Fiji 2021

[LoriB]

Going to Fiji has always been a dream bucket-list item for me. Next year is a milestone birthday and I would really like to make this dream come true. I will be going from Canada and am currently looking at cost and logistics so that I can save and plan. I'll be diving (of course) and would like to do some whitewater rafting if the logistics work out.
I currently have my open water, advanced, nitrox and drift diving certificates. I've been around quite a few sharks (feeding and not) and poked around a couple of wrecks (didn't go in...not yet certified) so I'm not afraid to try new experiences. I was looking at some of the dive resorts on the PADI site but I am looking for advice from anyone who has been scuba diving there. Favorite places to stay? Why? Favorite dive operators? Which dive sites are a must? What to look out for...good and bad. Anything you can share is greatly appreciated. Cheers.

 

[wake4rick]

I really liked Taveuni island and diving the rainbow reef. This is a soft coral wonderland.I stayed at Nakia and it was heaven. The Fiji red drink is a must and I really liked the food choices that they offered. Robin is a great host and treats you like family. The dive op at Nakia was incredible and Bose is the master. Taveuni has the great waterfall adventure as well.

 

[scubajelly]

I dove with Julie for a week the first time I went to Fiji. Didn't stay at Nakia, but highly recommend Julie. She is great.

 

[JulieM]

We have been to Nakia numerous times and dived with Taveuni Ocean Sports owned by the daughter of the owners of Nakia. You will not find a better resort or operator anywhere. The food served at Nakia is home grown and delicious. It is small with only four bures so very personalized service. Read the reviews on TripAdvisor. They are spot on accurate.

 

[tarponchik]

We dived with Beqa (pronounced Benga) Lagoon Resort this last November. Diving was good, shark feeding and all. You can go on a regular dive every day or on a shark feeding dive (Mo, We, Fr only), your choice, but shark feeding dives are a bit more expensive because they have more staff underwater. Shark feeding includes Tigers, Bulls, Lemons, huge Grouper and large school of smaller fish. The boat rides were 45-55 min. We had our 3 mm's with us but had to rent 5 mm. Not as much because of the water which was 79-81 F but because of the weather. It was cloudy, windy and often rainy so we did not warm up between the dives. You can also dive from the shore at the resort but it is a shallow dive and visibility is not always good. But there's plenty of Tomato Anemonefish, Blue-Green Chromis and other cute little stuff like that. If you'd like to see pictures, I have some here.

We flew Fiji Airways from LA and liked them. At the airport, they picked us up and drove across the island to where the boat took us on a 50 min ride to Beqa. Note, that Vitu Levu is a big island; it is even bigger than the Big Island of Hawaii. So the ride from the airport to the boat takes 3 hrs. We did not stay at Fiji for long, only for 5 days of diving plus an extra day at Vitu Levu because Fiji was just our stop on the way to Australia.

 

[LoriB]

Thank you everyone for your feedback. I really appreciate all the information!

 

[Hoag]

I went to Fiji several years ago and did the Nai'a LOB. Although the trip was less than ideal, the boat was amazing, and I highly recommend it. Its dock was very convenient to the Nadi airport. If I was planning a return trip to Fiji, I would seriously look at doing it (again) on the Nai'a.
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Oh, by the way, connections were incredibly easy. Toronto - LAX - Nadi. I would imagine that you have non-stops from CYYC to LAX, so you could do: Calgary - LAX - Nadi.
FWIW, I flew Air Canada on the Toronto - LAX legs and Air New Zealand for the LAX/Nadi legs. Both Air Canada & Air New Zealand are (were) Aeroplan affiliated airlines, so you can rack up a ton of Aeroplan points on the trip. Air New Zealand was SO MUCH BETTER than any of the North American airlines.

 

[LoriB]

I went to Fiji several years ago and did the Nai'a LOB. Although the trip was less than ideal, the boat was amazing, and I highly recommend it. Its dock was very convenient to the Nadi airport. If I was planning a return trip to Fiji, I would seriously look at doing it (again) on the Nai'a.
_____________________________________________________________

Oh, by the way, connections were incredibly easy. Toronto - LAX - Nadi. I would imagine that you have non-stops from CYYC to LAX, so you could do: Calgary - LAX - Nadi.
FWIW, I flew Air Canada on the Toronto - LAX legs and Air New Zealand for the LAX/Nadi legs. Both Air Canada & Air New Zealand are (were) Aeroplan affiliated airlines, so you can rack up a ton of Aeroplan points on the trip. Air New Zealand was SO MUCH BETTER than any of the North American airlines.

Thank you! I'm considering a liveaboard as an option but also want to spend time on the island (beaches, hiking, whitewater). I think at the end of the day, time and money will set some parameters around what I am able to do.

 

[Joneill]

Going to Fiji has always been a dream bucket-list item for me. Next year is a milestone birthday and I would really like to make this dream come true. I will be going from Canada and am currently looking at cost and logistics so that I can save and plan. I'll be diving (of course) and would like to do some whitewater rafting if the logistics work out.
I currently have my open water, advanced, nitrox and drift diving certificates. I've been around quite a few sharks (feeding and not) and poked around a couple of wrecks (didn't go in...not yet certified) so I'm not afraid to try new experiences. I was looking at some of the dive resorts on the PADI site but I am looking for advice from anyone who has been scuba diving there. Favorite places to stay? Why? Favorite dive operators? Which dive sites are a must? What to look out for...good and bad. Anything you can share is greatly appreciated. Cheers.

I was ctuakly supposed to be in Fiji right now - "F_ck Covid". Now it's rescheduled for next August - will be staying at Paradise Taveuni for a week and then a few days at Voli Voli Beach Resort. Both places came highly recommended from friends who have dived Fiji.

 

[LoriB]

I was ctuakly supposed to be in Fiji right now - "F_ck Covid". Now it's rescheduled for next August - will be staying at Paradise Taveuni for a week and then a few days at Voli Voli Beach Resort. Both places came highly recommended from friends who have dived Fiji.

Thanks for the resort info; I'll look into both. I'm actually worried about Covid for next year as well as we are not eradicating this virus in many countries as efficiently as we should and I worry that it will continue to carry on and on...horribly impacting so many things including tourism. Even though I am growing dreadfully weary of the whole thing, I HAVE been complying with the rules (social distancing, wearing masks, limiting outings, being aware and being respectful towards those who may not fare well with contracting Covid etc.) but I DON'T want to spend my lifelong holiday dream doing all this! I wish you an amazing holiday next August and hope that I will follow this journey next September. Cheers.