Rainbow Reef Diving - Fiji
Dive the Great White Wall!
Discover the Rainbow Reef :
Fiji's Colour Explosion
Nestled in the Somosomo Strait between Fiji's Taveuni and Vanua Levu islands, Rainbow Reef represents one of the planet's most spectacular underwater destinations. Rainbow Reef is one of the reasons Fiji is renowned as the 'Soft Coral Capital of the World', this vibrant marine ecosystem features breathtaking walls adorned with kaleidoscopic corals that transform with the changing tides.
With visibility often exceeding 40 metres and water temperatures averaging 25-28°C (77 to 82°F) year round, Rainbow Reef offers world-class diving conditions for enthusiasts of all skill levels.
The Great White Wall :
Diving Rainbow Reef's Iconic Vertical Masterpiece
The Great White Wall stands as Rainbow Reef's most legendary dive site - a breathtaking vertical drop adorned with cascading white soft corals that create an ethereal, snowy underwater landscape. Located closer to the bays of Vanua Levu than Taveuni (15 minutes compared to 40 minutes) - this world - renowned wall dive plunges to 100 + metres while offering intermediate and advanced divers an unforgettable journey through what many consider the planet's most spectacular concentration of Dendronephthya soft corals.
Unlike any other dive destination, the Great White Wall's dramatic topography and unique tidal dynamics create a mesmerizing spectacle where thousands of white corals pulsate with life during current flows.
Diving the Great White Wall :
The white coral phenomenon
The Great White Wall's namesake feature comprises millions of Dendronephthya soft corals - filter feeding organisms that expand dramatically during incoming tidal currents. Unlike hard corals these azooxanthellate species don't rely on sunlight, allowing them to thrive at depth. During peak flow:
1. Transformation : the wall literally 'blooms' as coral polyps extend to feed
2. Colour spectrum : while predominately white, closer inspection reveals subtle lavender, pink and blue hues
3. Textural contrast : delicate coral formations create a 'flurry' appearance against the dark volcanic wall
4. Movement : the entire wall appears to breathe and sway with ocean rhythms
The Great White Wall : Dive Experience Sequence
Descent & Entry Point
Most operators begin at approximately 20 metres where the top of the White Wall begins its dramatic descent. Divers descend from the hard coral covered reef into a vertical larval tube scattered with sea whip and home to nocturnal red soldier and sweeper fish. There are coral shelves and holes where divers can peer onto the Great White Wall amid soft corals and colourful reef fish.
The Great White Wall Profile (25- 40 metres)
-
Primary Coral Zone : maximum density of white soft corals
-
Architecture: overhangs, crevices and small caves hosting moray eels, lobsters, lionfish and critters
-
Light Play : sunlight filrering through creates ethereal blue-white contrasts
-
Current Flow : divers experience an 'underwater avalanche' sensation as they fly along the white soft coral wall
Ascent & Safety Stop
-
Natural Terrace: at 15 metres, a coral covered plateau provides an ideal safety stop location
-
Marine Life : reef sharks, trevally, octopus, batfish and barracuda patrol this area
-
Photography : wide angle shots capturing the wall's immense scale using a fellow diver for perspective
Marine Life Encounters
-
Pelagics: grey reef sharks, white tip reef sharks, barracuda schools, manta rays (May to October)
-
Wall Dwellers: colourful crinoids, feather stars and soft corals
-
Reef Fish: clouds of anthias, emperor angelfish, butterfly fish, groupers, pufferfish
-
Macro Life: nudibranchs, flatworms, globies, lobsters, commensal shrimp, crabs, eels
Optimal Diving Conditions for the Great White Wall
-
Tidal Timing : Falling tide - 1 hour before the low tide creates the best conditions to see the soft coral wall in bloom without the current being too strong for divers
-
Seasonality: Whilst visibility is good all year round the clearest conditions are found in the cooler waters of May to November
-
Time of Day : Morning dives can often mean the calmest conditions before the sea breezes have begun
-
Night Diving : The Great White Wall is best dived over and over again - night diving and early morning dives can be exhilarating with the white soft corals creating a beautiful contrast to the darkness of the water
The Iconic Dive Sites of Rainbow Reef
Unlike any other dive destination, Rainbow Reef's unique positioning between two major islands creates powerful tidal flows that oxygenate the corals, resulting in explosive growth and colouration. During the tidal exchanges the reef literally comes alive with pulsating soft corals in neon pinks, electric blues, oranges and reds and vivid purples - its truly a phenomenon.
Jerry's Jelly
Jerry's Jelly is one of Fiji's prettiest dive sites. A relatively easy dive at between 5 - 18 metre depths down a gentle slope divers discover two pinnacles with white soft corals growing underneath a ledge in around 10 metres.
These bommies resemble a jelly multi-layered with lavender/white corals, red soldier fish and framed by orange anthias amid pink Dendronephthya. It is a photographer's delight.
Following the slope down a large number of garden eels can be seen in their sandy burrows on the sea bed. Reef sharks, turtles, giant pufferfish and fussiliers can be seen. The current will allow you to drift over the flat of the reef into the lee of as you enjoy hard corals and fire corals teeming with damselfish and lyretail anthias for your safety stop.
Cabbage Patch
Cabbage Patch is a garden of layers of whorl corals creating a vast and beautifully intricate coral outcrop. The dive commences to the right hand side of a large bommie to the south covered with hard corals. Damsel fish are resident in the staghorns and fire corals.
Swim along the reef at around 18 metres taking in the scenery with unicorn fish, reef sharks, butterfly fish and giant pufferfish resident on the reef.
As the seabed slopes gently upwards the 'cabbage patch' appears gradually and the impressive size of the crinolline coral patch becomes apparent.
Spend time marvelling at the intricate patterns of the coral and watch unicorn fish, soldierfish, butterfly fish, green chromis and moorish idols.
This is a dive suitable for beginners in no to light currents and a maximum depth of 18 metres.
Purple Corner/ Purple Wall
Along the same reef as the Great White Wall dive site, Purple Wall and if you swim far enough, Purple Corner, are characterised by vast numbers of densely packed purple Dendronephthya corals teeming with fish.
The outer wall has a reef top beginning at 6 metres and descending rapidly to 60 metres. Sea whips in reds and purples can be seen, large red gorgonian fans have colonised the wall. Dived best, like the Great White Wall, on a slowing falling tide, the Purple Wall and Corner can often attract barracuda schools, trevally, reef sharks and spanish mackerel. There are small creatures living along the wall, if the current gives you chance to explore; flatworms and nudibranchs, lionfish, moray eels and octopus.
Rainbow Passage
Rainbow's End and Rainbow Passage are dives on a sloping reef of between 8 to 23 metres in depth. The dives can be made in a variety of areas - all of which are drift dives in current.
The sloping reef is covered in hard coral bommies scattered with soft corals, sea whips and green sun coral. As you swim with your left shoulder to the reef ( from the Northern drop off) expect to see reef sharks, trigger fish, banner fish, trevally and fussiler schools.
There are garden eels residing in the sandy patches and giant pufferfish are commonly sited.
Rainbow Passage involves crossing the reef in a shallow patch over a field of fire corals and acropora graced by dazzling schools of orange anthias.
Conservation on Rainbow Reef
Waterlust Fiji is part of efforts to safeguard the future of Fiji's Rainbow Reef and acts as 'secretary' in the Rainbow Reef Fiji Foundation.
The Rainbow Reef Fiji Foundation has the following mission:
-
Advance the study of marine ecosystems via research and monitoring
-
The promotion of sustainable fishing in the local Fijian community and restoring marine habitats - such as mangrove planting
-
Engaging local communities with education and empowerment programs
-
Removing crown of thorns starfish when necessary
Your Fiji Diving Questions Answered
- Rainbow Reef
What is the best time of year for diving the Rainbow Reef ?
The Rainbow Reef is a beautiful system to dive all year around although the winter months in Fiji (May to November) offer colder clearer water with viz often extending to 40 metres. Seasonal visitors such as humpback whales and manta rays are also possible to sight in the winter months. Although the weather can be windier in the winter season Rainbow Reef is very protected from the South Easterly trade winds by mountains on the island of Taveuni.
Is the Great White Wall suitable for beginner divers?
No - Fiji's Great White Wall is an advanced dive that requires experience with deep diving ( the sheer wall descends to 100 metres so buoyancy control and proficiency with a dive computer is critical). Being able to dive in currents and drift diving is also required. Negative entry can be a good skill to learn prior to diving the Great White Wall to prevent using air near the surface kicking against surface currents.
Should I stay in a resort on Vanua Levu or Taveuni Island ?
There are dive resorts on both sides of the Somosomo Strait. The distance between the resorts and the iconic Rainbow Reef dives sites of the Great White Wall and Cabbage Patch is far shorter from Vanua Levu but on there is also great diving at Vuna Reef to the Southern tip of Taveuni. For non divers Taveuni offers more interesting excursions to the Bouma national park, the Tavoro waterfalls, the volcano hike and the Lavena Coastal walk
