Underwater Photo Gallery: Divers Paradise in Fiji
Andy Sallmon and Allison Vitsky SallmonDiving Fiji: Coral Reefs of Beqa Lagoon
Fiji's famous shark-feeding dive, Beqa Lagoon, boats an array of colorful soft coral perfect for diving.
Andy Sallmon and Allison Vitsky SallmonDiving Fiji: Bligh Water's Cathedrals Paradise
Bligh Water's E6 dive site features a large swim through cleverly named Cathedrals decorated by gorgonian and soft coral.
Andy Sallmon and Allison Vitsky SallmonDiving Fiji: Coral Reefs of Beqa Lagoon
Beqa Lagoon has much to offer and staying shallow won't ruin the fun; this lagoon offers some of the world's most beautiful safety stops.
Andy Sallmon and Allison Vitsky SallmonDiving Fiji: Fiji"s Colorful Coral Reefs
Taken using a circular fisheye lens on a full-frame digital SLR camera, this photo displays Fiji's marvelous coral reefs and fish life.
Andy Sallmon and Allison Vitsky SallmonDiving Fiji: Fiji"s Colorful Coral Reefs
With all of the beautiful soft-coral-covered bommie on display, it's no wonder this diver paused to enjoy the view.
Andy Sallmon and Allison Vitsky SallmonDiving Fiji: Gorgeous Reefs of Fiji
Fiji's famed dive site, Grand Central Station in Namena Marine Reserve, is the perfect spot for coral-encrusted archs.
Andy Sallmon and Allison Vitsky SallmonDiving Fiji: Bligh Water's Nudibranch Haven
Fiji's Bligh Water has an abundant population of nudibranchs and would make any diver's day who has a passion for these creatures.
Andy Sallmon and Allison Vitsky SallmonDiving Fiji: Meke Dancers Display Fiji's Culture
Visitors can get a glimpse of Fiji's traditional culture by enjoying a display put on by a group of young Meke dancers.
Andy Sallmon and Allison Vitsky SallmonDiving Fiji: Lovo Feasts Boast Fijian Culture
Divers in need of some tranditonal Fijian cooking should search out a lovo feast, which includes banana-wrapped meats and a variety of root vegetables.
Andy Sallmon and Allison Vitsky SallmonDiving Fiji: Fangblennies Favorite Hot Spot
Fang blennies thrive in Fiji's abundant hard corals and you might even see one peering out at you.
Andy Sallmon and Allison Vitsky SallmonDiving Fiji: Crown Jellyfish Swims Along Current
A crown jellyfish swims adrift the current in Fiji's Namena Marine Reserve.
Andy Sallmon and Allison Vitsky SallmonDiving Fiji: Fiji's Marvelous Cabbage Coral
Beds of cabbage coral are a must see while diving through Nigali Passage and scouting sharks.
Andy Sallmon and Allison Vitsky SallmonDiving Fiji: Close Encounters With Bull Sharks
Divers will get a thrilling experience with close encounters of bull sharks while diving Beqa Lagoon.
Story Behind the Shot
I hovered next to the reef, marveling at the panorama before me while I held my camera listlessly by my side. I had never felt so photographically at a loss — how could I possibly do this site justice? I decided that my best bet was to start small, so I concentrated on the vibrant bommie in front of me. Through a swirling cloud of orange anthias, I could make out yellow, red and pink soft corals intermingled with bright-green Tubastraea. A school of brightly hued fusiliers curved overhead, and a vivid purple crown jellyfish pulsed past in the cobalt blue water. The morning sun, sharply visible at the surface, bathed the top of the scene in otherworldly rays. I half expected someone to cue background music or swim by with a sign stating the obvious: “Reef diving— it doesn’t get any better than this!” I’d long pondered why so many experienced, well-traveled divers loyally choose Fiji over other destinations year after year. After only 72 hours there, I no longer wondered about this archipelago’s mysterious magnetism. I had inspected tiny nudibranchs, swum with schools of barracuda and jacks, and come eye to eye with a 14-foot-long bull shark. Now I was in front of a technicolor reef that defied the rules of underwater light absorption, and when I surfaced, I’d watch the sun set over an exquisite array of South Pacific islets. I smiled and lifted my camera. Fiji’s appeal had become vividly clear, and I knew I’d be returning again and again.
Divers Guide to Fiji
Fiji’s wet season (December to early May) boasts water temperatures of 80 to 85°F, with 60-plus-foot visibility. The dry season offers lower water temperatures (75 to 80°F) and 100-plus feet of viz. Divers should always carry surface signaling equipment, such as surface marker buoys, due to often-strong currents.
The Bistro (Beqa Lagoon): Fiji’s most famous sharkfeeding dive is well attended by burly bulls and tigers, as well as a multitude of other sharks — trust us when we say that you’ll be outnumbered.This adrenalinecharged dive has a maximum depth of 85 feet.
Grand Central Station/Kansas (Namena Marine Reserve): Three sites in one, this dive begins with a sheer drop-off to 95 feet, where divers can see anything from scalloped hammerheads to schooling jacks. Follow the current across a sand channel and through a huge, soft-coral-festooned arch, and finish at Kansas, a shallow bommie covered with golden Sinularia leather corals, whose waving motion resembles a wheat field.
Mellow Yellow (Vatu-I-Ra Passage): Here are two bommies separated by a narrow channel; every nook, cranny and swim-through on the current-exposed side is covered with masses of bright-yellow soft coral. This site, which has a max depth of 70 feet, is also a hit with macro fanatics.
Go Now: Beqa Lagoon Resort
