Fiji???

[Luko]

We did a week on Kadavu with Dive Kadavu and the Mantana Beach Resort, then a week on the north side of the main island with Kai Viti Divers at the Wananavu resort. If doing the Kai Viti thing, paying extra for the long range 3-tank dive days is well worth it - you do much better dive sites than the more local 2-tanker

Just for information, how was the diving in that central part of Kadavu?
I was on the eastern tip of the island a month ago at Waisalima beach resort (you can check my report in some other Fiji thread) and found awesome coral variety in Naiqoro passage, but maybe some lack of fish though. Was it the same impression for you and did you manage to dive the Seafan alley or Manta reef area?

Agreed with Wananavu, Kaiviti's three dive trip to G6 spot is fantastic!
Their kava is quite nice too

 

[stu_in_fl]

On the way to Fiji, I was on Stu's flight, but sitting quite a ways behind him. They ran out of food before they got to me for the "evening" meal. Then in the "morning" meal, they ran out of drinks before they got to me. (I suspect Stu asked for double portions in both instances). So a few pocket snacks might be in order.

On the flight back to the States, Stu was still in Fiji. We didn't run out of anything.

Art

Hey Art, I just told them to "not give any red wine to that guy wearing the white T-shirt as he usually throws it all over himself". Luckily they kept it away from you, but probably thought you'd spill your food as well.....unfortunately the "red wine memo" never made it to Kadavu.

Just for information, how was the diving in that central part of Kadavu?
I was on the eastern tip of the island a month ago at Waisalima beach resort (you can check my report in some other Fiji thread) and found awesome coral variety in Naiqoro passage, but maybe some lack of fish though. Was it the same impression for you and did you manage to dive the Seafan alley or Manta reef area?

Agreed with Wananavu, Kaiviti's three dive trip to G6 spot is fantastic!
Their kava is quite nice too

The sites we generally went to in Kadavu were good but not spectacular - it was end of the rainy season (we got a fair bit of rain) so viz & color was not everything i expected. Probably a couple of months later in the year would have made it fantastic. The day trip for the Mantas (Astrolabe) was great - would have been better on a bright sunny day - spectacular hard corals.
..the following week at Wananavu we did have lots of sunshine and the colors were great.

 

[Desert_Diver]

Hey Art, I just told them to "not give any red wine to that guy wearing the white T-shirt as he usually throws it all over himself". Luckily they kept it away from you, but probably thought you'd spill your food as well.....unfortunately the "red wine memo" never made it to Kadavu.



The sites we generally went to in Kadavu were good but not spectacular - it was end of the rainy season (we got a fair bit of rain) so viz & color was not everything i expected. Probably a couple of months later in the year would have made it fantastic. The day trip for the Mantas (Astrolabe) was great - would have been better on a bright sunny day - spectacular hard corals.
..the following week at Wananavu we did have lots of sunshine and the colors were great.

We went to Astrolabe Reef the day after Stu. Guess what?

No mantas....

Notice a common thread here?

However, both the hard and soft corals were great.

Art

 

[Travelnsj]

We went to Astrolabe Reef the day after Stu. Guess what?

No mantas....

Notice a common thread here?

However, both the hard and soft corals were great.

Art

Art did you ever post a trip report other than that coffee shop talk thread on the other board?....If not you should post one here...and if so...still post one here.

 

[Wiggsy]

I agree with everything fdog says about Beqa - it is a great dive resort and better than ever! It is the kind of place I would choose to go every year or two - a really safe bet....But I can't believe we did the same shark dive at the same location! To describe it as a yawn??? NO WAY! I did the BLR/Aquatrek shark dive on three consectuive days and each time we were totally stunned by the variety of sharks and the masses of fish life. Each day we had at least seven species of shark - Lemon; Tawny Nurse (yes...fat is an apt description); the usual Grey Reefies; Blacktip and Whitetip reef sharks. Anywhere else you'd be happy with that....wouldn't you?
But add in about a dozen Bull Sharks up to 12 feet long; several Silvertips up to 10 feet long (and they are the most gorgeously beautiful shark) and; and one dive a 15 foot Tiger Shark and you've got the BEST DIVE I'VE DONE. The swarms of Remora; The circling schools of Giant Trevally; the masses of Rainbow Runner....plus too many reef fish....Giant Napoleon Wrasse and huge Coral Trout. I didn't see anyone yawning for a long time after that one - just smiles; laughter and great memories.

It will be one of the main reasons I revisit Beqa quite frequently in my dive travels - maybe we wuz lucky....maybe fdog was unlucky.....But I'll do it again and again. Actually, if you visist my gallery here on scubaboard, you'll see a few photos of the bog beastie - the beautiful 15 foot Tiger that literally swam into my camera!


Wiggsy.

 

[Papa_Bear]

I couldn't agree more! It is more than just a dive trip as well! You can see video one of the Tiger Sharks here:Two Tanked Productions HD & SD Underwater Productions and video services

We welcome anyone who wants to travel with use do the trip every November! Contact me for further info if interested

 

[Travelnsj]

Wiggsly and Papa Bear....I am looking at going to Fiji next year as a tag on to my Solomons Islands trip. I do not do Shark Dives!....I am trying to decided to do either Beqa and Raki Raki....What is the diving like at Beqa less the Shark dive?

 

[dbittner]

Wiggsly and Papa Bear....I am looking at going to Fiji next year as a tag on to my Solomons Islands trip. I do not do Shark Dives!....I am trying to decided to do either Beqa and Raki Raki....What is the diving like at Beqa less the Shark dive?

I have been to BLR twice, and made 18 dives each visit. Only 4 of those 36 dives were shark dives. While they were all exciting, and one of them was particularly memorable because of a tiger shark that was clearly more interested in us than in the food, they are not the dives I enjoyed the most. The other 32 dives, both the boat dives and the shore dives, were definitely worth the price of admission: excellent soft and hard coral, many different fish (including a number of large and gorgeous lion fish), blue ribbon eels, nudibranchs, evan a couple of wrecks. I especially enjoyed being able to make an extended safety stop at the top of a coral pinnacle, and almost breathe the tank dry watching the anemones, clown fish, etc., etc. Some of the sites we visited were so interesting that we unanimously asked to return to them a second time during our stay.

Yes, the Beqa shark dive is interesting, but please don't think that that's the only reason to visit Beqa Lagoon.

Peace,
Dave

 

[Papa_Bear]

Wiggsly and Papa Bear....I am looking at going to Fiji next year as a tag on to my Solomons Islands trip. I do not do Shark Dives!....I am trying to decided to do either Beqa and Raki Raki....What is the diving like at Beqa less the Shark dive?

As has been said it is wonderful! The Shark dive is an add on and it is called the "Big Fish Encounter" Sometimes sharks don't show up and the numbers of Ocean fish you see is amazing!

The muck diving at the resort is great and if you have visited my sight you will see many shots taken just off the beach at the resort! Beqa Lagoon is one of my all time favorites in the world for all the mentioned reasons! Add a beautiful Island and wonderful friends and it doesn't get much better! Fantasy, My favorite dive, Surf Zone, Glory Hole, Wrasse Hole, Soft Coral Plateau, Pearl Rock, Avenues, and so many others! Oh ya just out side the reef at Fantasy is a dive site named after me called "Reed's Hard Coral Garden"! Take a look at the Flat worms and Nudibranchs I have posted from Beqa....
As stated the Lion fish are everywhere and the tops of the boomies are festoon with a million brightly colored fish!

 

[NCBabs]

I'd have to agree on Beqa Lagoon Resort. For the air fare go With Air Pacific Fiji Travel Flights, Fiji Vacations Airfares, South Pacific Holidays – Air Pacific and no matter where you are heading from LAX you will always have to pick up your bags and re-check them in the international side regardless, I always reccomend 4 hour layover in LAX for this reason and i find it easier to grab a cart and walk to the other terminal for it is so much better than the buses and half way you can stop for a bite to eat or drink and relax then check in.

if you need any help making the arrangments just PM me.