Fiji

Geos

Diving in the Land of ‘Bula’: The South Pacific’s Fiji Islands

The Fiji Islands: ‘Crossroads of the South Pacific’

Warm and Friendly: Enjoying the Wonders of the Fijian Islands

Dive Operators

fiji.travel/us/information/guides/diving

Live-aboards

Fiji Aggressor, aggressor.com
Naia, naia.com.fj
Siren Fleet, sirenfleet.com/liveaboards/fiji.html

Resorts Offering Diving

This is a partial list of major dive resorts. For more info visit fiji.travel.

Beqa Lagoon Resort, beqalagoonresort.com
Garden Island Resort, gardenislandresort.com
Matava Resort, matava.com
Paradise Taveuni, paradiseinfiji.com
Sau Bay Fiji Retreat, saubayfiji.com
Taveuni Dive Resort, taveunidiveresort.com
Ultimate Fiji Vacations, ultimatefijivacations.com
Volivoli Beach Resort, volivoli.com
Waidroka Bay Resort, waidroka.com
Wananavu Beach Resort, wananavu.com

Travel Wholesalers

Ultimate Dive Travel www.ultimatedivetravel.com

Facts and Figures

  • Location: The island country of Fiji lies about 1,100 nautical miles (2,000 km; 1,300 miles) northeast of New Zealand’s North Island, or roughly two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand, and is nestled between Vanuatu and Tonga, two other popular dive destinations, in the South Pacific Sea.
  • Size: Fiji has a total land area of about 18,300 square kilometers (7,065 sq mi) spread out among its 333 islands.
  • Capital: Suva.
  • Official Language: English is the official language and is spoken in the major tourist areas in Fiji. Fijian and Hindustani are also spoken by most of the population.
  • Time: UTC/GMT (Universal Time Coordinated/Greenwich Mean Time) plus 12 hours, UTC/GMT plus 13 hours during daylight-saving time.
  • Getting There: From North America, direct flights are available from Los Angeles and Honolulu on both Fiji Airways and Qantas. Other options for direct flights include multiple cities in Australia and New Zealand as well as from Seoul and Hong Kong in Asia.
  • Entry Requirements: For citizens of eligible countries, including the United States, all that is required is a valid passport for at least six months beyond the intended period of stay and a ticket for return or onward travel to another country. Tourist entry visas are granted on arrival for a stay of up to four months.
  • Departure Tax: Fijian dollar $30 per person. Most tickets issued in the United States will normally have the Fijian departure tax included.
  • Money: Fiji dollar, FJD. Exchange rate is roughly $1 USD = $2 FJD.
  • Seasons: Fiji is south of the equator, so summer in the United States is winter in Fiji and vice versa. Summer has less humidity, but it is the rainy season (November to April). The season for cyclones is November to April, but strong cyclones are uncommon. The dry season is May to October. June to October is commonly considered the best months to go, but any time is good. Temperatures in the summer range between 72 and 88 degrees Fahrenheit (22 and 31 degrees Celsius) with water temperatures from 78 to 80 F (26 to 27 C). Winter is only slightly cooler with temperatures between 68 and 80 F (20 to 26 C) and water temperatures from 76 to 80 F (24 to 27 C).
  • Electricity: Fiji uses 240 volts, three-prong plugs like those used in Australia and New Zealand. Many hotels provide adapters, but wise travelers will take their own or have dual-voltage appliances.
  • Measurements: Speed limits are posted in kilometers. Dive operators generally use both feet/meters and psi/bar when communicating dive data.
  • Transportation: Taxis and buses are common and inexpensive. Ferries and light planes are used to travel between islands. Many resort operators will pick you up at a predesignated area to ferry divers to their operation. Driving is on the left.
  • Dress: Casual dress is the norm. Cover-ups are required when leaving the beach areas. When visiting villages, men and women must wear sulus (sue-loos), a type of short skirt. Sulus are considered appropriate any time. Women should plan not to wear sleeveless shirts away from the beach.
  • Tipping: Individual tipping is generally not expected. For good service, many hotels have established a Christmas Fund. At the end of the year, this fund is equally divided among all the hotel or dive staff.
  • Hyperbaric Chamber: There is a hyperbaric chamber in Fiji’s capital
    city, Suva on Viti Levu Island.