The North
Vanua Levu & Taveuni
1. Light House
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9. Fingers 10. Hole in the Wall 11. Big Blue 12.Nsonisoni Pass 13. Dakuniba Pass 14. Magic Mountain 15. Namena Island |
Map Courtesy of Jerry Warren DiveFiji.com
The reefs of Vanua Levu have superb diving with a great choice of sites offering the underwater scenery that made Fiji famous: walls, caves, overhangs soft and hard corals, reef fish and pelagic fish. The diving is less demanding in Savusavu Bay but becomes dramatic on the outer side of the barrier reef, which sweeps up the coast to Somosomo Strait dividing Vanua Levu and Taveuni.
Dive Commentary From Undercurrent
Undercurrent, a Sausalito, California based publication has graciously provided Fijiguide.com with commentary on Taveuni and Savusavu destinations from staff writers and readers. With the exception of one report, the verbiage below is generally not more than two years old.
Savusavu (Vanua Levu)
"Dive boats were in perfect shape, the crews helpful in dive planning, and 
videos were taken of all divers for later (optional, of course) purchase. Temps were in the mid-80s during the day, and sleeping was comfortable with overhead fans after about 9:30 PM. Afternoon showers usually came, after the day’s dives. The resort was absolutely clean, and the dive shop was fully equipped, in case you might have forgotten something or in case something broke! Diving:We had two big problems. We are both slim and didn’t have enough rubber. By the second dive of the day I was very cold. Also, the big boat had a dysfunctional motor so we never went to the southern area like Nsonisoni Pass where most of the good diving is supposedly located. We went to closer reefs; some in bad shape. I can hardly believe I went half way around the world to dive reefs that aren’t as good as many in the closer and cheaper Caribbean."
(This imaginary letter was written in jest to Jean-Michael Cousteau by Ben Davison, Editor of Undercurrent . (It's been edited for brevity's sake). Although this commentary was written nine years ago, it's still quite accurate.
You’ve got a slick dive operation, right up there with the kind you find on Cayman or Bonaire, and a good crew. Your operation is just what divers have come to expect from guys like you and Ron Kipp -- fixed moorings, good 
briefings with site maps, gear set up for you, camera cared for, set time and depth. Water 81° F, vis 40–80 feet. Stacks of hard corals, beautiful soft corals, plenty of tropicals, anemones, clownfish -- and one single black lionfish (strange, the only one in five days!). The guides weren’t in a rush, they gave a full hour surface interval, then off we went to more lush pinnacles, with extraordinary corals, alive with fuschias, magentas, and yellows, big lobster, crinoids, schools of fusiliers, and sailfin anthias. Best part: millions of schooling juveniles; you know, I saw two-inch barracuda, triggers, and other critters that I even pointed out to the guides. How do you balance that? I mean, they were here first, which is probably why there aren’t many big fish. And then you’ve got that crown-of-thorns guy. Man, at a couple of sites where the rubble was amazing, your guide (and others too) told me those starfish (I saw a few big 
guys) ripped through there a few years ago. What’s the solution for a Cousteau? Let ‘em be? Or kill ‘em?
Your boat would moor here, but they drifted. Tiai, who worked at Nakoro in the old days, took me on the most splendid dive of my trip, past virgin heaps of table, plate, and other hard corals, across a large field of antler coral, through occasional clouds of reef fish, and never went below 50 feet. I requested Alice in Wonderland for my second dive, since I had enjoyed it years ago, and damn if those crowns hadn’t grazed through, leaving large patches of coral bones. Yet I came across a forest of antler coral, big heads of mushroom coral, and a dozen flute mouths, a six-foot gray shark, and a three-foot mackerel. (Editor, Undercurrent )
Taveuni
2. Great White Wall 9. Jerry's Jelly 16. Chief's Garden 17. The Caves 18. Playground 19. Coral Gardens 20. Barracuda Pinnacle 21. Fish Patch 22.Gorgonian Garden 23. Long Beach Pt. 24. Purple Wall 25. The Fans 26. The Rock
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27. Suthu 28. Lost Reef 29. Mariah's Cove 30. Still Waters 31. BrokenReef 32. RainbowSands 33. Ringgold's 34. Cross Channel 35. Nukubalavu 36. Molumolu 37. Windseve Passage 38. Motui I 39, Motui II 40. Backside 41. Bonnie's Boulder 42. Rainbow Passage 43. Noel's Wall 44.Golden Garden 45. The Edge 46. Motui Lailai 47. Joe's Reef 48. Mini Yellow Wall 49. Sangrila 50. North Passage 51. South Passage |
Map Courtesy of Jerry Warren DiveFiji.com
Taveuni
Taveuni has earned accolades from the most jaded divers. It features Rainbow Reef and the Great White Wall in the heart of Somosomo Strait. A few miles further north, Matangi and Qamea Islands have a different, but equally impressive portfolio of dive sites. There are so many islands and reefs that even pioneers like Rick Cammick who "discovered" the Great White Wall and Rainbow Reefs, or the Douglas family of Matagi Island who have dived the area for 40 years, have not seen more than a fraction of what the area offers.
Aqua Trek, Garden Island Resort
Atmosphere, safety, excitement, wonderful staff. We have done live-aboards (which are great), expensive resorts (also nice), but every time we go back to Garden Island it’s like coming home… choppy, currents. delays on return trip were extended unnecessarily) due to timing of flights. Beautiful island, crummy weather (suspect just bad luck.) Divemasters very knowledgeable and helpful without being excessively “controlling.” Terrific staff. Knew our whole group by name within a day. Strong tides determined dive sites to find slack current areas. Super beach site for shore interval between two morning dives."
VANUA LEVU DIVE OPERATIONS
L' AVENTURE DIVERS
Located at Cousteau Resort. PADI facility offering a full range of courses
(679) 885 0188
laventure@connect.com
www.fijiresort.com.
MOODY'S NAMENA
Situated on a 110 acre private island.
(679) 881-3764
moodysnamena@connect.com
www.moodysnamenafiji.com
NAMALE RESORT
Resort owned by Tony Robbins.
(679) 885-0435
namalefiji@aol.com
www.namalefiji.com
NUKUBATI ISLAND RESORT
Luxury private island resort with just seven beachfront bures.
(679) 881-3901
nukubati@connect.com
www.nukubati.com
TAVEUNI DIVE OPERATIONS
AQUA TREK TAVEUNI
Full range of PADI dive courses
(679) 888-0286
www.aquatrek.com
JEWEL BUBBLE DIVERS
Owned and operated by Quilele Morisio
Located in Matei, near the Airport
jeweldivers@connect.com.fj
www.jeweldivers.com
DOLPHIN BAY DIVERS RETREAT
Located on the Southern tip of Taveuni.
PADI courses are taught in English & German
(679) 888-0125
info@dolphinbaydivers.com
www.dolphinbaydivers.com
MATANGI DIVE
Situated six miles off the coast of Taveuni on
Small, luxury property. Both PADI and SSI certifications available.
(679) 888-0776
fijiscuba@connect.com
www.MatangiDive.com
Photos illustrating this section are from Paddy Ryan the world's greatest Fiji naturalist.
Vinaka to Jerry Warren of DiveFiji.com for above maps of Fiji.