Fiji
November 2-12, 2022
Fiji is the ‘Soft Coral Capital of the World’ as quoted by Jean-Michael Cousteau. Three hundred and ninety species of soft and hard corals plus over 1200 fish species have created what may be the most colorful reefs in the world. An underwater topography that has caverns, canyons, swim-through, incredible wall dives, and frequent shark encounters entices divers from the palm lined beaches of white sand. Fiji is the perfect pacific island getaway.
Trip Details
Shark Marine Reserve and Taveuni Island:
On this trip we are headed to the Shark Marine Reserve for 2 days of exhilarating shark diving south of Pacific Harbor (north of Beqa Lagoon). The area is famous for its bull sharks and the occasional tiger. Divers are required to pay a levy ($25FJ), which goes back to the local village in exchange for them not fishing in the area. This has allowed marine life to thrive and shark numbers to replenish.
Taveuni Island, northeast of Viti Levu is the soft coral capital of the world with amazing dive sites such as Rainbow Reef, the Great White Wall and other locations nearby. The Rainbow Reef is a 32km reef in the Somosomo Strait between the islands of Tavenui and Vanau Levu. It is a famous dive site.
Dates: Nov 2-12, 2022
Duration: 10 nights/11 days
Package Costs:
$3120 USD per person (2 divers – double occupancy – double or two single beds)
$2945 USD per person (3 divers – 2 bedroom)
$3900 USD per person (1 diver – solo diver/traveler)
$2200 USD per person (Non-diver shared with diver)
$3050 USD per person (1 diver shared with a non-diver)
$2220 USD per person (Non-Diver double occupancy rate)
$3150 USD per person (Non-Diver single occupancy)
*Non-diver rate includes: Taveuni Day trip, one jet lag massage, and 2 snorkel trips on the dive boat. Divers can add-on at the resort.
Getting to Fiji:
Arrival: Wednesday Nov 2, 2022
Departure: Saturday Nov 12, 2022
To/From North America:
Fiji Airways flies from LAX or SFO to NAN (Nadi, Fiji)
Leaving from the US will be on Oct 31st, 2022
We are currently working on group rates for Fiji Airways- please do not book travel until you hear from us.
Domestic flights to/from Taveuni need to be included in your international ticket for extra weight/baggage allowances with Fiji Airways.
The flight time from Los Angeles or San Francisco is approximately 11 hours with direct flight options.
We estimate pricing to be around $1300.00 USD from LAX/SFO roundtrip, TBC.
To/From Australia:
International Flight/s: There are a number of airlines that fly to Fiji including Fiji Airways (best option), Jetstar, Qantas, Singapore. If you are traveling from Australia flights can vary from $600-$1000 AUD, it takes about 4.5 hours with a direct flight.
Exclusions:
Dive gear rental ($20 US/day on Taveuni)
Nitrox $10 US/per tank
Massages or add-on day trips to explore Taveuni Island or Pacific Harbour (*Non-divers Taveuni Day trip, jet lag massage and 2 snorkel trips are included)
Digicell SIM card approx. $30FJ at Nadi airport (best for remote Fiji) or Vodafone pocket wifi hotspot
Alcohol or beverages
Lunch & Dinner in Pacific Harbor
Shark Reef Marine Reserve Levy ($25 FJ)
Airfares: International & Domestic
Travel Insurance / DAN Dive Insurance
In room wifi, $15FJ a day if installed in time on Taveuni.
Price Includes:
3 nights at Pearl South Pacific includes:
Full cooked breakfast
Wifi
Non-motorized water activities
Fire walking show
Accommodation in renovated marina view or ocean view rooms
3-4 dives at the Shark Marine Reserve
7 nights at Paradise Taveuni includes:
Meals: full cooked breakfast, along with 2 course lunch and a delicious 3 course dinner after a full day of diving
5 Day Dive Package – 3 tank boat dives (16 dives)
FREE shore dives daily from 7am – 5pm, excluding dive gear
Accommodation in Oceanfront Vale rooms or Oceanview Family Bure
Wifi in main bure and restaurant
Fijian Cultural Show/Dance
Up to 15-20 Dives (includes tanks and weights)
Land transfers from airports to hotels and back
Presentations on marine wildlife – sharks and corals
Travel and explore with a marine biologist and educational expert
Photography and editing advice provided
Friendly atmosphere
Certified dive guides
Getting to experience local culture
Itinerary:
Wed Nov 2nd – Arrival into Nadi – Transit to shark dives (3 hours drive)
Thurs. Nov 3rd – Shark Dives – Shark Marine Reserve (stay at Pearl South Pacific Resort)
Fri. Nov 4th – Shark Dives – Shark Marine Reserve (stay Pearl South Pacific Resort)
Sat Nov 5 – Fly to Taveuni from Nadi (domestic flight, stay at Paradise Taveuni)
Sun. Nov 6th – Taveuni – Diving Great White Wall
Mon. Nov 7th - Taveuni – Diving Great White Wall
Tues. Nov 8th - Taveuni – Diving
Wed. Nov 9th - Taveuni – Diving
Thurs. Nov 10th - Taveuni – Diving
Fri. Nov 11th -Taveuni – Sightseeing
Sat. Nov 12th – Depart to Nadi and connecting to international flights
Group Size:
The trip will be limited to 12-20 pax (includes expedition leaders) for photographers/divers. This is a co-ed trip. Photography assistance will be available to help you get the most out of your trip. *Please bring/or have a copy of your SCUBA certification cards. Divers must be open water certified with at least 10 dives post certification for the shark dives.
More About Fiji:
Fiji is a group of roughly 330 tropical islands in Melanesia in the South Pacific, Fiji is roughly 1100 miles northeast of New Zealand. The capital and gateway city, Nadi, is located on Viti Levu, one of the two major islands.
The currency is the Fijian Dollar (FJ).
The electric current is 240 volts. Fiji has three-pin power outlets, which are identical to Australia and New Zealand.
The traditional Fijian language is made up of a number of dialects, with the official interpretation being Bau Fijian.
Visibility: During the dry season, visibility is often 100’+ outside the lagoons. The Bligh Waters can have high visibility even in the wet season, ranging from 80-100ft.
Weather: November marks the beginning of Fiji’s summer. The days start to get a little warmer than previous months of the year with the maximum average daytime temperatures reaching 29°C / 84.
Average Water Temperatures in November: 80-82F/ 26-27C
Diving in a 3mm wetsuit should be sufficient during this timeframe.
For more info on diving on Taveuni, click here.
Power Adapters for travelers from the US and other countries:
Type I: mainly used in Australia, New Zealand, China, the South Pacific and Argentina. This socket only works with plug I. These are available on Amazon. Please check your electronics to make sure they convert 120V to 240V. Most laptops, cameras, phones, battery chargers, automatically convert.
How to secure your spot:
Please note that this trip has limited spots, so you will need to get in quick to secure your booking. The following payments will be required:
$500 USD to secure your spot
25% of remaining balance due August 1st, 2022
70% of remaining balance due Sept 30th, 2022
We will be in touch via e-mail for your payment and provide individual invoices with the details above.
Payment Info:
In the US:
Chase Bank
Kimberly B Randall
Receiving Bank Address: 383 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10017 USA
Account No: 731089022 / Routing Number: 021000021
In Australia :
HSBC Bank – US Dollars
Amanda Delaforce
BSB: 342091 / Swift Code: HKBAAU2S
Account Number: 816462439
Outside of the US and Australia Wire Transfer:
Recipient: Kimberly B Randall
Bank: Chase Bank
Receiving Bank Address: 383 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10017 USA Account No: 731089022
SWIFT Code: CHASU33
If you need alternate payment options (such as Revolut, Zelle, Wise, PayPal, Venmo, etc please contact us for options).
Terms and Conditions
Designed for Scuba highly recommends you purchase travel and dive insurance as soon as possible after confirming your travel plans.
Evidence of adequate travel and dive insurance must be provided prior to departure.
Bookings made more than 100 days out from the start of a trip require a deposit of $500.00 US per passenger to secure your booking.
All deposit/s are non-refundable.
Bookings made less than 100 days out from tour commencement require payment in full to secure your booking.
Payment in full is required 100 days out from the start of the tour. We will email you a final payment reminder. No refunds will be given within 100 days of the start of any trip, under any circumstances.
If our In-country providers cancel or if aForce Majeure Event occurs, meaning any act of God, war, terrorism, fire, flood or any other extreme weather conditions, loss of power, epidemics or pandemics, industrial disputes, slow-downs or other strike activities, riots or civil disturbances, acts of government, semi government or other authorities, inability to obtain any necessary license or consent and delays caused by sub-contractors, suppliers or other third parties (including telecommunications carriers), material shortages or other disruption to the trip beyond our control, Designed for Scuba shall not be held responsible for matters outside of our control or any failure to deliver the trip.
Please ensure you understand our cancellation policy prior to providing any money and agreeing to the booking and trip.