Fiji final decisions

[Tunaman68]

Hey all,

So me and my dive buddy have made the decision to go to Fiji and spend 6 nights at Beqa and do the shark feed plus reef dives. After that we want to transfer to another location and are choosing VoliVoli or Taveuni. I wanted to ask about timeline and preferences...we have 15 calendar days to be away total.

Leaving LAX we arrive two days later at 5am from what I understand. Seems like that would get us to Beqa by the end of that day. We have a SUNDAY to dive and get ready for a shot at the shark dive on MONDAY. Since we are going in April we wanted to make allowences for bad weather so staying for another shot at the shark dive on WEDNESDAY seemed to be smart. We could also do it twice or enjoy other diving around Beqa since we've never been.

After 6 nights we want to transfer somewhere else. We like shallower diving with lots of things to see but also a shot at the larger critters out there. We are both experienced divers but also like easy 60 minute dives with tons to see. 4 tanks a day is not out of the question and I know we have shore diving options at some places.

If we go to VoliVoli we could dive on the day before we leave Beqa all day long, then how does the transfer to VoliVoli work? Do we go back to Nadi and VoliVoli will come get us or will they pick us up in Suva?

If we go to Taveuni, we will have to be out of the water for 24 hours before our relocation day and add the expense of a puddle jumper round trip. For those who have done it, can you tell me about going from Beqa to Taveuni and the impact on diving and cost??

Seems like Volivoli will be the cheaper option and leave time for a couple more dives but weather and longer boat rides seems to affect the experience.

Seems like Taveuni might have 'better' diving but is more expensive in general plus will cost a day of diving to be ready to fly inner island.

Is it possible we also could dive later the day before we leave if we don't have an inner island flight on the way back to Nadi at the end? I'm not sure of the timeline of that last day headed back to LAX coming from VoliVoli vs Taveuni.

Looking forward to the trip either way!

Thanks everyone for your help up to now.

 

[rmorgan]

You will arrive in California much earlier than you leave NAN (our flight a year ago left NAN at 9:30pm on 11/23 and arrived LAX at 11:50 a.m. on 11/23). Volivoli is a 2.5-3 hr drive from NAN; I don’t know how far from Beqa to NAN. You could certainly dive three tanks the day before your flight leaves NAN, if thingsf are the same now. the boat rides are 30-60 minutes, not really a big deal. Just don’t think the house reef is a real thing.

The resorts work together to arrange transfers, and if you work with a travel agent (we use Bluewater) it’s seamless.

 

[stiebs]

It's about a 3hr drive from Nadi to Pacific Harbour. If you're staying at Beqa Lagoon Resort, it's a 45 minute boat trip from Pacific Harbour to the resort

[Edit: Correct transfer time]

 

[living4experiences]

Are you planning this trip for April 2024 or 2025? If it's 2024 and you don't already have resort bookings, you may find that Volivoli is booked full as well as Taveuni. I'm using Bluewater Travel to run the logistics of my trip to Fiji next April. I've got 10 days at Volivoli and 10 days at Paradise Taveuni with a couple of days of travel built in for the flight between islands and the transfer from Nadi to Volivoli. The hop flights may be booked up, too. I made my bookings in March of this year and Volivoli, Paradise Tavenui, and the flights were nearly full for all of Spring 2024.

Six days at Beqa may be too many. Beqa Lagoon Resort hasn't had the best of reviews recently. They are known for the shark dives but not the reefs. Also, Volivoli's house reef is not worth factoring in your decision for shore diving.

You may consider Waidroka Bay Resort, which is 30 minutes to Pacific Harbour, and since they offer the shark dive, I'm pretty sure they provide the transportation. I think they have better reef diving, too.

Others here may be able to comment on firsthand experience. My information is from a ton of research I've been doing for a few years.

 

[stiebs]

I stayed 7 nights at Beqa Lagoon Resort June 22, and cannot fault it. But granted it may not be for everyone. Their dive schedule is pretty much two dives a day, back at the resort for lunch and however you want to spend the rest of the afternoon / evening.

It worked well for me an my partner as a good diving and romantic getaway. But if you're looking for hardcore diving 3 or 4 dives a day, you be disappointed. If there is enough interest from the guest they will run night dives or afternoon snorkeling trips.

The whole experience at BLR was great. Low guest capacity, food was magnificent and plentiful, DMs and boat crew were friendly and accommodating. It had been under new management - both the resort and the dive operation - since re-opening after Covid.

 

[Tunaman68]

I stayed 7 nights at Beqa Lagoon Resort June 22, and cannot fault it. But granted it may not be for everyone. Their dive schedule is pretty much two dives a day, back at the resort for lunch and however you want to spend the rest of the afternoon / evening.

It worked well for me an my partner as a good diving and romantic getaway. But if you're looking for hardcore diving 3 or 4 dives a day, you be disappointed. If there is enough interest from the guest they will run night dives or afternoon snorkeling trips.

The whole experience at BLR was great. Low guest capacity, food was magnificent and plentiful, DMs and boat crew were friendly and accommodating. It had been under new management - both the resort and the dive operation - since re-opening after Covid.

It was your review that made me want to go there! There is a lot of 'beqa ain't great and the shark dive is fake/unnatural' but yours was so positive that it made me change my mind. I've not been diving anywhere but California, Hawaii, Cozumel and Bonaire in 30 years so it's all going to be new and different to me. Was in Tahiti and Fiji in the late 80's but my memory of those times is a bit foggy these days!

 

[Tunaman68]

Are you planning this trip for April 2024 or 2025? If it's 2024 and you don't already have resort bookings, you may find that Volivoli is booked full as well as Taveuni. I'm using Bluewater Travel to run the logistics of my trip to Fiji next April. I've got 10 days at Volivoli and 10 days at Paradise Taveuni with a couple of days of travel built in for the flight between islands and the transfer from Nadi to Volivoli. The hop flights may be booked up, too. I made my bookings in March of this year and Volivoli, Paradise Tavenui, and the flights were nearly full for all of Spring 2024.

Six days at Beqa may be too many. Beqa Lagoon Resort hasn't had the best of reviews recently. They are known for the shark dives but not the reefs. Also, Volivoli's house reef is not worth factoring in your decision for shore diving.

You may consider Waidroka Bay Resort, which is 30 minutes to Pacific Harbour, and since they offer the shark dive, I'm pretty sure they provide the transportation. I think they have better reef diving, too.

Others here may be able to comment on firsthand experience. My information is from a ton of research I've been doing for a few years.

It's for this April 2024 and I've got a slot at Beqa lined up. Booking.com is showing one room left at both VoliVoli and at Taveuni Dive resort (paradise is full) as well as Garden Isle Resort. I've contacted the properties directly to ask as I prefer to book direct if I can. The LAX to NAN flight has tons of room left so I think we can pull it off. The liveaboard option is booked solid more than a year out 100%. If we go to Taveuni I'll loose a day diving at Beqa giving us 4 dive days and two shots at the shark experience so that sounds like it might be a good fit anyhow. I need to check the short hop flights for sure.

 

[Tunaman68]

Are you planning this trip for April 2024 or 2025? If it's 2024 and you don't already have resort bookings, you may find that Volivoli is booked full as well as Taveuni. I'm using Bluewater Travel to run the logistics of my trip to Fiji next April. I've got 10 days at Volivoli and 10 days at Paradise Taveuni with a couple of days of travel built in for the flight between islands and the transfer from Nadi to Volivoli. The hop flights may be booked up, too. I made my bookings in March of this year and Volivoli, Paradise Tavenui, and the flights were nearly full for all of Spring 2024.

Six days at Beqa may be too many. Beqa Lagoon Resort hasn't had the best of reviews recently. They are known for the shark dives but not the reefs. Also, Volivoli's house reef is not worth factoring in your decision for shore diving.

You may consider Waidroka Bay Resort, which is 30 minutes to Pacific Harbour, and since they offer the shark dive, I'm pretty sure they provide the transportation. I think they have better reef diving, too.

Others here may be able to comment on firsthand experience. My information is from a ton of research I've been doing for a few years.

Just sent a message to Waidroka as it looks like a really great option and chops a bit off the commute from LAX vs going all the way to Beqa.

 

[Tunaman68]

Booked Beqa for 6 nights and Volivoli for 7 nights deciding to save island hopping air trips to Tavuni for next visit.

 

[TostitoBandito]

FWIW:

About to do my second trip to Taveuni Dive Resort on new years. Can't recommend them enough if you don't mind the extra flight to Taveuni. Only 8 rooms so it's super personal and laid back, and pretty much all dive sites are no more than 10 minutes away (rooms are also HUGE and very nice). I've heard Paradise is also good, but it's a larger resort, twice the size I believe. I prefer smaller groups when possible.