Fiji/Volivoli/Ra Divers

[jbjclj]

We have been to Fiji 5 times and our first time to Volivoli (previous trips to Wananavu now closed). The resort was wonderful. We had a Premium Ocean view and it was beautiful. Full refrigerator. Food was excellent. The resort is on a hill, so lots of walking. The staff is amazing. Many old friends from Wananavu. Always smiling and calling you by name from Day 1.

The diving was somewhat disappointing from our previous visits. I don't know if it was time of year. Our previous visits were in April. We got out to Bligh about 8 times in 3 weeks. Visibility was not that great. Ra divers are great and very helpful. Exiting the boat, they took your BCD and fins before climbing the ladder.

We stopped in Tavua on the way in and picked up beer and soda.

 

[peeweediver]

Thanks for the report. Where you just there this August? I thought visibility in and around August was suppose to be great?
Rob

 

[Joneill]

Thanks for the report. Where you just there this August? I thought visibility in and around August was suppose to be great?
Rob

I was in Fiji from 8/5-8/20 (Taveuni from 8/5 to 8/15 and Volivoli from 8/15-8/20). Taveuni was awesome but winds kicked up starting around the 12th and were unrelenting (20-30 knots) for almost 9 days. That kept us off of Rainbow Reef for the last few days, but we still had good dive site options along coast and to the south at Vuna Reef.

Unfortunately, it never let up while I was at Volivoli so I never got out to the Bligh Waters and we had to stick to closer sites where the surface was still rough, viz was typically pretty bad and the currents were wicked a few times as well.

Of course, on the day I was leaving, the winds subsided and they got out to the Bligh and on return told me one site in particular (Mello Yello) was just outstanding - one of the best sites they had ever dived (and these were experienced, world travelers with thousands of dives).

So… I’ll have to return!

BTW - Ra Divers was great and made the best of a bad situation (I was told that this long a stretch of high winds was extremely unusual - just my bad luck)!

I liked Volivoli quite a bit as well, but you should check out Paradise Taveuni - it’s on a whole different level. A smaller, more boutique resort, with an absolutely stunning location, grounds, bures, and fantastic food and staff (resort and dive team)!

 

[peeweediver]

Thanks for the information. Our local dive shop is considering a trip in 2024 and is trying to figure out best month…never works perfectly.
Rob

 

[jbjclj]

I was in Fiji from 8/5-8/20 (Taveuni from 8/5 to 8/15 and Volivoli from 8/15-8/20). Taveuni was awesome but winds kicked up starting around the 12th and were unrelenting (20-30 knots) for almost 9 days. That kept us off of Rainbow Reef for the last few days, but we still had good dive site options along coast and to the south at Vuna Reef.

Unfortunately, it never let up while I was at Volivoli so I never got out to the Bligh Waters and we had to stick to closer sites where the surface was still rough, viz was typically pretty bad and the currents were wicked a few times as well.

Of course, on the day I was leaving, the winds subsided and they got out to the Bligh and on return told me one site in particular (Mello Yello) was just outstanding - one of the best sites they had ever dived (and these were experienced, world travelers with thousands of dives).

So… I’ll have to return!

BTW - Ra Divers was great and made the best of a bad situation (I was told that this long a stretch of high winds was extremely unusual - just my bad luck)!

I liked Volivoli quite a bit as well, but you should check out Paradise Taveuni - it’s on a whole different level. A smaller, more boutique resort, with an absolutely stunning location, grounds, bures, and fantastic food and staff (resort and dive team)!

We had to be there at the same time….8/6-8/29. We did Mello Yellow and it was spectacular

 

[Joneill]

We had to be there at the same time….8/6-8/29. We did Mello Yellow and it was spectacular

Seems that way - It's a small world!

I left on the 20th so just missed Mello Yellow which they got to that morning. I understand they got back out on the 21st and hit another really good site called Potluck. Hopefully, you got out that way more in that last week!

I will have to try it again, but maybe in April as locals told me that the shoulder season is less likely to be windy (though the length of the wind event we experienced was not at all normal/typical).

 

[Chocoholic]

Thank you for the info, I'm headed there in a few days and hopeful to do the Bligh Waters.

 

[Joneill]

Thank you for the info, I'm headed there in a few days and hopeful to do the Bligh Waters.

Good luck and enjoy - the pics from Bligh Waters sites that folks shared with me were spectacular!

 

[rmorgan]

Thank you for the info, I'm headed there in a few days and hopeful to do the Bligh Waters.

Chocoholic, how was the diving? We're headed to Volivoli and Nai'a on Wednesday--getting pumped. Any quick advice?

 

[tarzana]

Hola from Panama!
Has anyone been to dive with VoliVoli in April/May time frame?