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Diving in Viti Levu

If you ever had the burning desire to be within touching distance from a tiger shark or a bull shark, a visit to Viti Levu in the Republic of Fiji will see your dreams fulfilled.

Diving in Viti Levu

Quick facts

There are several places to dive in Viti Levu which include Beqa Lagoon, Rakiraki, and the Coral Coast. Most of these locations to dive are along the south and north coast of the island and you can choose to dive from the many resorts available, or hop on a liveaboard diving vessel.

Weather on Viti Levu is tropical with little variation throughout the year. It tends to rain more in the summer during January to March but all dive resorts remain open during this time. Water temperature ranges from 77-84˚F (25-29˚C) and depending on where you dive, visibility could stretch up 98ft (30m) during the peak months of July, August and September.

Beqa Lagoon makes for easy diving and is suitable for new divers. Divers will encounter many pinnacles, coral bommies, coral gardens and there are also a couple of small shipwrecks to explore. For more excitement, head to Rakiraki at the north coast of Viti Levu and stay near Pacific Harbour to experience mind-blowing shark feeding dives at Shark Reef. Shark Reef Marine Reserve is touted as the paramount diving experience in Fiji.

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When to go

Rain and temperature

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Water temperature

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What to see

There are several different species of shark which frequent Shark Reef and will show up during shark feeding dives. These include whitetip sharks, blacktip sharks, nurse sharks, grey reef sharks, lemon sharks, silvertip sharks, bull sharks and monstrous tiger sharks. Shark sightings are pretty much guaranteed although during the end of the year, you might not see bull sharks which venture off for mating season. For tiger sharks, they appear in the most frequency during June to August.

Other than sharks, expect to find eagle rays and manta rays along channels and passes round Rakiraki and Beqa Lagoon. Along with these, there are the usual reef dwellers which include large groupers, humphead wrasse, colorful reef fish, octopus, crabs and lion fish. Schooling fish that appear in great numbers off Viti Levu are usually barracuda and if lucky, you might spot game fish like marlin or mackerel while diving.

Calendar

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Most likely sightingsPossible sightings

Area

The hub of the Fijian Archipelago, Viti Levu covers an area of 4,011 square miles (10,388 square km) and is home to three quarters of Fiji’s population of 858,038 people. The people of Viti Levu mostly live around the island’s coasts at the capital Suva or around tourist areas like Nadi and agriculture areas like Lautoka which has tracts of sugar cane plantations.

Viti Levu is a volcanic island with a rugged and lush profile that is covered with thick forests fed by river valleys. The highest peak of the island is Mount Tomanivi which rises 4,344ft (1,324m). The island is divided by a mountain range and this makes climate vary on either side. The west is typically drier while the east tends to see heavy rainfall.

Many often pass through Viti Levu when visiting Fiji but the island has much to offer for the traveler, and especially for the avid scuba diver. Viti Levu has beautiful coral reef to explore, marine megafauna to see and other activities like hiking and surfing to entice travelers.

Other attractions

Head out to explore the beautiful island on hiking trips, adventure vehicles or river safari. For non-divers, there are many snorkeling trips available and also sailing. For thrill-seekers, go surfing or even sky diving or just relax in beautiful resorts and take in the island life.

Getting there

Fly to Nadi International Airport on airlines like Air New Zealand, Fiji Airways, Air Niugini, Virgin Australia, and Jetstar. There are many direct flights from cities like Auckland, Los Angeles, Gold Coast, Honolulu, Seoul and others to choose from.

UTC+12:00

Time zone

FJD

Currency

+679

Calling code

240 V

Electric volt

I

Plug type

NAN

Main airport

Note - Travel to any destination may be adversely affected by conditions including (but not limited) to security, entry and exit requirements, health conditions, local laws and culture, natural disasters and climate. Regardless of your destination, check your local travel advisory board or department for travel advice about that location when planning your trip and again shortly before you leave.

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Diving in Viti Levu