bigbluedavid
New
Just got back from a fantastic week of diving at Voli Voli Beach Resort! I wanted to share our trip detail in hopes of helping others plan their own adventure.
Back in April 2024, my wife, a friend, and I decided to book our trip. After reading good reviews about Bluewater Travel and exploring their info-packed website, we chose to book through them. We also booked our flights with Fiji Airways separately. In June, Fiji Airways threw a curveball by canceling our flight and rebooking us for the day before. Katie from Bluewater Travel handled everything like a champ, managing the changes with Voli Voli and later arranging an advanced class for my wife and friend.
Our flight from San Francisco to Fiji was smooth, and the 30kg baggage allowance was a lifesaver. We landed a bit later than the scheduled 5 a.m. time. A chauffeur was waiting to whisk us away for a scenic 2.5-hour drive through many villages to the beach resort. The lobby was bustling with arrivals and departures, but the staff couldn’t have been more accommodating. We couldn’t get into our rooms right away due to our early arrival, but this gave our friend the perfect opportunity to dive into her nitrox class with Jah at Ra Divers while we splashed around in the swimming pool. After a delicious lunch, we finally got into our rooms, grabbed our gear, and headed to the dive shop. Despite hearing that the hotel reef wasn’t the best, we did a weight check in very bad visibility and were all set for a week of diving. The team took care of our BCDs, regulators, fins, and weights (on the boat), wetsuits and boots (at the dive shop), while the rest of our gear stayed with us in our bungalow.
Dinner that night was a delightful surprise! The food was fantastic, and the staff made us feel like old friends visiting from afar. Everyone knew our names and exemplified the true essence of Fijian hospitality. We had special items on the lunch (2-course meal) and dinner (3-course meal) menus every day. The Voli Voli reef dessert is quite something.
Our daily routine was: wake-up call at 6 a.m., breakfast at 6:30 a.m., and check-in at Ra Divers at 7:45 a.m. (7:30 a.m. on the first day). We usually set off for the dive sites a little after 8 a.m. The two-tank dive sites were close by (<20-minute boat ride), while the three-tank dive sites (Vatu I Ra Marine Park) were just over 30 minutes away (maybe it was further out but the good company of the other divers made it feel shorter).
Each day, the dives got better and better. The rain on the first day cleared, and by the last few days, we enjoyed visibility that seemed to stretch to 100 feet. The dives included nice swim-throughs, breathtaking walls, and passages between reefs. We often finished each dive at the top of the reef, teeming with smaller fish, until we hit the 60-minute max dive time. The dive masters and captain at Ra Divers were incredibly professional, always ready to help with gear or any questions. Snacks were provided between dives, and for the three-tank dives, we ordered lunch 24 hours in advance.
Voli Voli Beach Resort is located in a somewhat remote part of the main island, which adds to its charm. The surroundings are pristine and beautiful. After a two-tank dive, there wasn’t much else to do besides SUP or kayaking. We took a tour of the nearby town of Rakiraki with Soni, the resident tour guide, who also gave us a fascinating lecture on the history and culture of Fiji. On our last day, Soni drove us to the capital city of Suva. Despite the six-hour round trip, Soni’s engaging conversation made the journey feel much shorter.
Before the trip, I anticipated great diving and good accommodations, but we were blown away by the warm welcome of the entire staff at Voli Voli. We felt genuinely welcomed and extremely well taken care of. This personal touch made our experience truly special.
I hope this trip report inspires someone to visit Voli Voli in the future. We were thrilled with our choice for a Thanksgiving getaway.
Here’s a short video to illustrate the report:
Back in April 2024, my wife, a friend, and I decided to book our trip. After reading good reviews about Bluewater Travel and exploring their info-packed website, we chose to book through them. We also booked our flights with Fiji Airways separately. In June, Fiji Airways threw a curveball by canceling our flight and rebooking us for the day before. Katie from Bluewater Travel handled everything like a champ, managing the changes with Voli Voli and later arranging an advanced class for my wife and friend.
Our flight from San Francisco to Fiji was smooth, and the 30kg baggage allowance was a lifesaver. We landed a bit later than the scheduled 5 a.m. time. A chauffeur was waiting to whisk us away for a scenic 2.5-hour drive through many villages to the beach resort. The lobby was bustling with arrivals and departures, but the staff couldn’t have been more accommodating. We couldn’t get into our rooms right away due to our early arrival, but this gave our friend the perfect opportunity to dive into her nitrox class with Jah at Ra Divers while we splashed around in the swimming pool. After a delicious lunch, we finally got into our rooms, grabbed our gear, and headed to the dive shop. Despite hearing that the hotel reef wasn’t the best, we did a weight check in very bad visibility and were all set for a week of diving. The team took care of our BCDs, regulators, fins, and weights (on the boat), wetsuits and boots (at the dive shop), while the rest of our gear stayed with us in our bungalow.
Dinner that night was a delightful surprise! The food was fantastic, and the staff made us feel like old friends visiting from afar. Everyone knew our names and exemplified the true essence of Fijian hospitality. We had special items on the lunch (2-course meal) and dinner (3-course meal) menus every day. The Voli Voli reef dessert is quite something.
Our daily routine was: wake-up call at 6 a.m., breakfast at 6:30 a.m., and check-in at Ra Divers at 7:45 a.m. (7:30 a.m. on the first day). We usually set off for the dive sites a little after 8 a.m. The two-tank dive sites were close by (<20-minute boat ride), while the three-tank dive sites (Vatu I Ra Marine Park) were just over 30 minutes away (maybe it was further out but the good company of the other divers made it feel shorter).
Each day, the dives got better and better. The rain on the first day cleared, and by the last few days, we enjoyed visibility that seemed to stretch to 100 feet. The dives included nice swim-throughs, breathtaking walls, and passages between reefs. We often finished each dive at the top of the reef, teeming with smaller fish, until we hit the 60-minute max dive time. The dive masters and captain at Ra Divers were incredibly professional, always ready to help with gear or any questions. Snacks were provided between dives, and for the three-tank dives, we ordered lunch 24 hours in advance.
Voli Voli Beach Resort is located in a somewhat remote part of the main island, which adds to its charm. The surroundings are pristine and beautiful. After a two-tank dive, there wasn’t much else to do besides SUP or kayaking. We took a tour of the nearby town of Rakiraki with Soni, the resident tour guide, who also gave us a fascinating lecture on the history and culture of Fiji. On our last day, Soni drove us to the capital city of Suva. Despite the six-hour round trip, Soni’s engaging conversation made the journey feel much shorter.
Before the trip, I anticipated great diving and good accommodations, but we were blown away by the warm welcome of the entire staff at Voli Voli. We felt genuinely welcomed and extremely well taken care of. This personal touch made our experience truly special.
I hope this trip report inspires someone to visit Voli Voli in the future. We were thrilled with our choice for a Thanksgiving getaway.
Here’s a short video to illustrate the report:
