Diving Garden Island Resort. Taveuni. Fiji Islands

Garden Island Resort Accommodation
Fed by the nutrient-rich waters that flow through the Somosomo Strait, Taveuni's Rainbow Reef is home to one of the world's greatest displays of soft coral. Scuba diving in Taveuni is world class.  This is Fiji's first PADI Gold Palm Resort facility and Taveuni's first nitrox facility.  Rainbow Garden Island Resort is the closest establishment to the Rainbow Reef. In just 15-20 minutes our swift 30ft. custom dive vessels will whisk you away to famous dive sites such as the Great White Wall, The Ledge, Annie's Bommie, Blue Ribbon Eel Reef, and more.
Garden Island Resort was recently awarded the 2002 Rodale's Scuba Diving Readers' Choice Award for ... Best Value as a Resort in the World ! #1 Best Value as a Resort in the World #1 Best Dive Staff in the World #1 Best Resort Staff in the World #2 Best Overall Dive Resort in the World (for the second year in a row!) #3 Best Dive Operation in the World (Up from #8 last year!) Over 6,000 Rodale's readers worldwide rated their experiences on a scale of one to five. Inclusion in this list is considered "the cream of the crop" in dive destinations and resorts.
Taveuni Dive Sites 1. Dakuniba Pass is a 100 foot maximum (30 meters) wall dive where you'll see pelagics such as barracuda, sharks and tuna. There are also some beautiful gorgonian fans at this site which is about 30 minutes by boat from the resort. (Note that this is the most distant dive site that we visit.) It's only done on outgoing tides. 2. The Zoo, a 20 minute ride, also has its share of big fish including barracuda, reef sharks, bronze whalers, eagle rays and manta rays. It's a wall dive again with a 100 foot (30 meters) maximum depth that is only done on outgoing tides. 3. The Great White Wall is a legendary dive named because of the unusual soft coral that inhabit the area. Starting at a depth of about 50 feet (15 meters) and continuing to over 200 feet (60 meters), this underwater escarpment is covered with an almost luminescent white coral tinged with lavender. It's only 15 minutes by boat from the Garden Island Resort and is explored at a maximum depth of 100 feet (30 meters). Only dived on incoming tides. 4. Annie's Bommie has been likened to a coral head that glows like a Christmas tree. Only 65 feet (20 meters) down, it is lined with spectacular multi-colored soft coral that includes all shades of red, purple, violet, blue, yellow and white. The diversity of fish is also extraordinary including wrasse, parrot fish, damsels and a host of other species. 5. The Corner is located on the same reef as Annie's Bommie and is roughly the same distance from shore (15 minutes) and located at the same depth, 65 feet (20 meters) . There is a wonderful variety of multi-colored soft coral. It's called `The Corner' because it's actually a corner of a large reef. In reality it's an oasis of soft corals and there is often an unbelievable amount of fish life that the diver passes through. 6. The Ledge, located only 10 minutes from shore and at a depth of 65 feet (20 meters) is one of the most popular dives aside from the Great White Wall. It consists of a pinnacle of coral that rises from a depth of 200 to 250 feet (80 to 90 meters) almost to the surface. It's a magnet for reef fish and pelagics, with lion fish in residence in the overhangs and crevices. There are also outstanding soft corals here as well as a tremendous variety of underwater flora and fauna that makes for good night diving. Another plus is that it's easily accessible and great for photos. 7. Jerry's Jelly is a series of coral heads covered in every conceivable color of soft coral. It's a favorite of photographers because of the colors, the abundant tropical fish life, and the numerous small caverns and crevasses that mark the reef. It's located 15 minutes away by boat and is at a maximum depth of 65 feet (20 meters). 8. Blue Ribbon Eel Reef, a 15 minute boat ride and 65 to 85 foot (20 to 25 meters) dive, is done as a drift dive. There are some incredible violet soft corals as well as an amazing density and variety of fish. The main attraction of course is the blue ribbon eel, which measures about the length of a finger but has strikingly vivid bands of blue and yellow. Despite the coloration these eels are hard to find for neophytes but our dive guide can easily point them out. 9. The Yellow Tunnel is located 10 minutes away by boat and is at a depth of 85 feet (25 meters). It's an astounding display of yellow soft coral on a wall with a vertical swim-through. One actually swims through a chimney-like structure. There is also a wonderful variety of fish here. 10. The Cabbage Patch is a garden of unusual cabbage-shaped (hard) coral ranging in size from 3 to 15 feet (1 to 5 meters) in diameter. It's not unusual to see cabbage-shaped coral here but why they are here in such abundance is a mystery See picture below
Specialised Facilities Photogaphers will enjoy having a full-service photo center with E6 processing on site as well as dedicated rinse tanks. Camera rental and film sales are also available. Nitrox divers are encouraged to take advantage of the only dive center on Taveuni offering Nitrox. There are also Nitrox regulators for rental, and courses in enriched air diving are available. A small retail sales section offers diving accessories and souvenirs.
Questions and Answers about diving (supplied by Garden Island Resort)
1. Where will we be diving? All dives are at the world famous Rainbow Reef. This area includes patch reefs in the Somosomo Strait and the fringing reef on the southeast corner of Vanua Levu. The distance to the majority of sites from the resort ranges from 10 to 30 minutes by dive boat. On the patch reefs, the diving is fairly shallow (30 to 70 feet), but there can be challenging tidal currents. At the fringing reef section it is wall diving with deeper profiles (50 to 100 feet). A typical dive involves mooring, briefing, descent down a line, and a guided tour. Dives are calculated as multi-level dives following the PADI wheel. Drift dives are done when site and tide are favorable. 2. What can we expect to see down there? Rainbow Reef is famous for its multi-hued soft coral. The daily tidal currents in the Somosomo Strait produce a constant flow of nutrients that provides ideal conditions for soft coral growth, as well as sustains an incredible diversity and density of tropical fish life. The fringing reef area provides opportunities to experience larger fish and drop-offs. 3. What determines the day's dive locations? Three factors determine the dive locations. 1. Tides - The dive guides have learned over the years that certain sites are at their best on certain tides (incoming or outgoing). The wall dives, for example, are only done on outgoing tides as this is the only time current is generated there, and thus, when soft coral and fish are feeding. In the Strait, some sites are done only on an outgoing or an incoming tide, while others are good on both tides. 2. Weather - The Somosomo Strait is generally sheltered from rough seas but can be affected by surge. The fringing reef area is more exposed and sometimes we are unable to dive there due to choppy seas and strong surge. 3. Dive Schedule - Over a week's period you will have experienced a range of dive sites including the better known ones such as the Great White Wall, Blue Ribbon Eel Reef, etc. If you're in for just a short stay, we cannot guarantee particular sites due to the three above reasons. Dive sites are always confirmed in the morning. Please keep in mind that there is no such thing as the "best" dive on the Rainbow Reef, however, there is the best dive "that day" depending on the conditions. The dive guides will always try to dive the best dive sites available. 4. What is the water temperature and what exposure protection will I need? There are two distinct seasons for diving: Summer (November - April) and winter (May - October). During the summer months water temperature lies in the 80 - 85 Fahrenheit range (27 - 30 Celsius). A 2 mm Darlex or equivalent would suffice. During winter the water temperatures are in the 75 - 80 Fahrenheit range (24 - 27 Celsius). An 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch wetsuit or equivalent would be needed. 5. How much experience do I need to dive Rainbow Reef? The currents can be challenging in the Somosomo Strait. Depending on the state of the tide there can either be strong incoming or outgoing flows. Also, due to the unique topography of the Strait, the current actually flows over as well as around the reef. The upshot is that the stronger currents are in the shallower sections of reef. To safely accommodate divers in this situation, our dive crew will anchor a descent line down which enables divers to descend and ascend through even a strong current. Once down on the reef there is considerably less current. The best advice is to listen to the dive crew as they are the experts and know the sites intimately 6. What time do the dive trips depart and return to the Resort? The boats start loading at 8:30 to 8:45 am. After two dives, with a surface interval at a lovely beach, the boats arrive back at the Resort at approximately 1:00 to 1:30 pm (for a late lunch and a relaxing afternoon). Guests should meet at the Dive Center at 8:15 am. 7. How is our dive equipment organized before and after the dives? Guests' equipment will be assembled, checked and loaded by the dive staff prior to their arrival in the morning. At the end of the trip all gear will be rinsed, disinfected, dried and stored at the Dive Center. There will be a camera rinse bin ready upon your return and over lunch you may want to leave your camera/video gear rinsing. (I deleted a sentence here) For guests without gear, we rent a large selection of Seaquest BCDs, Sherwood Regulators, wetsuits, masks and fins at reasonable rates. We have a multi-system video unit for those wishing to replay the day's recordings. For those who wish to try underwater photography, we rent cameras. 8.What facilities are offered for underwater photographers and videographers? Aqua-Trek Taveuni (formerly Rainbow Reef Divers) has a full-service Photo Center which offers a variety of photography and video supplies and services. The Center is situated in the Dive Center complex and offers E-6 slide processing, camera rentals, video viewing facilities and a light table for viewing slides. For those who would like to enhance their photographic skills, we offer PADI specialty courses on underwater photography and video. 9. Can I take my non-diving partner on the dive boat? No, we do not take non-divers with us. Invariably, we are full to our Marine Survey limit with divers. Also, the dive sites are generally unsuitable for snorkeling due to the depth and current. Furthermore, if the water is rough the boat passenger may become seasick, making the wait for the divers most unpleasant. The resort runs daily snorkeling trips to Korolevu Island which has wonderful beaches and superb snorkeling. The more adventurous can arrange special snorkeling trips to the Rainbow Reef (weather and tides permitting). 10. When are afternoon or night dives scheduled? Afternoon and night dives are run, weather and tide permitting, when we have four or more guests interested. Generally speaking the diving conditions tend to be rougher in the afternoons, and at night we must be careful with tidal currents. Please check with the dive staff as to whether conditions are suitable. Night dives can be extremely memorable due to the soft and hard coral feeding, plus the emergence of nocturnal fauna. 11. If I'm on a pre-paid dive package and I don't complete the dives can I be refunded or share the dives with others? Sorry, but no. In order to offer very reasonable packages we do not refund unused sections of packages nor allow them to be shared. Before you leave, a good policy is to buy travel insurance in case of airline delay, inclement weather, sickness, etc. If we are unable to provide diving services due to mechanical failures or other reasons we will endeavor to make up the dives or will provide appropriate refunds if this is not possible. Afternoon and night dives are not part of packages and cannot be pre-booked or pre-paid.