Fiji Recommendations Please

[Luko]

Just my impressions from a 2 weeks Fiji trip last year in Feb. (you can read my report if you look through my posts on my profile page).

Kaiviti divers : very good impression, I mailed three weeks before coming that I wanted a Bligh waters dive, they arranged to go way out to G6 on my only day dive in the area. That was SPLENDID, one of the best dives I had. I would go diving them again anytime.
About Wananavu resort, very nice, though too expensive and too secluded from the outside, I would rather stay on Nananu I Ra island, downgrade the accoms and enjoy a decent beach.

Kadavu : dived with Viti watersports at Waisalima resort which enjoys a nice position on a tidal beach, very close to Matava (they used the same dive operation last year) but much less expensive. Lots of hard and soft purple coral, sharks, LOADS of fish behind the astrolabe reef and Naiqoro passage, but I missed Manta season...
Great fijian experience too, you may shed some tears when you are to leave the place.

Cheers
Luko

 

[hammerhead man]

We were in Fiji in 2007 and stayed at the Beqa Lagoon Resort and loved it. The diving was excellent, the resort was really good (the food was outstanding), and the staff called us by our first name after two days. If you click on my "photos" link in the left under my name you can see some of the pics I took. Here is a link to my review of the resort Beqa Lagoon Resort a Great Place to Stay - Review of Beqa Lagoon, Beqa Island, Fiji - TripAdvisor. You can read others as well.

We enjoyed it so much that we are returning in Jul of 2010.

Regards

 

[RikRaeder]

Thanks everyone for the information. It seems we'll be limited to seven days and five nights which means five dive days with no flying around in Fiji, so I guess our diving option is for Viti Levu or a measley three days elsewhere. Any input on diving Viti Levu? How are the sites around Nadi? Somewhere else to dive/stay? Any recommendations for ops or resorts? Any wave offs? Thanks again, oh wise ones!

 

[Wiggsy]

I've dived Fiji nearly 20 times now - Kadavu half a dozen times (Matava, Matana, Nagigia) as well as Wananavu, Naigani and Beqa Lagoon Resort. For my money, BLR is top value in every respect, with Naigani a slightly distant second (brilliant diving..ordinary resort). Have a look on Reviews of vacations, hotels, resorts, vacation and travel packages - TripAdvisor and you can believe what you read about BLR. It really is a top quality operation at about a 3 star price. The resort itself is a little pricey, but the diving is so much cheaper that you make up for that easily if you do 10 dives or so - and free shore diving also! I have my fourth trip going there this September and we've also booked for July 2010. Beqa is wonderful.

 

[hammerhead man]

RikReder, Beqa Lagoon Resort is a 45 min boat ride from Viti Levu and transportation from Viti Levu to the island is provided by BLR and is included in the cost of your reservation. You can dive the same locations that BLR will take you to from Viti Levu but the boat rides will be long.

Just my thoughts,

Bill

 

[Cavs42]

My wife and I spent 2 weeks at Octopus Resort on Waya Island in the Yasawa chain in Oct/Nov 07. This place was incredible. The dive center is right in the resort and the staff is great. We did our Open Water there, and it was the best way to get completely addicted to scuba i can imagine. We saw a bunch of rays, a turtle, a grey nurse shark, a rediculous ammount of fish I couldn't ever identify, and loved every minute.

The food at the resort is great, and there is enough variety that you likely won't get bored. the restaurant is set up in tables of 8-10, so it's a great way to meet other people at the resort because you'll likely be eating with different people every meal (unless of course you want to eat with the same bunch)

There is nothing but a small village about a 15 minute hike away over a ridgeline, so there is no overcrowding, and there is a good chance that you'll have a large chunk of beach all to yourself if you are so inclined. The accomodations vary from dormatory style for backpackers/island hoppers, to single bungalows (my recommendation, even though you share washroom facilities with the dorm. very clean at all times.) to traditional bures (nice, but higher chance of leaks/bugs with the thatched roofs) to Poppy's Lodge or a new accomodation building with A/C, tv, all that crap.

A great place to go if you want to relax and go diving. I can't wait to go back.

Trip advisor reviews: Octopus Resort (Waya Island, Fiji) - Resort Reviews - TripAdvisor

Mine is in there somewhere...