Fiji - Only two dives a day everywhere?

[JeffMandell]

I'm taking my 16 year old son to Fiji for a week of diving in on Taveuni in Fiji in April. We're both excited. I've already got our plane tickets, but it looks like almost all the best hotels are set up for a two tank morning dive only and maybe they'll do an afternoon dive once in a while, but otherwise, they're expecting everyone to be done with diving for the day after the two tank morning. I guess everyone is on their honeymoon, but this doesn't exactly describe my son and me. I need more diving options.
I'm juggling some non-binding reservations at the Matangi and I've also looked at a couple of others. The Maravu has a diveop called Swiss Fiji Divers that seems to run afternoon dives, but there are only a couple of reports about the resort on the Board and they're kinda luke warm.
Does anyone have a suggestion for a really nice hotel (this is a celebration week) that I can use to make it a real diving trip, with good dive op? My only requirement is that the diveop be on the hotel grounds. Thanks.

 

[alcina]

Sounds like a great trip!

Burbunny might be able to help you out with some information, but she's sleeping right now...I'll ask her to check in here if she doesn't beat me to it!

 

[Shasta_man]

We dove with Swiss Fiji divers in 04.

They are not a hotel themselves, but used by hotels nearby.

Dive guides were very nice ( normal Fijians as you'll find out) and skilled. We had a bad experience with their dive boat in that the large speedboats with windsheilds and were covered with tanks down the side. Being covered and windscreened meant that the outboard exhaust would be pulled back into the boat gassing you on the way to the site. Unless you were tall enough to sit and stick your head out over the tanks, you couldn't escape it. It trashed my wife twice. The only alternative is standing in the back with the dive guides who know the problem only too well.

These guys catered to Europeans. If they're friendly then all is well, otherwise, you're talking to yourself. Or you could get the LA guy talking about his SUV like we did. All the way to paradise, only to listen to the idiots we left behind. As for the owners, generally amenable, but attitude could be a problem if they decided to make it so. THis was our experience even though we were doing everything Fiji-style, which means laid back. carefree.

Note that there isn't much to do on Taveuni otherwise. We had torrential rain for 6 out of 9 days. Which made any hiking out of the question due to the heavy streams. But it's supposed to rain there that way. I'd love to go back for the soft corals but I would make it a 4 day stay to limit my loss. On the day we left, it was beautiful and Somosomo strait was like a lake.

 

[Code Monkey]

Probably not an option but Beqa Lagoon Resort has unlimited shore diving in addition to their 2 dives a day. I think they also had some optional night diving but I don't really remember.

 

[baitballer]

Hi, Garden island resort is a nice place to stay with great food and they have their own dive operation which was very good when I was there a few years ago. The diving in the area is very good and the great thing about Garden islands location is the furthest boat ride away i.e. the great white wall is only about 20 min's or so. This was great for us since my wife gets seasick walking round a marina! Where ever you got in Fiji you should have a great time. If you do get to Beqa do the shark dive is it fantastic!

 

[JeffMandell]

There are quite a few reviews of GIR on the Board, but I understand it's a converted motel, and for this particular trip, I'd like to do something nicer than that.
I'd love to find someplace with good shore diving to supplement the boat dives (or at least afternoon dives to break up the day).
I didn't pick Beqa because its concentation of sharks will make my son too edgy all week. I'm not committed to any island, just to Fiji.

 

[BurBunny]

Sorry, on this one don't have help at this time - haven't had this question before for Fiji, so haven't really researched it! Those I know who have wanted maximum diving have gone on liveaboards. Have you considered that option? Something like the Nai'a?

::: edit ::: Almost forgot about the Cousteau resort. Can be a budget buster, but I know they do full-day dive trips from the resort.

 

[JeffMandell]

Bur,
Alex (my son) got certified on a 3 week liveaboard in the Carribean last summer and says he wants to live on land this time. Cousteau is sold out, unfortunately. So I"m still looking. I just don't want to be looking at nothing to do every day after lunch for a week.

 

[BurBunny]

Jeff, you might want to ask Cousteau who they would recommend instead. When there's one resort who offers what you want, generally they know the others with similar setups.

 

[skynscuba]

I didn't pick Beqa because its concentation of sharks will make my son too edgy all week.

Does Beqa have that reputation? Other than the "shark feeding dive," which is an optional dive that my girlfriend skipped, I only saw one smallish reef shark during the 20 dives I made there. The shore diving is okay, but not great. It is easy, and maybe 30 feet maximum depth. I think I made 7 shore dives at the resort that week, 3 of those at night. I made two other night dives from the boat.