Pacific Harbour, 45 minutes from Suva, or 2 hours from Nadi via the Coral Coast.

Best shark feed dives in Fiji, arguably in the World
World famous diving in the largest lagoon in the South Pacific.
Great place for families with plenty of non diving activities.

Beqa Lagoon is renowned for it’s colourful coral reef system which abounds with myriad tropical fish, features spectacular multi-hued soft coral displays and provides a home to unique and sometimes bizzare tropical marine life. The diving is spectacular with soft corals, swim throughs, beautiful coral heads and prolific fish life. There’s even a little ship wreck to add some variety. And if you’re looking for some adrenalin thrills, the shark encounter dives are a must! Here you can see 7 to 8 species of shark during one dive, and there are usually over 15 Bull Sharks! Sharks such as Silver tip, Nurse, Lemon, Tiger, Grey reef and the famous Bull shark regularly cruise this area.

The main dive boat is a 35’ catamaran with twin 150hp motors and a cruising speed of 25 –30 knots. The second dive boat is usually used for patrolling and researching the Shark Reef Marine Reserve and for diving the “Big Fish Encounter”.

Pacific Harbour is known as “The Adventure Capital of Fiji” and for non-divers there are a host of activities available close by. Pacific Harbour has a long, safe swimming beach, and you can go horseback riding, coral viewing, take a picnic cruise to an island, play golf, go reef fishing, deep-sea fishing or jet-ski tours around Beqa Island. There is white water rafting available close by, and the Cultural Centre is within walking distance. More on Beqa Lagoon»

Accommodation at Beqa Lagoon

The Pearl South Pacific Resort

The Pearl South Pacific resort is a boutique holiday resort offering excellent cuisine, a beautiful beach and a truly relaxing environment, set on one of Fiji's longest beaches and surrounded by lush tropical gardens.

Gardenview room Relax by the swimming pool, enjoy a range of treatments at the Day Spa, or indulge in the fabulous cuisine and cocktails on offer at one of the 4 restaurants and 6 bars.

A large range of activities are on offer including a fully equipped gymnasium, an 18 hole championship golf course, white water rafting, game fishing, banana boat rides, zip-lining, jet ski safaris, snorkelling trips and surfing.

The Pearl South Pacific offers three levels of accommodation – Garden View Rooms, Ocean View Rooms and Penthouse suites. All rooms feature 1 Queen and 1 Day Bed or 2 Double Beds, Air-conditioning , Balcony or Terrace, Refrigerator, Satellite TV, Tea / Coffee making facilities and internet access . More on The Pearl»

Special Divetimes Package at The Pearl

7 nights twinshare Gardenview Room
Transfers to / from Nadi
6 Dive Package

Price: NZ$ 1575.00pp
To book or more information contact:

Dive Fish Snow Travel
Email: divetravel@divefishsnow.co.nz
Ph: +64-9-4792210 or Toll Free NZ: 0508 348 334

Taveuni

Rainbow Reef
Blue Ribbon eels
Technicolour coral gardens

Taveuni Island, a 1 hour flight from Nadi, is often called "Garden Island", referring to both the landscape above water, as well as the underwater coral gardens

Taveuni’s 30km long Rainbow Reef is home to one of the world’s greatest displays of soft coral. Fed by the nutrient-rich waters that flow through the Somosomo Strait, sea life and gardens of soft corals are everywhere in technicolour profusion - hence the name.

Much of the diving here is wall diving the edges of the numerous reefs and bommies through the Somosomo Straits. There are cracks and crevasses in the reefs to explore, a vertical swimthrough, ledges and underwater escarpments, all covered in a profusion of colourful corals.

It’s also a delight for fish lovers, with great pelagics such as sharks, barracuda, manta rays and tuna patrolling the open water of the Straits, while a myriad of smaller tropical varieties school around the coral heads.