Page 77 - Melanesia

Fiji Scuba Diving: Incredible Sea Life and Corals
A group of roughly 330 tropical islands
in Melanesia in the South Pacific, Fiji
is roughly 1100 miles northeast of New
Zealand. The capital and gateway city,
Nadi, is located on Viti Levu, one of the two
major islands. Fiji has a striking amount of
diversity both above and below the wa-
ter. Oftentimes people talk about Fiji as a
homogenous place and that’s not the case.
The diving is highly varied depending on
where you go, as is the cultural background
of the local people whom you will meet.
The main island, Vitu Levu, is large – over 90 you need to go to specific areas. In Fiji, it’s
x 60 miles and mountainous similar to the
second largest island, Vanua Levu. The outer
islands vary from idyllic sandspits to man-
grove-fringed enclaves. Fiji is safe, malaria
free and relatively modern for a developing
island. Fiji is known for its abundant soft
corals, but there’s also a wider spectrum of
colors. These vibrant hues, combined with
healthy hard corals, dramatic topography,
typically clear water and a great variety
of reef fish make Fiji’s underwater scenery
magnificent. Fiji is also famous for shark
diving.
T he majority of diving is done as drift
dives, allowing you to cover large dis-
tances and see walls of soft corals. The tops
of pinnacles and bommies usually host a
variety of life. Always have a safety sausage
so the tender boat can see you when you
surface. Despite what you may have been
told, soft corals are not everywhere in Fiji –
all about the corals. Around every corner is
the next world class image. Remember to
get in the current. One of the main draws
of diving Fiji are the reef scenes - they are
quite spectacular. The gorgeous, lush, color-
splashed images of Fiji that you see in dive
publications are courtesy of a soft coral
called dendronephthya.