FIJI in One Week

[Shasta_man]

I've been to Taveuni and the Mamanucca and Yasawa Islands north of Viti Levu.

First, forget the travel warning. They have to make an official warning. If you were going to do business in Suva, you might get disrupted but otherwise, you'll experience little to no effect. In Taveuni, you are out there. Way out there compared to city type civilization. A town is a collection of buildings. It is very laid back. Fijians in general are already way laid back so add on country distance and you're not worrying. When you land on the airstrip on the island, you walk past the little police post on the way out. They say Bula to get to know people coming in.

Second, if you're going to Taveuni, you want to be as close as possible to the Rainbow Reef in Somosomo Strait as that's basically what you are there for. Being close to that will reduce your travel times to the dive sites and you can also better judge inclement weather.

Third, if you have 12 days, definitely do NOT spend it all on Taveuni. Taveuni is a beautiful place but it's still a smaller island and compared to the value of your travel dollar and time, I suggest visiting at least one other place. I wouldn't spend more than a week there. Also, Taveuni is known as the Garden Isle. Portions of the island have that name because they get up to 30 feet, yes feet, of rain a year. Not everywhere but we had 6 days out of 9 with torrential horizontal rain. So you want to spend out the risk a bit.

Fourth, I might spend time at Beqa Lagoon, but my research said that diving was pretty poor otherwise, in the Pacific Harbor area with dead coral, and pretty low viz. I go to the tropics for glass viz. I would spend my remaining time in Bligh Waters.

YMMV

Above all, the people are fantastic. An experience not a vacation

 

[RockyHeap]

1st, Don't worry about the coup, in fact, the Commander of the military just yesterday handed back power to the President of the country. So it's winding down or over.

2nd. You'll miss out on the inner beauty of Fijis main island if you only stay on Taveuni. Nope, don't do that.

I've been to Fiji 3 times in 5 years. Both main land and Taveuni / Beqa islands.

Taveuni had great diving, whipping currents around the boomies so you had to hang out behind ledges or get swept away depending on the tide. Not too extreme, but still I felt like a kite in the wind hanging onto a reef hook and line during 15' safety stops.

Good Fiji idea and what we did on our first 2 trips, you fly into Nadi, and get transfere on Rosie Tours down the coral coast, spend a 4-5 nights at a main hotel while doing inner land jungle adventure like the Upper Navua River Rafting trip.

Beqa is a short 45 minute boat ride, compared to Taveuni which is an 1.5 hour inner island flight which makes for a whole day of travel.

On the mainland We've stayed at the Sheraton in Denaru, Hideaway Resort, Naviti, Warwick on the coral coast, Lagoon Resort in Pacific Harbor, and REALLY Love Kulu Bay out on Beqa island.

Do the main land for 5-7 days, then 5-7 days island time for better diving and more kicked back feel.

PM me for any more details. Fiji is a GREAT PLACE with the most friendliest people in the world.

I could hardly say the BEQA lagoon has dead and poor corals.........While I'll concur that after heavy rains it may be a bit siltier than open water, it's still a 9.5 out of 10 dive experience. I've got over 4000 photos to show otherwise and sure beats 85% of the otherworlds dive for sure even on a poor day.

 

[Stransky]

Hello & Happy New Year RockyHeap!

You mentioned you stayed 2 weeks...were these both at Maravu? Did you see ANY type of "coup action?" Here is the US Department of State page: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_3073.html

I am in a quandary! My husband and I want to travel to Fiji in March/April...we'll end up with 12 days in Fiji. It will be our first trip to that region. (All of our diving has been in the Caribbean.) I've been told that if you do Fiji, you definitely want to dive a couple of islands if you're there for a longer amount of time. So here are my choices...

Choice A - Two resorts on the northern side of Taveuni. - Keeps us away from the mainland, but I would think this limits our diving...probably doing the same sites with both resorts.

Choice B - One resort on Taveuni (7 nights), fly into Suva and stay between Suva and Pacific Harbor (5 nights), and then fly back out of Nadi.

Any thoughts you or someone else can offer would be appreciated!! We've worked some great prices and really want to make a go of it.

Jennifer

hi
i live in NZ and have been to Fiji quite a few times i can highly recommend staying here
http://www.wananavu.com/
if you end up here,try to get a bure on the beachfront there are about only 6 of them the rest are placed along the hill line all with views out over the ocean.
it is at the top of Viti levu the (main island) about 2 1/2 hours drive from Nadi
we have dived with Ra divers three times now,over two years,the diving in the Bligh sea is awesome,if you are looking for large schools of large fish species you wont see them here,BUT YOU WILL SEE EVERYTHING ELSE.
http://www.ra-divers.com/welcome.php

another operator that caters more so for the American market is
http://www.kaivitidivers.com/
i have not dived with kaiviti divers
both these operators dive the Bligh sea area
and both will pick you up and deliver you back to the resort.
Ra divers are alot of fun and the boat and divemaster are certified instructors local fijians so be prepared.lol
hope you find this of some help.

 

[JenTeach]

Well, I have offically booked our trip to Fiji...our first time to the South Pacific!!! We decided on Garden Island Resort & The Pearl...diving with Aqua-Trek.

Thanks to everyone for all your public & private messages...everything was very helpful and gave me a lot to think about.

We are headed out at the end of March. I will be sure to post a trip report when we return.

Thanks again and Fiji...here I come!!!

Jennifer