Diving the Rainbow Reef, Fiji : An Ultimate Guide to the Soft Coral Capital of the World

Tucked between Fiji's second and third largest islands, Vanua Levu and Taveuni, this stretch of ocean is a huge reef system and one of the most vibrant you can see in the South Pacific.

Discover the Rainbow Reef

For diving seeking scale and a symphony of colour and life, the Rainbow Reef is Fiji's bucket list scuba holiday. The reef surpasses its name as colour explodes from every angle enhanced by the unique soft white corals that enswathe a vertical wall that descends to a mighty 100 metres into a deep trench.

So what makes Fiji's Rainbow Reef a legendary destination for serious scuba divers?

The Rainbow Reef's legendary status rests on a single breathtaking natural phenomenon; its protrusion of soft corals. Unlike the hard stony corals that build the foundation of reefs, soft corals (like sea fans, whips and trees) are flexible, kinetic and exist in a dazzling array of colours.

Iconic Dive Sites You Must Experience

While the entire reef is magnificent, several sites have earned their place in diving folklore.

1. The Great White Wall : This is the Rainbow Reef's pièce de rèsistance. Descending through a lava tube from 15 metres to a soft coral paradise at 25 metres where you are instantly surrounded by colourful soft corals in every hue of pinks, yellows and purples. Here the scene transforms. A sheer wall, stretching beyond sight, is covered in a blanket of stunning white Dendronephthya soft corals. It's an other wordly, almost glacial landscape under the water, often bathed in a surreal blue light. Diving just as the out going current has ceased makes it possible to see the corals in full bloom without the strong current.

2. The Zoo : An apt name for a site teeming with life. Fish schools such as barracuda and fussiliers frequent the blue as sharks patrol the drop off. Soft and hard corals cover the reef with red sea fans, clown fish and anemones, octopus, bat fish and trevally make up the thriving metropolis of marine life.

3. Annies Bommies : A large sea pinnacle rises from the sea bed graced with a highway of sea life - bass, snapper, fussiliers, wrasse, file fish, anthias and batfish swim in and out of a soft coral 'forest'. It's a fantastic all round dive with incredible opportunities for wide angle and macro photography.

4. Jerry's Jelly : A classic channel dive that delivers a a full-throttle soft coral experience culminating at a beautiful white coral pinnacle teeming with fish. Look our for white tip sharks, eagle rays and barracuda.

   
   

Jerry's Jelly bommie at 10 metres covered in white soft corals and framed with red sea fans and Dendronephthya

When to Go and How to Dive Fiji's Rainbow Reef

• Best Time to Visit : The prime conditions for soft coral viewing are during Fiji's Winter and Spring - namely between May to November. During this period the water is clearer and the currents are reliable, ensuring the currents are in full bloom. Even though much of Fiji is rather windy with the South Easterly trade winds during this time, the Rainbow Reef is shielded by Taveuni Island, which makes the diving more reliable than other areas of Fiji. The summer months (December to March) can bring hot, rainy weather ( and the occasional cyclone) which can reduce visibility.

  
  

• Resort Based Diving: There are dive resorts on both the Taveuni Island side of the Somosomo Strait (the stretch of water containing the Rainbow Reef) in the small secluded bays of the Vanua Levu side. You can arrive by Matei Airport in Taveuni or from Savusavu Airport on Vanua Levu. Both are excellent options. The resorts on Taveuni tend to be larger and it is easier to visit the beautiful natural attractions on Taveuni Island such as the Bouma National Park and Tavoro Waterfalls and the Lavena Coastal Walk. The resorts on the Vanua Levu side are smaller and more intimate in based only accessed by boat with rainforest descending to beautiful beaches.

  
  

Essential Tips to Diving Rainbow Reef

• Current is King! Be prepared for current diving. This is not a place for absolute beginners. Having good buoyancy control and comfort with drift diving procedures is essential

• Listen To Your Guide : The local dive masters possesses an intimate knowledge of the tides and sites. Their briefing is a blue print for a safe and spectacular dive with attention specifically paid to the strength of the current.

• Gear up! A reef hook can be invaluable in the current to watch the coral and fish show without exerting energy swimming like mad. A DSMB (delayed surface market buoy) is also a mandatory safety tool for drift dives.

• Underwater Photography : Bring your wide-angle lens for the grand coral vistas and a macro lens for the little critters you can find on night dives or in more sheltered spots such as house reefs. Strobes or a powerful video light are absolutely critical for bringing out the intense colours of the reef which rapidly disappear at depths - such as red.

A diver hovers next to a wall densely packed with corals of every description

The Final Verdict

DIving the Rainbow Reef is more than just checking a box. It is a sensory overload in the best way possible. It is the feeling of the current carrying you past a masterpiece of the ocean, the silent awe of the Great White Wall, and the thrill of discovering the fish species of the reef.

See you on the Reef!

Alison

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Waterlust Fiji Australia is the sister Fiji dive specialist for www.waterlustfiji.com - explore more about the Rainbow Reef and what it offers at https://www.waterlustfiji.com/rainbow-reef-and-the-great-white-wall