Week in Fiji Nov 2009

[cathm]

I´m backpacking at the moment and will be heading to Fiji for a week next month. I´m planning to spend most of the week diving, and would like to do the Beqa shark dive if possible. My budget is around 1000 pounds or US$1500 for the week, though cheaper would be better.

Is it too much to visit two islands/ areas in a week? I fly in early Saturday morning, and was thinking of getting a flight to somewhere like Taveuni (sorry if wrong spelling) for a few days, flying to Suva then diving around Beqa. The alternative is to stay in one place, or at least one island, for the whole week. I´ve seen some week-long packages on the Beqa Adventure Divers website that would fit my budget, does anyone have any experience of these? The resorts are the Lagoon resort, the Pearl South Pacific and Uprising Beach Resort.

Thanks

 

[OnTheSpot]

Hi Cathm,
If sharks are your thing, don't miss diving with Beqa Adventure Divers - Uprising is a cool resort - the only thing is you cant do shark dives everyday - you may only get a few days of shark diving during a weeks stay but they offer great value.
I would definatley try and get to either Taveuni or Kadavu for some fantastic diving. Airfares are on special at the moment - Pacific Sun
Most of the resorts offer all inclusive packages with meals, diving and accomodation plus lots of extra activites - the islands should not be missed.
Wishing you all the best in your adventures.

 

[Papa_Bear]

Try Beqa Lagoon Resort! You can hike the island, Dive everyday, do the shark dive, great meals, fantastic Bures, and the best people anywhere! You will only spend 2/3rds of your money and they will pick up at the air port! BLR is a great place to spend a week and the island is the 14th largest with waterfalls, foot trails, and friendly villages!

Click on my web site below and go to travel section and we have up three years of pictures and video including the shark dive.

 

[Pinepig]

Just spent a week at Bega and I'm currently at Volivoli which has just done a bunch of upgrades just before we got here The new Vales ( individual bungalow type things ) are great, the diving is lightyears better than what we had at Bega. I'm sitting at the table with the owners son Nick at this very moment, drop him a note at the Email below and he'll work with you on what you need. The boats are quick the dive crews are fantastic ( Ra divers ). They have dorm accommodations to help keep your expenses down. These folks bend over backwards to make you happy.


Steve@volivoli.com is the email you want to use.

I'll do a dive trip report after I get home ( on the 31st ).

 

[Shasta_man]

What were the problems at Beqa?

 

[Papa_Bear]

I smell an axe to grind! Nothing as far as I know it was the number one dive resort in the world in 2001 and it is way better now than it was then! The diving is different all over the Fijian Islands and depending on what you want to do? The only Beqa Shark dive is in Beqa Lagoon at Pacific harbor! Joeli is one of the founders of the dive and works at BLR! Hard to go wrong!

 

[Papa_Bear]

This one of only two place in the world you get this and this maybe the best!

 

[Pinepig]

What were the problems at Beqa?

I've got no axe to grind, they were fantastic in hospitality, the vis we had while there was a bit poor ( about 60 max the whole week ) compared to what we have now up north ( been at least 100 every day ). We did find the crew for our boat and Bega were a bit shy of going to the sites out a bit farther, we ended up at carpet cove three times in five days, nice site but I'm thinking the fact it was one of the closest to the resort may have had something to do with it. The other boat with some of our folks were going to the outer reefs with better vis and less current on the same day. after a talk to the manager ( Mark, good guy ) we got to the outer reef and it was a lot better. If you fly half way around the world repeating a site 3 times in one week is a bit of a fail in my book. No doubles with Ra and if the best sites for tide and vis are 1 1/2 hours out, that's where they go.

If I have to compare from what I'm experiencing right now and not from some survey I'd come north.

 

[Wiggsy]

Fair enough then. I've dived both areas and think they are comparable, though I do fondly remember the soft corals off Wananavu. Abd the fact that you're further north in Fiji is a good point during a July dive trip when Beqa can be a little cool. How much has Volivoli upgraded? How many people could it accomodate? I regularly take groups of 30 plus and this has piqued my interest.

 

[Pinepig]

Fair enough then. I've dived both areas and think they are comparable, though I do fondly remember the soft corals off Wananavu. Abd the fact that you're further north in Fiji is a good point during a July dive trip when Beqa can be a little cool. How much has Volivoli upgraded? How many people could it accomodate? I regularly take groups of 30 plus and this has piqued my interest.

I'll getg back to you on the # of new Vales, I'm not sure and I'd hate to give wrong info. We have 24 with us at this point and have taken all the individual units and have 2 in the dorms. The new bar area is nice with a good sized pool right in front with some construction going on for another lounge/bar area adjacent.


Ra just received a new boat 5 months ago that holds at least 16 divers with a marine head, all aluminum construction and will do 23 knots. It'll get you out to the sites nice and quick.