The Best Hotels for Diving in Fiji

Located on the northern coast of the main island is the family-run Volivoli Beach Resort. An experienced and dedicated SSI and Padi dive resort, Volivoli provides easy access to Bligh Water, home to some of the best diving in Fiji. The 32 rooms and beach huts on Fiji are simple but handsome, strategically spread along the peninsula to maximise the views.

Matava Eco, on the remote south shore of Kadavu, is the fourth largest island in the Fiji archipelago. With no road links, there’s an emphasis on sustainability here, with the bure (Fijian-style bungalows) powered by the sun. It’s also home to a five-star Padi dive centre, with access to the Great Astrolabe, one of the largest barrier reefs in the world and home to manta rays and reef sharks.

Out of sight on the remote, road-free Ono Island, the family-run Oneta Resort offers an intimate stay with only eight bungalows and villas, done up in traditional style and set on a wide, white-sand bay. There’s a strong focus on sustainability at this beach hotel in Fiji, and the Oneta can organise diving excursions to the Great Astrolabe, the largest barrier reef in Fiji.

Garden Island Resort unfolds along an attractive rocky strip of Taveuni Island. The 32 rooms and bungalows are modern, with great sea views, but the real emphasis is on activities. Golf, nature walks and cultural tours can be arranged, as well as Padi classes and access to more than 20 world-class dive sites.

One of only a few resorts on the secluded Beqa Island, this resort offers a private, luxurious activity-based escape. Accommodation takes the form of 25 deluxe, air-conditioned Fijian-style villas, spread over lush tropical gardens and picturesque beaches. The on-site Padi operation provides access to more than 100 dive sites, including walls and wrecks. Or you can try no-lessons-needed hookah snorkelling, in which air is pumped to your regulator from the surface.

Comprising just 17 Fijian-style bungalows and villas fronting a stunning white sand peninsula on Qamea Island is the intimate Qamea Resort and Spa Fiji. When you’ve spent enough time above ground, an in-house, fully Padi-accredited five-star dive operation can take you to world-class dive sites such as the Purple Wall, Qamea Freeway, Playground Reef and many more.

The highlight at the Mantaray Island Resort is, unsurprisingly, its namesake manta rays; these impressive filter feeders are frequent visitors to the area from May to October. And the dive centre here, which runs two- and three-day courses, is the only accredited free-diving operator in Fiji. Accommodation runs the gamut from beds in an attractive dorm to beachfront villas.

Tokoriki Island Resort, located at the northern extent of the Mamanuca Islands, is an adults-only, boutique beach hotel in Fiji. An on-site five-star Padi outpost, the Gold Palm Dive Centre, is an environmentally conscious operation with a strict no-touch policy on all marine life, and the resort is an ideal jumping off point to explore a variety of dive sites with hundreds of fish species and soft and hard corals. To get there, you can organise a taxi and boat ride from Nadi airport through the hotel (or a chopper if you’re feeling flush).

Carrying the revered Cousteau name, the luxurious Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort in Savusavu is the only resort in Fiji with a marine biologist as part of the full-time team. Quiz Johnny Singh on the local waters, or join one of his evening presentations for a more in-depth look at the local marine life. A variety of dive sites to suit different levels of experience, including the rich Namena Marine Reserve, are just a short boat journey away. Accommodation takes the form of attractive faux-rustic villas and bungalows.

Wananavu Beach Resort is the ideal base if you’re planning on diving in Bligh Water. This five-star dive resort, complete with Padi centre, is in the northeast of Viti Levu, near Rakiraki, a couple of hours’ drive from Nadi. It’s an area that’s largely untouched by tourists, so it has an authentic Fijian vibe that extends to the accommodation and service at the resort.

Taveuni, Fiji’s third island, is a great option if you’re hankering after some of the best scuba diving in the country. Taveuni Dive Resort has been designed for divers, by divers. It has a strong focus on sustainability while retaining the authenticity of the local Taveuni culture, using solar power and rooftop rain harvesting. The handsome rooms and bungalows are spacious and topped off with attractive local touches.

Namale Resort in Savusavu offers a holistic, luxury scuba-diving experience, with top service and facilities, in an idyllic setting, so it’s no wonder it has hosted many celebrities over the years. Nearby dive sites include the Namena Marine Reserve, Purple Gardens, the Rainbow Reef and the Somosomo Straits. And because they’re only a short boat ride away, you can head back to shore for your surface interval. There’s also a heap of other watersports available, including stand-up paddleboarding and sea kayaking.