Fiji Trip Report - Matangi Island

[The_Ghost]

The email came from Ally Heffernan their resident dive instructor, was he there when you went? I thought about posting the whole email response but it might be too long I should have asked about wrecks, but meh I'll just wait till im on the boat.

 

[Jennfh2]

We are planning our Honeymoon. We just got our Padi Certification and are IN LOVE with diving. We can't wait to dive again. Would you recommend this as a destination in Fji or would you point me to another part. We were hoping to find a wonderful resort that offered diving and other activities to keep us busy. We aren't the "sit and read a book" couple. We love adventure!

 

[ColoDale]

I am not clear on what you mean by other activities. However, the Taveuni area doesn't have large resorts that you find in the carribean where you can sign up for daily excursions to ruins, jungle tours, zip lines, etc. I don't believe you will find the pool activites like volleyball or other accompanied by thumping music. Most resorts I know of in that area (Matangi, Qamea, and Taveuni) are smaller and quieter.

If you mean outdoor, physical activities like hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, exploring the beach type of things then there is plenty of that. Tavenui probably has more hiking area and especially Bouma Natl Park with the multiple falls. Matangi is very small and has short trails. Qamea a bit bigger. I think in a day or two you could hike/walk all of Matangi - it's not big.

Matangi has no shopping, spa, but you can get massages on the beach (last I heard). Matangi is a pretty quiet place. They have offered day excursions to local villages and Bouma Park (Taveuni) if they have enough people. Snorkeling and kayaking are available. If you get bored with those things then you're left with reading a book or walking on the beach (which is not huge given the size of the island where the resort is located). If there are enough divers they may make a 3 tank dive in the Somosomo straights.

If you want constant entertainment and excitement then Matangi might not work for you. Qamea and Taveuni are similar. Great diving tho in the area.

 

[Ally Matangi]

Matangi Private Island Resort has been in operation for over 20 years and we have always offered night diving; sites are chosen according to daily tidal movement, current weather conditions & diver ability. We recommend interested scuba divers bring their flashlights etc.
@ edpdiver - our apologies, there may have been slight miscommunication with reference to your night diving question, English not being the primary language of Fiji

 

[Ally Matangi]

The email came from Ally Heffernan their resident dive instructor, was he there when you went? I thought about posting the whole email response but it might be too long I should have asked about wrecks, but meh I'll just wait till im on the boat.

Unfortunately our end of Fiji does not offer wreck diving; however the northern region of Fiji’s archipelagic waters is heralded as the “soft coral capital of the world”. Matangi Private Island Resort, the most centrally located of all the northern resorts is within a 20-mile radius to these exceptional dive sites including the famous Great White Wall at the Somosomo Strait and Noel’s Wall at Motui Levu.

 

[Ally Matangi]

We are planning our Honeymoon. We just got our Padi Certification and are IN LOVE with diving. We can't wait to dive again. Would you recommend this as a destination in Fji or would you point me to another part. We were hoping to find a wonderful resort that offered diving and other activities to keep us busy. We aren't the "sit and read a book" couple. We love adventure!

Congratulations on your certification!

Matangi Private Island Resort is located on a 240 acre privately owned island. This adults only Resort caters to a maximum of 12 couples. The only Fijian island to make ISLANDS Magazine’s “Best Private Islands List” & listed in the book “1000 Places To See Before You Die”, Matangi offers natural trails, private picnics, massage & spa treatments, cultural excursions, sailing, kayaking, snorkelling & diving pristine coral reefs.

 

[The_Ghost]

carefully diving with ally she misses her dive markers j/k you were great to dive with.

Here is the link to the photo album full of my dive pics. https://picasaweb.google.com/106698...?authkey=Gv1sRgCOGPsave0-P3IA&feat=directlink

I took some video... just need to get them synced up and uploaded.

Resort was great, and the diving was great. words can't describe the fun I had. night dive was great too.

 

[Strongdiver]

Many thanks for a great trip report, Hypersonic. I am traveling alone in July. Would you still recommend staying here? I have been diving around the world for 40 years and this will be my last chance to dive Fiji, as Continental is dropping the direct flight from Guam come September. The pictures make it look like a resort in Bali. Might be too fancy for me (although I am not a backpacker!). How much is the Taveuni flight?

 

[geoff w]

Anyone from here going to be at Matangi in late June? We leave for there in just over a week - it can't come soon enough

Has anyone who stayed at Matangi recently gone to Taveuni afterwards? We're trying to figure out logistics, such as whether the Grace Ferry still runs and if so, what is the schedule

 

[The_Ghost]

When we left the the sun was starting to come out so you should have great opertunity for snorkeling and diving. lucky

I didn't but I googled a bit and found this for ya



By Ferry

Three reliable shuttle boats operated by Nadi-based South Sea Cruises (tel. 675 0500; South Sea Cruises - Outstanding Day Cruises and Island Resort Connections) connect the Mamanuca and Yasawa islands to Denarau Island and Nadi. The Tiger IV and the Cougar make three runs daily through the Mamanucas, while the Yasawa Express goes to the Yasawas and back once a day.

Vehicle- and passenger-carrying ferries also run between the main islands. Their schedules can change abruptly depending on the weather and the condition of the ships, however, so I don't recommend them unless you have unlimited time. Call the operators below for the latest information.

Bligh Water Shipping Ltd. (tel. 331 8247 in Suva; 990 2032 in Lautoka; Bligh Water Shipping) operates the cleanest and most reliable ferries between Suva, Savusavu, and Taveuni, and between Lautoka and Savusavu. Its ferries are fully air-conditioned and have both economy and first-class cabins. One departs Suva for Savusavu and Taveuni thrice weekly. Adult economy fare for the 11-hour run to Savusavu starts at F$63 (US$41/£21). Another ferry runs between Lautoka and Savusavu via the north coast of Viti Levu, going in one direction one day, the opposite way the next. Adult economy fares are F$60 (US$39/£20).

Patterson Shipping Services (tel. 331 5644 in Suva; patterson@connect.com.fj) has bus-ferry connections from Natovi Wharf (north of Suva on eastern Viti Levu) to Buresala Landing on Ovalau and to Nabouwalu on Vanua Levu. You connect by bus from Suva to Natovi, from Buresala to Levuka, and from Nabouwalu to Labasa (local buses connect Labasa to Savusavu). The Suva-Levuka fare costs about F$30 (US$20/£10), while the Suva-Labasa fare is about F$60 (US$39/£20). Patterson's office is in Ste. 1-2, Epworth House, Nina Street in Suva.

Based at Taveuni, the small ferry Amazing Grace (tel. 888 0320 on Taveuni, 927 1372 in Savusavu) crosses the Somosomo Strait between Buca Bay on Vanua Levu and Waiyevo on Taveuni. The one-way fare is F$25 (US$16/£8), including a bus ride from Savusavu to Buca Bay.