The Bligh Waters of Fiji are widely considered one of the world's top diving destinations. This deep-water passage between Fiji's two primary islands is punctuated by bommies, seamounts and small coral-ringed islands where the ebb and flow of oceanic currents nurture some of the world's most prolific and colorful soft coral seascapes. Famous and often-photographed sites in the Bligh waters such as Mellow Yellow, E-6, Mount Mutiny, Black Magic Mountain, and more lure divers from around the world.
Dive sites in the Bligh Waters feature a colorful array of soft corals
For more than 30 years the go-to destination for diving the Bligh Waters has been the VoliVoli Beach Resort, which is home to Ra Divers Fiji. Set on a small peninsula at the northernmost point of Viti Levu Island, this award-wining operator provides daily access to more than 80-world class sites, some just minutes away from shore. With so much exceptional diving close at hand, it might be easy to overlook opportunities even closer at hand. And that's why VoliVoli's house reefs may be one of Fiji's most overlooked treasures.
VoliVoli Beach Resort is surrounded by water on three sides
With water surrounding three sides of the resort, there's a lot of underwater real estate lying right off the shore. In fact, VoliVoli has three house reefs that begin right at the water's edge, providing divers with an easily-accessed treasure trove of marine life to be discovered day or night. The list of what you may encounter on these sites is almost endless and includes seahorses, frogfish, nudibranchs, flat worms, pipefish, octopus, ornate ghost pipefish, robust ghost pipefish, cuttlefish, sea pens, feather stars, sea cucumbers, anemone and anemone fish, sea dragons, starfish, ornate cowfish, banded sea crates, green sea turtles, moray eels, small stingrays, crustaceans and of course soft and hard coral…………. the list just goes on and on.
Hundreds of hidden treasures can be found VoliVoli's house reefs
The West House Reef lies off a coconut palm-fringed beach, with a gently undulating slope down to depths of 60 feet. Divers can find interesting subjects in as little as three feet of water, but the favorite area is in the 15 to 30-foot range. The number one tip for diving this site is to go slow, as there's a lot to discover. On the opposite side of the resort grounds, the East House Reef follows a mangrove-lined shoreline. The mangroves not only play a vital role in reducing coastal erosion but also act as a protective nursery for juvenile marine life, including black tip reef shark pups. Like the West Reef, this site begins shallow, but then transitions to a wall-like drop-off. In this area you may also see the remains of ancient fish traps designed on traditional fishing techniques still used to this day by the local community.
Rounding out VoliVoli's trio of shore diving sites is the Front House Reef, which as the name indicates, lies directly in front of the resort and dive shop, mere steps from the shore with a very easy walk-in / walk-out entry. This site starts literally in knee-deep water and gradually slopes down over a sandy bottom, covered in a carpet of seagrass that provides a perfect hunting ground for the macro enthusiast. Seahorses, pipefish and a range of nudibranchs including Shaun the Sheep (Costasiella kuroshimae sp.) can be found here for those with a good eye.
VoliVoli's sea grass beds are home to variety of colorful invertebrates
All three of these House Reefs can be dived 24/7 and are teeming with life, however for best visibility incoming tides are recommended. Outgoing tides and periods after heavy rain will reduce visibility, but this also has some advantages for the keen ‘muck diver,’ as it requires you to focus on the small critters which are the true masters of disguise and more often than not are right in front of your mask. Photographers should not forget to pack a macro lens.
The house reefs are a favorite with macro photographers
VoliVoli's house reefs are the perfect complement to boat diving. If you are a morning person, try a dawn dive before the boats depart for the sites of the Bligh Waters. Or you might want to add a late afternoon or twilight dive after a full day of boat diving, or a night dive after dinner and before your dessert. These sites are also excellent for any dive groups wishing to finish off dive training such as open water, navigation, night and limited visibility practice, either with your own instructor or the professionals from Ra Divers Fiji. The house reefs are also the perfect location for Underwater photo pros to run workshops, as the reefs are easy to reach day or night from the resort's new dedicated camera room, which offers universal charging stations and a conference center with a multimedia system.
A room with a view at VoliVoli
Volivoli Beach Resort includes 33 ocean view fully air-conditioned rooms, five on-site swimming pools, three bars, two restaurants, a beautiful boutique and day spa. When not diving guests can relax in a hammock strung between palm trees over white sandy beaches, laze by one of the pools, hike Fiji’s largest waterfall, check out the tomb of Ratu Udre Udre, ‘the world’s most prolific cannibal’, take out a stand-up paddleboard or kayak, learn to cook some traditional Fijian delicacies or jump aboard an island discovery cruise, dolphin encounter charter or enjoy a tranquil sunset cruise.
Getting to Volivoli Beach Resort is easy, as there are no connecting flights or long boat rides required once landing on the international airport in Nadi. This means no wasting vacation, and more importantly dive time, spent waiting for additional flights or open sea transfers to outer islands, as well as no issues with reduced domestic luggage allowances. Guests are transported to the resort by private air-conditioned transport on a scenic ride up Viti Levu's Suncoast.
Learn More: www.caradonna.com/supplier/volivoli-beach-resort
About VolilVoli:
Volivoli Beach Resort's dive shop caters to divers of all skill levels and interests. A state-of-the-art fill station provides pure air, nitrox and oxygen fills, and the shop stocks more than 200 aluminum DIN and yoke cylinders in 7-ltr, 9-ltr, 12-ltr and 15-ltr sizes, plus some 3-ltr O2 and diluent cylinders for rebreathers. Also on hand for rental are a full range of late-model, well-serviced BCD’s, regulators w/computers, 3mm wetsuits, masks, fins and snorkels. Extensive gear storage areas, massive dedicated wash troughs and large rain head showers add to diver convenience. Expect water temperatures to vary from around 79⁰F during the middle of the year up to around 88⁰F in January and February.
Ready to plan a stay at VoliVoli Beach Resort and experience an amazing Fiji dive trip? Caradonna's agents can help you create the perfect itinerary, including flights, accommodations, diving and help with all the details of travel and entry. To learn more about travel to Fiji and VoliVoli Beach Resort, give us a call at 800-330-6611 or send us an email to sales@caradonna.com.