With over 300 islands scattered in the cerulean waters of the South Pacific, it’s no wonder that Fiji sits atop the must-visit list of many—if not all—divers. Renowned for its kaleidoscopic soft coral, sharks, and thriving reefs, the underwater world is truly a marvel.
Topside, you’ll find the stunning tropical landscapes of your dreams, with paradisiacal beaches, clear lagoons, swaying palm trees, and a vibrant native culture. Most of the population lives on two main islands; Vanua Levu and Viti Levu, home to the capital city of Suva.
There are spectacular resorts scattered all around the islands and plenty of activities to keep you busy during dry days too. But if you really want to immerse yourself in Fijian waters, you can’t beat a liveaboard. There’s only one dedicated dive boat in Fiji, but several adventure cruises offer limited diving as well.
Here you’ll find reviews of all three boats so that you can choose which one best suits your needs and budget. Let’s dive into our reviews of the best liveaboards in Fiji.
Diving in Fiji is good all year round. July until December has the best visibility with water temperatures ranging from 72 to 77 F (22-25 C).
Fiji Princess
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The Fiji Princess cruise offers guests the chance to snorkel in some of the most pristine waters in the world. The Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands are home to some of the best snorkeling spots in Fiji, with clear waters, abundant marine life and abundant soft coral. These idyllic islands lie off the western coast of Viti Levu, and have some…
Key facts
Things we like:
- Exceptionally attentive crew
- Thoughtful cabin gift on arrival
- Meals varied and of great quality
- A good choice of watersports activities included
- Twice-weekly Captain’s Dinners
- Predominantly adults only, with specific weeks available to families
Things we don’t like:
- Cabins are small
- Only limited diving available
Where to book Fiji Princess:
Nai’a
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Famed for spectacular soft coral, breathtaking marine life, and crystal-clear waters, Fiji is a world-renowned scuba diving destination. Home to over 1,500 species of fish and 400 corals, Fiji boasts one of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems in the world. With visibility often exceeding 130 feet (40 m) and a selection of walls, drift dives, wrecks, and shallow reefs, Fiji…
Key facts
Things we like:
- Delicious food
- Wide array of marine life including sharks, mantas, and spectacular soft coral
- Dedicated camera room
- Wonderful friendly crew
Things we don’t like:
- Nitrox costs extra
- Some cabins lack space
The Caledonian Sky
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With crystal-clear waters and a kaleidoscope of color from the vibrant soft coral and beautiful marine life, Fiji is recognized the world over as a fantastic destination for divers. Particularly attractive to underwater photographers and videographers, are the huge variety of hard and soft corals, an incredibly diverse range of fish, and pelagics including sharks, rays, dolphins, and five of…
Key facts
Things we like:
- Exceptionally spacious and luxurious cabins
- Friendly and attentive staff
- Range of itineraries from 3 to 14 nights
- Diving available through partner Viti Water Sports
- Onboard marine biologist
Things we don’t like:
- Expensive: Standard cabins range from around$2100 per person for three nights to $9800 per person for 14 nights
- Cruise with limited diving rather than a dedicated dive liveaboard
- Diving costs extra
Where to book The Caledonian Sky:
Liveaboards in Fiji
The Nai’a sets sail from Lautoka, with transfers provided to and from the capital of Nadi, home to the international airport. Both adventure cruises depart from Port Denarau/Nadi. The Nai’a itinerary brings divers right to most of the country’s most spectacular dive sites, including Namena Reserve and the Bligh Water.
The wide variety of dive sites, from reefs to wrecks to drifts, means that a liveaboard trip here is suitable for both novice and experienced divers. The water is warm and clear year-round. Dive trips usually last from a week to 10 days, and you can expect a huge variety of sea life and a rainbow of color on every reef.
Apart from diving, take some time to enjoy topside Fiji’s culture, resorts, and land-based activities either before or after your liveaboard trip.
The Bligh Waters stretch between the two main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, offering strong, rich currents of clear water, abundant marine life, and some of the most stunning and iconic coral formations in the South Pacific. Some of the best dive sites are E6, Mount Mutiny, and Cat’s Meow. Expect lots of rays, sharks, and tuna, as well as macro delights like nudibranchs and pipefish.
This area is famous for its shark diving, where divers can get up close and personal with some of the most powerful and majestic predators in the ocean. Stunning coral reefs, wrecks, and caves round out the offerings in this area. Our top dive site picks are Shark Reef Marine Reserve and the Tasu II wreck.
As one of the largest no-take reserves in the country, covering an area of 23 square miles (60 square km), this area protects a diverse and healthy ecosystem with astounding biodiversity—and some of the best diving in Fiji. Some popular dive sites in the reserve are North Save-a-Tack Passage, Two Thumbs Up, and Mushrooms.
Kadavu is famous for its pristine and diverse coral reefs, which are part of the Great Astrolabe Reef, the fourth largest barrier reef in the world. Top picks for the area include Manta Reef and Yellow Wall, which is bursting with stunning yellow soft corals.
What to know about liveaboard diving in Fiji
- Getting to Fiji is relatively easy as several airlines have regular flights from international locations such as Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Sydney, and some countries in Europe. You’ll land at Nadi International Airport. From there you can take a number of domestic flights to other airports around the various islands.
- The languages spoken in Fiji are Fijian and Hindi, though most people speak English too.
- Fiji is known for exporting minerals, fishing, and tourism, which makes Fiji one of the most affluent islands in the Pacific.
- The currency in Fiji is the Fijian Dollar.
- Make sure that you always drink filtered water.
- Dive season in Fiji is all year round.
- Between July and December you’ll find the best visibility, up to 130 feet (40 m). The water is also at its coldest at during this time (74F/23C), so bring a full wetsuit for comfort.
- Although you can dive year-round, the busiest season is during the Fijian winter of May through October. This is also the annual holiday time for the country, which means prices go up and the beaches get a little busier than usual.
- November, April, and May are favorites among divers because of how warm the water is at this time, ranging from 82-86F (28-30C). This is also the rainy season, which is ideal if you would like to see manta rays and whale sharks.
Take a moment to look at this.
I stayed in Savusavu for three glorious weeks about 10 years ago. I walked to the Cousteau Resort just down the dirt road out of town and found a Divemaster with nothing to do. After negotiating (a very reasonable) price, we dove together on four consecutive days in the Namena Reserve. Wonderful, warm, clear water with tons of fish I’ve never seen before. The people on the island were friendly, courteous & most spoke English. I stayed at a hotel in town (the old Best Western), not on a dive boat. Plenty of time at the local pub called the Copra Shed; good food & cold beer. I would recommend Fiji to everyone with a little time.