Fiji - Where to finish checkout dives / cert?

[kennels]

Can you recommend a good Fiji dive shop that would be helpful with finishing the last two dives needed for Naui certificaiton? I have done the classroom work, and the first three checkout dives near home. I am supposed to have a dive instructor take me on two more dives to get my cert; they don't have to test my scuba skills, just dive, and sign my logbook.

I am looking for a well-equiped dive outfilt (good rental equip, XS sizes too, decent boat too) in one of the following locations... I'd like a reasonably tame dive to start out with, so nothing too deep, no drift/surge... and shark feeding is not required.

Just want a place to get the certificaiton under my belt.

Fiji locations in mind (late July)
1. Savusavu
2. Taveuni (near airport preferred, but also open to Garden Is Resort)
3. Around Nadi Airport
4. Beqa Lagoon (Pacific Harbor, or Korolevu)
5. Kadavu island
6. Yasawas

I would include Mamanuca Islands, however the accomodation cost appears too high.
Thanks!

 

[AlanWald]

Can you recommend a good Fiji dive shop that would be helpful with finishing the last two dives needed for Naui certificaiton?.
!

How long do you intend to say in Fiji & how much diving would you like to do after you are certified? This would be in a factor as to where you would go. For example No sense flying to Taveuni just to get certified then leaving.

There are several dive ops within a short drive or boat ride from Nadi International Airport.
For example Subsurface
http://www.fijidiving.com/

operates from Beachcomber Island (inexpensive dorm accomodation / buffet food package with a good band oriented towards twenty-somethings if that is what you want) as well as adjacent more expensive islands minutes away. I know they are a PADI 5 IDC Instructor Development Centre.

If you plan to certify one place and fly to antother to dive, you may lose one day of diving because of the flight.

I would suggest asking them about the NAUI certification. They may have a NAUI instructor on staff or can refer you to one. info@subsurfacefiji.com

There are shallow areas right between the cluster of islands where they can take you.

When I dove with them, Subsurface was run my a New Zealander who is a longtime Fijian resident and has even taken Fijian Citizenship. His name is Tony. It is a well run operation.

 

[AlanWald]

Since you are probably flying from LAX on either Air Pacific (code shares with American Airlines and Qantas) or Air New Zealand (code shares with United Airlines and is a member of the Star Alliance) make sure that you belong to the approriate frequenty flyer airline club BEFORE your flight. I didn't realize I could get Air Pacific miles on American until after the flight was over. Too late. Lost almost 11,000 miles.

There were also those on my flight who for the same price that I paid from LAX got their connecting flight to LAX from San Francisco on American Airlines included.