Fiji’s crystal-clear, warm tropical waters makes this island nation the perfect spot for a snorkeling holiday. The variety of marine life amongst Fiji’s numerous coral reefs will absolutely astound you, whether you are a beginner snorkeler or an experienced diver. Underwater visibility in Fiji is amazing – you can expect to see up to 100 feet through the water. The best time of the year to go snorkeling in Fiji is from May to October, but having said that, the conditions are excellent all year round.
Fiji is often called the ’soft coral capital of the world’, and the country boasts literally hundreds of fringing reefs, atolls and barrier reefs. There are an amazing 400 different species of coral in the reefs around Fiji and the diving and snorkeling is so perfect that it’s no surprise that Jean Michel Cousteau called it the best diving in the world. He has a dive base in Savusavu and helped establish a world heritage marine park in the area.
Snorkeling in Fiji is an activity just about every visitor to the country is certain to try. It’s extremely popular possibily because the experience is so memorable and rewarding. Not to mention cheap and simple. All you need are a mask, snorkel and fins. And you’ll find that nearly all resorts in Fiji will hire these at a very reasonable rate.
There are many sites around Fiji that are great for snorkeling but one area possibly offering the greatest number of accessible sites is the area around Savusavu Bay on the island of Vanua Levu in the country’s north. There are many sites where snorkeling is only advisable at high tide, but in Savusavu you will always find an area where the snorkeling is superb.
While many resorts in Fiji offer dive packages, only a few offer snorkeling tours. These are becoming increasingly popular, because a snorkeling tour or snorkeling holiday is usually attended by a marine biologist or local expert. Of course, its extremely relaxing just to float with the fish, but having a guide along can make the experience so much more fascinating and enriching. Your guide will point out things while you are in the water, or show you a slide presentation and present more information back at the resort. While you’re in the water you’ll probably see things like rays, turtles, sharks, millions of fish and of course, the beautiful blue starfishes that Fiji is famous for.
If you’re planning a snorkeling holiday in Fiji, visit Fiji Snorkeling to read more about Savusavu Bay, one of the finest snorkeling sites in the South Pacific.