Recommendations for 2 Fiji dive resorts to visit on 7 day trip

[diver-jean]

We are planning our first trip to Fiji for March 2017 and would like to visit 2 different dive resorts to get a bit of underwater variety and different island experiences. We want to see soft coral, large and small creatures and we really, really want air conditioned rooms. We are old, experienced divers.

 

[JulieM]

I highly recommend Nakia Eco Resort along with their dive operation Taveuni Ocean Sports. You will not find a better resort or dive operator. Check their tripadvisor reviews. They are all accurate. Diving off Taveuni is awesome. We have been to Fiji nine times and would return to Taveuni in a heartbeat!

 

[diverguytasmania]

Having visited Fiji about 12 times since 1990 (last visit 2014), the best diving in IMHO is on Taveuni (Somosomo strait) and off Kadavu. Kadavu is quite a traditional island so you get an insight into the Fijian culture. I stayed at Ono island for 2 weeks a couple of years ago, Very nice island and well run - good dive operation and very friendly people, food well above average. Its worth making the effort to get there. If you can afford it, Matagi is also great, run by the Douglas family who have been in Fiji for generations. Matagi island is off Tavenui. You will find airfares to outer islands are expensive, if on a budget look at Coral Coast and Beqa island (shark dives).

 

[JulieM]

If you are considering Kadavu and Ono Island, I highly recommend Koromakawa. It is only one guest house plus your own dive boat with Spencer (owner) as your private dive master. It is like Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Again, tripadvisor reviews are accurate.

 

[cbm32]

In my opinion, what you want is not conducive with how much time you plan on being there. Doing two different with resorts with different diving, and different different island experiences, is going to entail significant travel that will eat up too much of your time when only staying 7 days.

I would suggest you either find a way to add at least 3-4 days to your stay, or find the one resort that fits you the best and stay there your whole time in Fiji.

The only other way I can think of to do what you want to do is to spend some time at a place really close to Nadi and then go to Taveuni or Kadavu. The problem with that is that the diving anyplace near Nadi is going to be really substandard in terms of what is available in Fiji.

All of the above assumes you are not well healed enough to charter a helicopter or a private flight on a seaplane. If you are, please disregard this post entirely

 

[mmmbelows]

We are planning our first trip to Fiji for March 2017 and would like to visit 2 different dive resorts to get a bit of underwater variety and different island experiences. We want to see soft coral, large and small creatures and we really, really want air conditioned rooms. We are old, experienced divers.

What is the budget? And as cbm32 said 7 days to get variations in your diving is pretty tight timeline. If you're not on a budget I can explain how we did our last trip to Fiji, getting to experience 'old' Fijian culture with new world accommodations, coupled with great diving.

 

[diver-jean]

Thank you all so much for the input & ideas! I will review/research everything you have suggested. It would be a shame to waste a dive day traveling from one resort to another so we might just stay put in one location after all. I appreciate the help.

 

[Shasta_man]

For 7 days, stay in one place.

 

[Dieter Kudler]

We are planning our first trip to Fiji for March 2017 and would like to visit 2 different dive resorts to get a bit of underwater variety and different island experiences. We want to see soft coral, large and small creatures and we really, really want air conditioned rooms. We are old, experienced divers.

If you have only 7 nights you should consider Beqa Lagoon - you'll have the opportunity to dive with tiger-, bull- and lemon sharks and see very beautiful soft coral gardens.

 

[diverguytasmania]

If you have only 7 nights you should consider Beqa Lagoon - you'll have the opportunity to dive with tiger-, bull- and lemon sharks and see very beautiful soft coral gardens.

I stayed at Beqa lagoon resort twice, (before Dieter took over), and can confirm what he wrote - plus the dive guides are excellent, they let you dive freely if you are competent but will also happily guide you and watch over you if you want that. Great cultural show with fire dancing (island speciality) and a very nice school to visit on the island as well - very nice accommodations with little plunge pools in your bure garden as well as a big resort pool, cocktails are great too, v good barman - I have fond memories of my stays there.