Hi, All
A Little Background. With Caribbean reefs in rapid decline, I’m switching up my dive travel destinations. Living on the West Coast of the USA in Portland, Oregon, it takes less travel time to get to Fiji than it does to get to the Caribbean islands, including Mexico. This year, I’m exploring my boundaries to the South Pacific, and this is the second segment of my adventures, at Volivoli Resort (VV) on the main island of Viti Levu in Fiji from April 2 to April 11, 2024. This is the second portion of a 50-day trip that included Fiji, an 18-night ocean cruise from Sydney to Honolulu, then diving on The Big Island, Hawaii. The first portion of this trip started on the island of Taveuni, Fiji. I stayed at Paradise Taveuni (PT), and I wrote a trip report on that experience. I’ll do some comparisons between the two resorts so you can get a feel for the differences. A lot of logistical details are in that report, so I won’t repeat it here. Here’s a link to that trip report. Trip Report - Paradise Taveuni-March/April 2024
I’m a single diver/traveler. My dive buddy can only take one trip a year, so I’m on my own for my trips. I like the comforts of modern life, so my absolute must have criteria for a dive trip accommodation is A/C, 24-hour power, and hot water. And based on my stay at PT, it now includes a clean bed, too.
Getting There. I flew from Taveuni airport to Nadi (pronounced Nahn-dee), roughly 1 ½ hours of flight time in a prop plane. Since this vacation had a cruise ship component, there was cruise ship attire that needed to be in my packed bags. I had the same amount of baggage from the start of the trip in Taveuni, and I still had that 33-pound limit with Fiji Link, so I had to redistribute everything, and paid for one extra bag at $35. Even after redistributing the dive gear, I still had too much, so I stuffed the pockets of my BCD with smaller and heavier items (bolt snaps, flashlight, spare parts, etc.) and used the protective cover that came with it, which has a handle, and took it as an "overcoat". They didn’t give it a second look once I said it was an overcoat. Fiji Airways/Fiji Link allows for a number of items that don’t count towards carryon weight. I also brought a garment bag and stuffed that with clothing. Here’s a partial list of allowable items that don’t count towards the carryon weight from their website:
"Subject to space availability, following items may be allowed in addition to carry on bag without charge:
*One small personal item such as a laptop/bag or purse or a handbag
*A pocket book or purse, which is appropriate to normal travel dress and is not being used as a container for the transportation of articles which would otherwise be regarded as baggage
*An overcoat, wrap or blanket
*An umbrella or walking stick (subject to security approval as these can be considered dangerous article in some member states)
*A small camera and/or a pair of binoculars
*A reasonable amount of reading matter for the flight
*114x60x11(185cm) Garment Bag
*A Duty Free Bag purchased at the airport prior to boarding"
As part of the dive and stay package, I had a private transfer from Nadi airport to Volivoli. With stops for groceries, water, snacks, it took about three hours. The driver was friendly and spoke English. It was a very enjoyable ride, albeit long.
Weather. It was just as hot and humid at VV as it was at PT. You’ll need the insect repellent, especially if you’re a mosquito magnet like me. It did not rain at all during my stay. At PT, it rained intermittently every day. The staff commented about having all the rain in the previous couple of months had really brought the island back to life with lots of green color to the landscape and that it hadn’t been this green for several years. The water temps were 82-84ⷪ F, with a couple of dives at 86ⷪ and 89ⷪ F.
Volivoli. The landscape at VV are beautiful and well manicured. There’s a mangrove forest down the hill as you walk to the dive shop. As opposed to PT that is all on flat ground, VV is on a multi-tiered hill, which provides for stunning views. The hills are quite steep, so if you’ve got issues with your knees or back, this is something to consider. The least expensive rooms are at the top of the hill. If you’ve been to Roatan when the restaurant was at the top of the hill, that’s the degree of angle of the steps.
There’s a brand new golf cart which had just arrived the week prior to my arrival, and you can get a ride anytime you want. I have a bad knee, so I took advantage of the golf cart quite often, and they were delighted to help me. I was not the only one who took advantage of the ride, especially at the end of your trip when your body is just plain tired. I think next time I’ll bring my collapsible trekking pole.
The attached picture was probably the best sunset I’ve ever seen. It has not been edited or enhanced and was taken with my cell phone.
All of the staff was welcoming and friendly. The Fijian hospitality is something I’ll always remember. The target demographic for VV is serious and well-traveled divers and dive clubs/groups, although, there were some less experienced divers on the boat with about 20 lifetime dives. The only two kids I saw were with non-diving parents, and they were at the resort for a vacation. PT is more targeted to snorkelers, families with kids, and less experienced divers.
Wi-Fi. High-speed wi-fi is available throughout the property even inside your room, as opposed to PT where it is 1 mbps only available in the restaurant. My package at VV came with free wi-fi for two devices, so I don’t know what the fee is if you purchase it on site. My T-Mobile service worked without wi-fi and it connected to the FJ Vodafone network.
Food. Coffee, tea, and water are free all day long. All other beverages, including sodas and alcohol are extra. As with PT, sodas and cocktails are expensive, although VV had very generous happy hours. The food at VV was so much better than PT. It was consistent in good quality and taste, and they have the best desserts I’ve had at a dive resort. The portions were quite sizeable too. As with PT, the service for breakfast could be a bit slower when all the divers are eating at once. When I was there, there were a couple of big dive groups, 8-10 people per table, so I quickly figured out it was best to get breakfast before they arrived.
At breakfast, complimentary juice and cut fruit is available, along with other continental style breakfast items, and you can order a hot breakfast off the menu if you wish. Lunch and dinner are ordered off the menu. On Meke night, there was a BBQ buffet on the beach. I was on the full-board plan, which was too much food. So, next time, I’ll do half board or breakfast only.
Snacks and Extras. It’s a good idea to bring your own comfort food, snacks, alcohol, sodas, water, etc. It can add up quickly during your stay if you buy these things from the resort and there's a limited selection.
Safe Water. As with PT, I wasn’t clear on the source of the drinking water, so I brought a LifeStraw water bottle. It’s safe to refill only at the restaurant. I was told by the staff that the water from the tap stations around the resort is not safe to drink. VV does not provide bottled water. Note that you cannot drink the tap water anywhere on the grounds except from the restaurant and bar. You can shower and brush your teeth safely with the tap water.
Meke Performance. This is a traditional Fijian dance performed by locals. At PT, there was one hula dancer dancing to recorded hip-hop music, not traditional Fijian music. At VV, it was a full production with lots of adults and children singing, playing drums, and dancing. It was such a stark difference from the PT experience. VV’s performers did a great job and they really seemed to enjoy it. Here's a short video.
Kava. I forgot to mention this in my PT report, but I did take part in the Kava ceremony at PT where they spoke about the history of the Fijian cannibalism in the past and other aspects of their history. We all sat in a circle and everyone got a cup of Kava. It tasted like dirt. It was pretty bad. I skipped the night of the Kava ceremony at VV since I had already done it.
To be continued...
A Little Background. With Caribbean reefs in rapid decline, I’m switching up my dive travel destinations. Living on the West Coast of the USA in Portland, Oregon, it takes less travel time to get to Fiji than it does to get to the Caribbean islands, including Mexico. This year, I’m exploring my boundaries to the South Pacific, and this is the second segment of my adventures, at Volivoli Resort (VV) on the main island of Viti Levu in Fiji from April 2 to April 11, 2024. This is the second portion of a 50-day trip that included Fiji, an 18-night ocean cruise from Sydney to Honolulu, then diving on The Big Island, Hawaii. The first portion of this trip started on the island of Taveuni, Fiji. I stayed at Paradise Taveuni (PT), and I wrote a trip report on that experience. I’ll do some comparisons between the two resorts so you can get a feel for the differences. A lot of logistical details are in that report, so I won’t repeat it here. Here’s a link to that trip report. Trip Report - Paradise Taveuni-March/April 2024
I’m a single diver/traveler. My dive buddy can only take one trip a year, so I’m on my own for my trips. I like the comforts of modern life, so my absolute must have criteria for a dive trip accommodation is A/C, 24-hour power, and hot water. And based on my stay at PT, it now includes a clean bed, too.
Getting There. I flew from Taveuni airport to Nadi (pronounced Nahn-dee), roughly 1 ½ hours of flight time in a prop plane. Since this vacation had a cruise ship component, there was cruise ship attire that needed to be in my packed bags. I had the same amount of baggage from the start of the trip in Taveuni, and I still had that 33-pound limit with Fiji Link, so I had to redistribute everything, and paid for one extra bag at $35. Even after redistributing the dive gear, I still had too much, so I stuffed the pockets of my BCD with smaller and heavier items (bolt snaps, flashlight, spare parts, etc.) and used the protective cover that came with it, which has a handle, and took it as an "overcoat". They didn’t give it a second look once I said it was an overcoat. Fiji Airways/Fiji Link allows for a number of items that don’t count towards carryon weight. I also brought a garment bag and stuffed that with clothing. Here’s a partial list of allowable items that don’t count towards the carryon weight from their website:
"Subject to space availability, following items may be allowed in addition to carry on bag without charge:
*One small personal item such as a laptop/bag or purse or a handbag
*A pocket book or purse, which is appropriate to normal travel dress and is not being used as a container for the transportation of articles which would otherwise be regarded as baggage
*An overcoat, wrap or blanket
*An umbrella or walking stick (subject to security approval as these can be considered dangerous article in some member states)
*A small camera and/or a pair of binoculars
*A reasonable amount of reading matter for the flight
*114x60x11(185cm) Garment Bag
*A Duty Free Bag purchased at the airport prior to boarding"
As part of the dive and stay package, I had a private transfer from Nadi airport to Volivoli. With stops for groceries, water, snacks, it took about three hours. The driver was friendly and spoke English. It was a very enjoyable ride, albeit long.
Weather. It was just as hot and humid at VV as it was at PT. You’ll need the insect repellent, especially if you’re a mosquito magnet like me. It did not rain at all during my stay. At PT, it rained intermittently every day. The staff commented about having all the rain in the previous couple of months had really brought the island back to life with lots of green color to the landscape and that it hadn’t been this green for several years. The water temps were 82-84ⷪ F, with a couple of dives at 86ⷪ and 89ⷪ F.
Volivoli. The landscape at VV are beautiful and well manicured. There’s a mangrove forest down the hill as you walk to the dive shop. As opposed to PT that is all on flat ground, VV is on a multi-tiered hill, which provides for stunning views. The hills are quite steep, so if you’ve got issues with your knees or back, this is something to consider. The least expensive rooms are at the top of the hill. If you’ve been to Roatan when the restaurant was at the top of the hill, that’s the degree of angle of the steps.
There’s a brand new golf cart which had just arrived the week prior to my arrival, and you can get a ride anytime you want. I have a bad knee, so I took advantage of the golf cart quite often, and they were delighted to help me. I was not the only one who took advantage of the ride, especially at the end of your trip when your body is just plain tired. I think next time I’ll bring my collapsible trekking pole.
The attached picture was probably the best sunset I’ve ever seen. It has not been edited or enhanced and was taken with my cell phone.
All of the staff was welcoming and friendly. The Fijian hospitality is something I’ll always remember. The target demographic for VV is serious and well-traveled divers and dive clubs/groups, although, there were some less experienced divers on the boat with about 20 lifetime dives. The only two kids I saw were with non-diving parents, and they were at the resort for a vacation. PT is more targeted to snorkelers, families with kids, and less experienced divers.
Wi-Fi. High-speed wi-fi is available throughout the property even inside your room, as opposed to PT where it is 1 mbps only available in the restaurant. My package at VV came with free wi-fi for two devices, so I don’t know what the fee is if you purchase it on site. My T-Mobile service worked without wi-fi and it connected to the FJ Vodafone network.
Food. Coffee, tea, and water are free all day long. All other beverages, including sodas and alcohol are extra. As with PT, sodas and cocktails are expensive, although VV had very generous happy hours. The food at VV was so much better than PT. It was consistent in good quality and taste, and they have the best desserts I’ve had at a dive resort. The portions were quite sizeable too. As with PT, the service for breakfast could be a bit slower when all the divers are eating at once. When I was there, there were a couple of big dive groups, 8-10 people per table, so I quickly figured out it was best to get breakfast before they arrived.
At breakfast, complimentary juice and cut fruit is available, along with other continental style breakfast items, and you can order a hot breakfast off the menu if you wish. Lunch and dinner are ordered off the menu. On Meke night, there was a BBQ buffet on the beach. I was on the full-board plan, which was too much food. So, next time, I’ll do half board or breakfast only.
Snacks and Extras. It’s a good idea to bring your own comfort food, snacks, alcohol, sodas, water, etc. It can add up quickly during your stay if you buy these things from the resort and there's a limited selection.
Safe Water. As with PT, I wasn’t clear on the source of the drinking water, so I brought a LifeStraw water bottle. It’s safe to refill only at the restaurant. I was told by the staff that the water from the tap stations around the resort is not safe to drink. VV does not provide bottled water. Note that you cannot drink the tap water anywhere on the grounds except from the restaurant and bar. You can shower and brush your teeth safely with the tap water.
Meke Performance. This is a traditional Fijian dance performed by locals. At PT, there was one hula dancer dancing to recorded hip-hop music, not traditional Fijian music. At VV, it was a full production with lots of adults and children singing, playing drums, and dancing. It was such a stark difference from the PT experience. VV’s performers did a great job and they really seemed to enjoy it. Here's a short video.
Kava. I forgot to mention this in my PT report, but I did take part in the Kava ceremony at PT where they spoke about the history of the Fijian cannibalism in the past and other aspects of their history. We all sat in a circle and everyone got a cup of Kava. It tasted like dirt. It was pretty bad. I skipped the night of the Kava ceremony at VV since I had already done it.
To be continued...
