It's always been on my "to-do" list - Dive Fiji. I had read the dive magazines and knew it would be cool, but I had no idea!
Our journey started with the trip to LA to catch the flight to Nadi, Fiji. Several of us arrived early in the day in Los Angeles and decided to go site seeing. We rented a car and driver and had a great afternoon.
The flight to Nadi (prounouced "Nan-dee") was eleven hours. It was a long flight, but well worth it. We left Thursday eveing, arriving on Saturday morning. Have to love that International Date Line. Lose a day going and get it back on the way home.
We arrived at the Wananavu Beach Resort and were greeted by smiling faces and a beautiful view. The resort is built on a hill side so you get a view at almost every turn. Our bures had views of the ocean and some were located on the beach.
The staff of the Wananavu gave new meaning to customer service. Everyone made every effort to make sure your every need was met. They quickly learned your name and by the end of the trip, they felt like family.
Our dive operator was located on site. It was a quick trip from our bures to get to the boat and go diving. Wananavu is located on the upper tip of Leti Vitu in an area known as the Sun Coast. The area we were diving is know as the Bligh Waters. That name should sound familar- the area is named for Captain Bligh of Mutiny on the Bounty fame. This is the area where he was set adrift by his crew.
The Bligh Waters are normally only dove by the live aboard boats. The reefs are in pristine shape and the colors and fish are breath taking. Fiji is famous for its soft corals. We never saw another dive boat other than the operators boat the entire time. It felt like we wre exploring uncharted waters. In fact, we had the privilage of diving a new site and naming it. If you go to Fiji and dive a site called "Holy Cow"- we were there.
After a fun morning of diving we enjoyed a variety of activities. The on-site spa was a hit. They also had a cultural presentation each afternoon so we could learn about the life of the locals. The trip was topped off by a visit to a local village. We were treated to a demonstration of local dances and a hike to a natural water fall.
It was well worth the long flight to Fiji. We are already planning for the next time.
