Explore Taveuni
Scuba diving in Taveuni, the third largest island of Fiji, is world-renowned for shimmering colors and vibrant fish-life. Taveuni lies just southeast of Fiji’s second-largest island, Vanua Levu, separated from it by a narrow channel called the Somosomo Strait. The daily tides pump huge volumes of seawater through this channel, nourishing an abundance of tropical marine life, but the true highlight of Somosomo and Taveuni are its soft corals. Blankets of swaying, flower-like soft corals in tones of red, pink, yellow, white, purple, orange and brown create a uniquely beautiful landscape for Taveuni diving. These coral gardens are adorned with glittering schools of basselets and anthias, and inhabited by the full range of marine life, from nudibranchs and garden eels to reef sharks and manta rays.
Taveuni Island is a great location for resort-based diving, with longstanding, highly-reputed dive resorts situated along the coastline of the Somosomo Strait. Taveuni diving can also be accessed from a couple of Vanua Levu dive resorts which lie just across the strait. Even Savusavu dive centers, based farther west along Vanua Levu’s southern shore, may make special trips to Somosomo Strait, though it takes much longer to reach the dive sites.
Top Taveuni Dive Sites
1. Rainbow Reef
Rainbow Reef is a vibrant marine paradise in the Somosomo Strait. Divers encounter a plethora of orange basselets, whitetip reef sharks, barracudas, and leopard sharks. The adventure level is easy to moderate, suitable for scuba diving. The reef is renowned for its stunning soft corals and diverse tropical fish.
2. White Wall
White Wall offers a breathtaking dive experience with its vertical wall encrusted in white soft corals. The adventure level is advanced, focusing on scuba diving. This site also features a tubular cavern and the unique phenomenon of corals changing color from white to lavender as depth increases.
3. Zoo
Zoo is a top choice for spotting manta rays gliding gracefully across the coral-topped wall. It is an advanced dive suitable for scuba divers. Visitors might also see schools of reef sharks and potato cod. The site's dynamic marine life makes it a must-visit for thrill-seekers.
4. Fish Factory
At Fish Factory, scuba divers can swim among manta rays, bumphead parrotfish, and schools of mackerel. This site is ideal for both scuba diving and freediving, offering an easy to moderate adventure level. The abundance of marine life makes it a fascinating dive.
5. Great White Wall
Great White Wall is an advanced dive site for scuba enthusiasts. Here, divers discover a dramatic drop-off adorned with white and lavender corals. This area is ecologically important, providing a critical habitat for various marine species in the region.
