Fiji Was Fabulous! Our Fiji Scuba Diving Trip Report
Some trips are memorable. Some trips are meaningful.
And then there are trips like Fiji — the kind that reminds us why we travel, why we dive, and why community is at the heart of everything we do.
23 divers from all across the U.S. came together for two unforgettable weeks of warm water, calm seas, vibrant reefs, cultural connection, and nonstop laughter. Led by Global Adventures for Scuba Divers founders Adreon & Corey, this wasn’t just a dive trip — it was a shared experience that turned dive buddies into lifelong friends.
Life in Beqa Lagoon
Our journey began in Beqa Lagoon, where Fijian hospitality truly shines. We stayed in traditional bures arranged like a relaxed summer camp — the kind of place where connections form easily, laughter carries between paths, and everyone knows your name by day two. Our first week immersed us fully into Fijian-style comfort, connection, and community — setting the tone for everything that followed.
Cultural immersion was woven seamlessly into our time at Beqa. We experienced a powerful firewalking ceremony, participated in a traditional kava ceremony, and visited a nearby village and school — offering a meaningful, humbling glimpse into everyday Fijian life beyond the resort.
Beqa Diving & The Cathedral Shark Dive
Diving around Beqa was primarily focused on pinnacles and shipwrecks — both absolutely loaded with life. The pinnacles were alive with movement, while the wrecks offered a sense of exploration, each one now fully reclaimed by the reef and teeming with marine life.
But the main reason we came to Beqa — and for many, the unforgettable highlight of the week — was the shark diving.
The Cathedral Shark Dive
We were visited by four tiger sharks, including a confident 16-foot female who made it very clear she was the boss of the site. Seeing these apex predators glide through the water was awe-inspiring and quite humbling.
This dive sparked the most conversation. Some divers felt uncomfortable with how the tiger sharks were handled, noticing frequent poking by the handlers. What we learned after the dive is that tiger sharks operate within a strict pecking order, and not all individuals were respecting it that day. The handlers’ assertive behavior was done for diver safety.
That said, we do wish this had been more clearly explained before the dive. Better context ahead of time would have helped everyone process what they were witnessing.
This was also a feed dive, which naturally brings strong opinions. We chose to participate — tiger sharks are majestic, rarely seen in the wild, and encounters like this can help shift perceptions and reinforce that live sharks are worth far more than dead ones. Still, we fully respect that these dives aren’t for everyone, and the discussions that followed were meaningful and important.
Volivoli Beach Resort & the Bligh Waters
Our second week took us to Bligh Waters, and all we can say is… WOW.
Diving here felt like dropping into a living, breathing kaleidoscope. Endless hard and soft coral gardens stretched in every direction, with carpets of soft coral and anemones layered in brilliant oranges, yellows, and purples. Reef fish swarmed around us at every turn, while patient eyes were rewarded with an incredible variety of life — from colorful dragon nudibranchs and tiny critters (yes, including Shaun the Sheep) to seahorses, pipefish, turtles, eels, and cruising sharks. The biodiversity was impressive, and the health of the reefs was impossible to miss.
A few dive sites quickly rose to the top as group favorites: Purple Haze, Garden of Eden, and Potluck — each chosen for their beautifully arranged corals, vibrant color palettes, and sheer abundance of life.
Life at Volivoli
Above the water, Volivoli Beach Resort delivered just as much magic. The hospitality felt genuinely five-star, with staff knowing our names by day two and always greeting us with warm smiles. Modern accommodations tucked into the hillside offered stunning views, while meals were delicious and thoughtfully prepared, with much of the food locally sourced. Cultural experiences rounded out the week, including a Kava ceremony, a lively Meke performance, and a traditional Lovo BBQ. Evenings were spent soaking in glowing sunsets and stargazing under some of the clearest skies we’ve seen.
Adventure Beyond the Reef
Because diving is only part of the adventure…
At Global Adventures for Scuba Divers, we believe a great dive trip should offer more than just time underwater. We intentionally look for opportunities to add experiences that go beyond the typical dive itinerary — the kind that deepen connection, spark adventure, and let us experience a destination from a different perspective.
In Fiji, that meant stepping away from the ocean for a day and heading upriver for a full-day rafting adventure — and it delivered in every possible way. The day began with an unexpected twist: overnight rains had taken out the footbridge, meaning we had to jump into an eddy just to reach the launch point. Instant adventure, and a perfect reminder that the best stories often start slightly off-script.
Our guides — each with 15+ years on that river — were experts at reading every rapid, sharing stories of life in Fiji, and very intentionally soaking us at just the right moments. Nearly 70 waterfalls, dramatic gorges, and jaw-dropping scenery made this one of the most memorable days of the trip.
So Much to Celebrate!
One of our favorite parts of every adventure? Celebrations.
We ask about milestones in our trip form because if it’s important to you, it’s important to us — and Fiji gave us plenty of reasons to celebrate.
Between the bubbles, blue water, and big smiles, this trip was packed with moments worth cheering for:
🎂 Birthday splashes
Multiple birthdays celebrated the best way possible — underwater.
🎓 Leveling up underwater
New certifications and Nitrox upgrades, with divers expanding their skills and confidence beneath the surface
🤿 Dive-count milestones
From 100 dives to 200 dives, we celebrated major underwater milestones that represent years of passion and dedication.
Life milestones (the best kind)
Longtime friendships, relationship anniversaries, and even a wedding anniversary — proof that our trips celebrate more than just diving.
This is what our trips are really about — celebrating life’s biggest moments (and a few bubbles in between), surrounded by good people, epic diving, and memories that last way longer than your bottom time.
Because everything’s better when you celebrate it underwater. 💙
More Than a Trip — A Community
And maybe the best part of all? 23 divers became a true community. Over two weeks, strangers became dive buddies, dive buddies became friends, and friends became family. There were shared giant strides, post-dive laughs, late-night conversations, encouragement on challenging dives, and countless moments of support and celebration.
This is why we travel the way we do..
And this is why we’re already dreaming about the next adventure — together.
Looking Ahead…
While this trip was all about the experience in front of us, we also spent some quiet moments scouting behind the scenes for a future Fiji adventure.
All we’ll say for now is this: Fiji still has more magic to share.
Vinaka, Fiji — until next time.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I joined the Fiji trip with Global Adventures for Scuba Divers and it was one of the most memorable dive adventures I’ve ever had. During the trip I completed my 200th ocean dive, and Fiji was the perfect place to celebrate that milestone.
The diving in Beqa Lagoon and VoliVoli Beach Resort was absolutely incredible — vibrant reefs, healthy coral, huge schools of fish, and unforgettable shark encounters. Every dive felt different and exciting.
What really made the trip stand out though was how much more it included beyond diving. Experiences like the kava ceremony, traditional Fijian performances, village visit, and the rafting adventure upriver through waterfalls and jungle made the trip feel immersive and unique.
The stay at Volivoli Beach Resort was fantastic, with beautiful views, great food, and incredibly welcoming staff. Adreon and Corey did an amazing job bringing together a group of divers from all over the U.S., and by the end of the trip it felt like a community of friends.
If you’re thinking about doing a dive trip with GAS’D, I highly recommend it. Fiji was truly unforgettable.