Diving the Great White Wall in Fiji

[seonmi]

I am looking to book a week in Taveuni, Fiji to dive the Rainbow Reef, especially the Great White Wall. I am thinking end of April/early May.

Paradise is already quite booked up. I also looked at Taveuni Dive Resort (whose rooms don't have a/c and it doesn't have a house reef like Paradise).

Taveuni Dive Resort website publishes 4 days in a month that they dive the Great White Wall. I understand it's mostly to avoid the full moon when current is strong.

Paradise seems to be more flexible since they gave me their date availability and indicated the best days for GWW during that week (don't know if they were just trying to get the dates booked).

In your experience, how do these dive resorts go out to the GWW? Is it as strict as Taveuni Dive Resort website indicates (only 4 days per month) or is it more flexible and we could actually dive it outside those 4 days (Paradise is only available outside those days in May).

If it's worth it to stick to the dates that Taveuni Dive Resort publishes, Paradise is out of the question for us. Then please can someone share your experience with Taveuni Dive Resort, and how it compares to Paradise if you have stayed at both.

Many thanks!

 

[jbjclj]

We stayed at Garden Island and dove the Great White Wall during a full moon. The current was SCREAMING !!!!

 

[Trailboss123]

Here is a link to my trip report for last May at Taveuni Dive Resort. There are limited days to dive the Great White Wall because of currrents and corals actually opening up to create the "white" wall affect. I loved the Taveuni Dive Resort and would not hesitate to go back. Lack of AC was really not an issue and I am someone who loves AC. The villa construction and the fans keep the villas very comfortable. I would not let the lack of a house reef put you off. The good diving is out on the reefs and TDR is much closer to those reefs than Paradise: Trip Report - Fiji- May 14-30, 2022

 

[JohnN]

Here is a link to my trip report for last May at Taveuni Dive Resort. There are limited days to dive the Great White Wall because of currrents and corals actually opening up to create the "white" wall affect. I loved the Taveuni Dive Resort and would not hesitate to go back. Lack of AC was really not an issue and I am someone who loves AC. The villa construction and the fans keep the villas very comfortable. I would not let the lack of a house reef put you off. The good diving is out on the reefs and TDR is much closer to those reefs than Paradise: Trip Report - Fiji- May 14-30, 2022

+1 on this. I'm near the end of a 13 day stay at TDR and this is a first class operation. A/C isn't an issue, right now the daily low air temp is 71oF with a high of 76oF. The two ceiling room fans keep everything very comfortable.

They break the group into as many as 3 boats (16 guests max for the resort) for diving. 20 minutes is a long boat ride for here

I schlep all my own gear, but the shop BC's appear to be new ScubaPro's and the wetsuits look to be in excellent condition.

I would absolutely come here again

 

[seonmi]

Great, thanks everyone for sharing your experience. We are getting in touch with TDR to book with them now. Can't wait!

 

[TostitoBandito]

Another recommendation for TDR. About to go back myself as a matter of fact.

Also, when I was there in 2022 we ended up randomly diving the white wall a second time as just one of our normal morning dives. The captain and divemaster saw the conditions were perfect and decided to go for it, and the current was even calmer than it was on their scheduled date. The funny part was they called it some other name in the pre-dive brief and then we get down there and are like "hey I recognize that swim through". Think they were trying to keep it on the down-low, lol. Anyways, timing is everything on that site.

 

[donhealy]

I just got back from Paradise. Cyclone Mal messed up only one day of diving! Great resort and the dive operation is equally up to the task. We dove the GWW twice and the purple wall once. The dive shop is very flexible on dates for the dive but you have to ask. One day we passed over head and there were actual whirlpools. Not conducive to diving!

I very much recommend the resort and their dive shop. Great White Wall and Rainbow reef is about 40 minutes away; depending on conditions.

 

[Joneill]

Here is a link to my trip report for last May at Taveuni Dive Resort. There are limited days to dive the Great White Wall because of currrents and corals actually opening up to create the "white" wall affect. I loved the Taveuni Dive Resort and would not hesitate to go back. Lack of AC was really not an issue and I am someone who loves AC. The villa construction and the fans keep the villas very comfortable. I would not let the lack of a house reef put you off. The good diving is out on the reefs and TDR is much closer to those reefs than Paradise: Trip Report - Fiji- May 14-30, 2022

I found Vuna Reef that is south of Paradise to be as good or better than Rainbow Reef - I believe that only Paradise dives that one due to distance from the Northern Resorts (Paradise also goes up to RR). I absolutely loved Paradise Taveuni and plan to return in 2024 or 2025.

At Volivoli, I also met some people who stayed at Nakia (they dive with Taveuni Ocean Sports) and at Taveuni Dive Resort and they loved both as well - so a few good choices on Taveuni!