Diving in Fiji
Village Visits
Many travellers visit Fijian villages or Indian settlements, which certainly provide an insight into traditional life. While cultural exchange is the essence of travel, uninvited guests and trekkers who suddenly show up in a community can be extremely disruptive and, what's more, the government actually encourages the community to frown upon interlopers. Fijians, being generous people, will provide the visitor, even the uninvited freeloader, with their last spoonful of instant coffee or last tin of jam without uttering a peep. There is no question that when visitors are around, the normal routine of the village changes. Gardens do not get weeded, chores are put off and the attention goes to the entertainment of the guest. Visitors may not even realise the burden they can become.
Fijian culture dictates that the stranger be treated with the utmost hospitality and unfortunately some people take advantage of this. You should realise that although Fijians are rich in spirit, they are often very poor materially. You should always match your host's generosity by purchasing groceries and practical gifts if you plan to stay for a while. (See the Avoiding Offence section under Culture in the Facts about the Country chapter for more information.)
Trekking
Trans-island trekkers or visitors to outer islands where there are no visitor facilities should not camp unless permission is given by the village. Nor should you assume that you can automatically stay in a village. Villages are simply not equipped to handle guests nor to provide guides if someone wanders in looking for the right trail. Thus, even the best-intentioned visitors can become a nuisance. The government is reacting to this type of activity by considering ways of limiting backpackers to certain rural areas.
Aside from possible disruption of village life, hiking in the bush can be dangerous to the uninitiated and unprepared. Monsoon-like rains often wash out trails and it is easy to get lost in the rainforest. Backpackers have often been stranded, sometimes with injuries, in remote areas awaiting rescue from villagers or government officials - certainly not the way to spend a vacation. When in doubt about camping or hiking, always enquire at the Lands & Survey section of the Ministry of Lands (tel 211 516) in Suva, or the Forestry Department (tel 301 611).
Diving & Snorkelling
Most of Fiji's islands are bounded by reefs where tropical fish of every colour and description thrive. Those in the know say that three of Fiji's dive locales - Beqa Lagoon, Astrolabe Lagoon and Taveuni - are world-class in calibre. What accounts for this? Just several hundred km from Fiji is the Great Tongan Trench where upwelling waters rich in nutrients nourish Fiji's ocean life. This steady food supply provides for an abundance of sea life. Locals say the sharks are not a problem for divers in the area, although for me sharks are always a concern. But that's my problem.
If you are a weak swimmer or a novice at snorkelling you have much more to fear from strong currents than creatures of the deep. Inevitably a visitor to Fiji drowns each year, but not because of shark attacks. Rather, the visitor has literally jumped off the plane and into the water, unprepared for a strong current or a riptide. There are absolutely no warning signs in Fiji for hazardous currents or surf so if you feel your safety is in doubt, ask someone first. As David E Robb, a reader from London aptly put it, 'Do not go snorkelling alone without fins or local knowledge.'
Dive-shop owners in Fiji point out that because Fiji is a relatively remote destination, thousands of km of its reefs are as yet unexplored by divers. Despite the remoteness of the destination, Fiji's reefs are more accessible for Australians than the Great Barrier Reef and cheaper for North Americans than Hawaii. However, you need not be a scuba diver to appreciate the fish - snorkelling is also excellent and easily learned. Nor should you feel that because you don't know how to dive this should prevent you from learning in Fiji. The warm waters of Fiji (which average about 28\*C annually) are more conducive to learning than the frigid waters of the US west coast. Visibility can exceed 60 metres on a good day, but can be reduced to 20 metres or less when the water is turgid or on days with heavy plankton bloom.
The best time of the year to visit for diving purposes is from April to November, when trade winds blow more favourably, the water is clearer and the fish are more active. Divers are advised to bring their own regulator, mask, snorkel and fins. If you don't have or don't want to bring gear, most operators have equipment that can be rented. To be sure about rentals, check ahead of time. Keep in mind that spearfishing in Fiji is prohibited for conservation reasons. Also, as electrical standards are 240 V, underwater photographers and night divers should bring converters to assure proper charging of their gear.
Expect to pay F$325 to F$450 (plus tax) for an open-water certification course approved by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). This should include all equipment such as tanks, regulator, fins, snorkels etc. Note that some dive operators such as Aqua-Trek specialise in teaching, whereas others such as Dive Taveuni are simply underwater tour guides.
Those who wish to take a resort course or an open-water certificate course must bring a medical certificate stating that they are fit to dive. If you don't have the document in hand (and you are not able to see a local doctor) forget about diving with a legal dive operator. They will not touch you for fear of legal repercussions.
As a point of interest, Fiji now has a diver recompression chamber in Suva. This apparatus is for treating a scuba diver who gets the 'bends' which may occur if the unlucky individual ignores the standard safety procedures and stays below too long or rises too fast. There is also a nationwide set-up to provide medvac and recompression for diving accidents. Sally Cammick of Sea Fiji recommends that any visitors intending to dive should obtain insurance which will cover costs for recompression if any injuries occur.
For those interested in researching dive sites and resorts in Fiji and other areas I recommend Undercurrent - the private, exclusive guide for serious divers , a newsletter published in Sausalito, California. This publication accepts no paid advertising and sends out reporters to visit and assess dive resorts and dive sites anonymously. The cost is US$39 per year. Write to PO Box 1658 Sausalito, CA 94965, USA for more details.
Should you be interested in a 'live-aboard' dive trip, your dive tour operator in Australia or the USA should be able to book you on the 18.5-metre Matagi Princess , which operates in the Taveuni area, or the 35-metre Pacific Nomad which visits the Astrolabe Reef and northern Lau.
Snorkelling Sites Just as diving conditions may vary according to microclimatic conditions (such as rainfall), season and other factors, so it goes with snorkelling. Some of the better areas that readers have recommended include: Namotu Island, better known as 'Magic Island', which is very close to Tavarua (the surfing resort) about 12 km off Momi Bay in the Mamanuca group; Natadola Beach, about 54 km from Nadi Airport; the deep channel off Tagaqe village, about 12 km east of Hideaway Resort; Plantation Hideaway, on Kadavu; Nananu-i-Ra off Rakiraki in Viti Levu; and Leleuvia off Ovalau. There are dozens of other spots; your best bet is to ask around. Normally local divers will know where to go. Dive operators often take snorkellers to excellent offshore sites when space permits in their boats; ask at dive centres.
Snorkelling Safety Tips My good friend and fellow traveller Sophia Banerji suggested that those new to snorkelling and underwater activities in general, should keep this cardinal rule in mind - do not touch. Unfortunately, the most brilliantly coloured and attractive creatures can be those which could give a nasty, if not fatal, sting or poison. Coral cuts should always be cleaned thoroughly, as warm climates encourage infection. Keep in mind the following tips:
1. Use a water-resistant sun block and/or wear a T-shirt. Those rays are potent, especially to the fair-skinned. Protection should cover all the same spots that clothes cover, otherwise, serious sunburn is the likely result. And don't forget the sensitive backs of your knees.
2. Practise and test your equipment in shallow water. Don't snorkel without fins. Currents can be very strong.
3. Don't snorkel alone and if you are inexperienced and/or don't know the area, ask about the local conditions.
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