A visit to Fiji isn’t complete until you’ve seen it underwater. Often called the soft coral capital of the world, the Fiji islands offer stunning dive sites full of sharks, turtles and dolphins. Warm water, ranging from 72 to 79 degrees, and visibility that extends to 150 feet, make the Fiji islands an ideal destination for a diving trip.
Here are some top spots to see Fiji down under:
Bligh Water
Named after Captain Bligh, this stretch of sea separates the two main islands, Vanua Levu and Viti Levu. A strong current in the narrow channel provides plenty of nutrients, which means divers are bound to see a lot of marine life here. However, because of the strong current, this dive is best left to experienced aquanauts.
Taveuni
Often referred to as “Garden Island” because of its rich flora on land, the underwater coral gardens are just as impressive. This is especially true in the Somosomo Strait, the stretch of water between the island and Vanua Levu. Here, you can expect to see barracuda, reef sharks and manta rays.
Kadavu
The Great Astrolabe Reef is 62 miles long--the fourth-largest barrier reef in the world. The reef is home to a vivid hard-coral outer reef and steep soft-coral drop-offs. It’s a great place to see manta rays. Beginners will love the soft coral pinnacles at Namalata and Tavuki Reefs, along the north coast.
Viti Levu
This is the place for an adrenaline-filled dive next to bull sharks and tiger sharks. There are also ocean lagoons full of reef life and walls of hard coral.
Vanua Levu
The variety of dive sites at Savusavu makes this an ideal spot for beginners and seasoned divers alike. The area is known for its walls, caves, overhangs covered with hard and soft coral, and a great variety of reef fish and sharks.
