the most singular difference between happiness and joy is that happiness is a solid and joy is a liquid." Add some color to your images by including reef fish in the frame. Meals were often late being served and sometimes cold. Fiji Dive Resorts - Bluewater Dive Travel Overall wonderful room. Bula Vinaka Nicole..Vinaka for your comments. You can tick off a few of your bucket list here. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Although he had plenty of time for the Instagram girls and large dive group from the US. The shark dives involve feeding but are amazing - it is the only way they can guarantee to attract the big ones. As if that isnt enough, 16 + foot TIGER SHARKS come in regularly, making this a shark lovers dream dive. July to September usually has the best visibility, and surface conditions can be rougher between November and January due to high winds. Bull and nurse sharks tend to be lower, meaning your ambient light exposure will require a slower shutter speed and perhaps boosted ISO. Double check to make sure all of your gear gets on and off the boat. "A Rock Star Resort for Scuba Diving & Relaxation", Excellent resort, great diving, phenomenal value. As part of a shark-encounter dive, dive customers were directed to lay in the prone position on a rocky alcove with their feet toward safety divers who would watch for sharks approaching from behind. What to bring: Your Dive Certification Card, extra cash/card for FJD $25.00 payment of Shark Levy, light breakfast pack or snacks, sunscreen, sunglasses and hat, a sweater or warm clothes for the winter season. Beqa Island has a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. This dive was an incredible experience and something I will never forget. The rooms are quiet, spacious and clean, the beds are super comfortable and I have been sleeping like a baby every night. Keep in mind that each species of sharkeven each individualwill pass you at different parts of the water column. Felipe Barrio has been devoted to nature photography since 1982. Breathtaking and humbling, it'll be one of the most memorable dives you do! On the first of the two dives youre likely to see fewer bulls and more silvertip sharks. Take a few experimental shots to fine-tune what strobe exposure you can get away with. I also had troubles exchanging emails with BAD when I was making my arrangements for the 2012 trip. Beqa Shark Dive - Which Operator? | ScubaBoard I had been looking forward to our visit for months. Shark attack : Man escapes jaws of death during dive Many of the local staff work tirelessly and are proud of their work. 1st class resort1st class staff1st class sincerity1st class " real people"1st class diving1st class cant do enough for you to make you happy and enjoy your stay.From time of arrival to time of departure did not want nor need anything that the staff was not willing or able to do. Beqa Lagoon is located in the South of main Fiji Island. Log in or Register now! Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Beqa Adventure Divers - Bluewater Dive Travel You can further reduce this by treating a tropical dive as if you were in a low visibility situation: Pull strobes slightly behind the housing port and angle slightly outward. Then let ambient light take care of the rest. Seems there was an attack during one of the shark feed dives. In the protected waters of the Shark Reef Marine Reserve come face to face with up to 8 species of sharks and up to 450 species of fish. Shark attack : Man escapes jaws of death during dive, One kilometer high on the Texas Central Plains, Russian citizen mauled to death by tiger shark off Egypt's Red Sea coast in rare attack, American fatality on thresher shark dive - Philippines, Trips & Marketplace: Shore based or group trips. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. There are over 300 fish species and up to 8 types of sharks on these . The diving here is an absolute MUST for any underwater photographer, as is really the top spot for soft corals and colors, spectacular at every corner. OTHER ACTIVITIES: The resort scheduled lots of afternoon activities and excursions that enabled us to learn about and experience Fijian culture and everyday life. Travel Stories Shark diving in Fiji's Beqa Lagoon Ashley Harrell Dec 20, 2018 6 min read The sharks are often flanked by hoards of tropical fish Christine Albanese A 3.5-metre shark careens toward a group of divers, its powerful, tiger-striped body guided by an upturned snout and two beady eyes. Joining is quick and easy. For generations, fishermen returning to Viti Levu would throw fish heads into the sea, as an offering to Dukuwaqa. Relying on too much strobe power will result in lots of backscatter flaring in your shots. Excitement is in the air, and the anticipation is palpable as sharks, hundreds of jacks, snappers, the occasional massive Queensland grouper, humphead wrasse, and other incredible marine life can all be seen circling the dive site. According to local legend, one of the Gods, Dakuwaqa, takes the form of a shark. Please wait for our booking confirmation before purchasing your air tickets or making any other non-refundable travel arrangements. Everything is made with love and you can sure taste it. Sometimes we have it sometimes we don't anyone reading the please call Fiji 8937703. Diving Beqa - Scuba diving vacations Fiji - Divingaway Ok, so once thats out of the way its all about the sharks. Subjects: Tiger sharks, bull sharks, sicklefin lemon sharks, silvertip sharks, blacktip reef sharks, gray reef sharks, tawny nurse sharks, and whitetip reef sharks, and tons of reef fish. Today we have achieve a lot a lot of which you may not be able to see.We are a 3 star resort we provide free Cona Coffee, Tea, Iced Tea and water. The action begins at 30m/100ft, where you will spend 10-12 minutes overlooking The Arena. I told her I would take her to the most beautiful place in the world, Beqa Lagoon Resort in Fiji. We visited Rakua, a neighboring village where many of the resorts employees live, watched a demonstration of the fire walkers and participated in a kava ceremony, among others. Two dive masters accompanied each group of divers, and made sure the divers were pointed in the right direction. We do not however allow this to happen if the boat is in danger of crashing. Watch on Steven Sim was diving the Cathedral Dive site on May 17 at Beqa Lagoon, Beqa Lagoon Resort, with 12 others. Bula CSK72002,First of all we are very happy that you had such a great time here Beqa Lagoon Resort. Beqa Island is an ideal option for those wanting to make the most of their diving time in Fiji without taking a domestic flight to the outer islands while experiencing Fijian island life. Beqa Lagoon Resort | Dive Resort | PADI Travel I studied abroad with my college here, it was spectacular. This resort was absolutely amazing! The room and grounds were beauty and the dive routines adequate. The massages are definitely something everyone should do. The Shark Dive - Discover Fiji You never know who may show up for their fast food drive through. The food was good and there were several choices each day to pick from but the menu does repeat itself each week. Dive Season: Diving in Beqa Lagoon is conducted year-round, but the conditions will vary depending on the season. Shark Reef Marine Reserve-8 Shark Species & largest # of Bull Sharks in the world. During our trip to Fiji, I booked a shark dive with BEQA Adventure Divers at Pacific Harbour. In peak season, divers are in the water with up to seventy sharks at once. Also known as the Fiji Pipeline, this left-hand break is reasonably unknown, uncrowded, and is one of the most consistent breaks that Fiji has to offer. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Regardless of your positioningbut especially if youre in the thick of itstrobe positioning and settings are key. We have matting . Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Authentic Fiji experience and romantic honeymoon. I will say I was disappointed in most of the fish dishes as they seem to overcook it. Instead of doing our 2nd dive in the vicinity of the 1st site, we inexplicably sailed back to Beqa and around it for the 2nd dive. It is here where all the action takes place. more, This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Meals were often late being served and sometimes cold. They were loud and disruptive at meal times and monopolised the communal areas leaving many guests (and I suspect some staff) feeling awkward. Before kneeling down its a good idea to make sure there arent any stonefish in your spot. Bula!! Read our, Dieter K, General Manager at Beqa Lagoon Resort, responded to this review. July to September usually has the best visibility, and surface conditions can be rougher between November and January due to high winds. I at times felt that I was in an episode of Girls of the Playboy Mansion.The food was amazing. based. During dinner all ladies were in dresses as I recall.I am a very approachable person and always around my guests to see if we can be of any service to them - however interaction is not a one way street - I need to get the feeling that people would like to have contact with me - I obviously had this feeling with all other guests present.However, thank you for mentioning as well all our good sides :-), This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. The later time wasnt so undesirable, except that some of us were leaving that afternoon and it would be cutting it too close to departure to set out that late in the morning on the dives. Two beds, large living room, large bathroom and a front porch. This is an unmissable, unforgettable diving experience that will keep you coming back time and time again. We also booked the recommend Beqa Shark dive experience as we were told that a prior group has seen Tiger Sharks on their dives. The views are gorgeous and the people are so nice. . Close to 5M long and called either "Survivor" or something like "big mama" depending on which operation you dive with. Paywall. The food was good at the resort, perhaps they could vary the menu, but overall no complaints. Seamlessly book a range of Fiji with instant confirmation, from day cruises and water excursions to cultural experiences and adventure activities. Take a trip to Cathedral and dive with up to seven species of shark in one go! This is the hot, humid season with daytime temperatures averaging 29C. But often the outer edges of the amphitheater can provide close opportunities to the sharks with just a percentage of the particulates and backscatter in the water column. 6 4 Shark diving Review of Beqa Lagoon Resort Reviewed July 11, 2016 via mobile Had this place as # 1 on my bucket list for shark diving , had absolute awesome time totally beat my expectations , cannot fault anything . It may not display this or other websites correctly. But it just didn't live up to my expectations. No one can see it. Staying close to the DMs pays dividends as they will point out what you will probably miss like leaf scorpionfish, snake eels, nudibranchs and octopus.You can also dive off the beach for free, which was an unexpected bonus. Music. Over 6 dives we encountered 21 tiger sharks and up to 7 Tigers on one dive. Massive tiger shark dubbed 'Big Mama' chomps down on diver's head Dinner was a three course meal every night. they worked hard to get things fixed but nothing happens fast in Fiji, so more of an anoyance. Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. You must log in or register to reply here. This ultimate shark encounter at Beqa Lagoon is world famous for observing countless sharks during one single dive. Simply fill in the following booking form, a member of our team will get back to you within 24-48 hours to confirm your booking and take a deposit. Surfers should be very experienced and will need to bring along their own boards, and a repair kit is highly suggested. The boat captains and dive masters were expert and knowledgeable. Don't know where else you get that for the money. For this reason, most Fijians do not eat shark meat, as they fear they may anger the Gods, leaving them without protection from other sharks in the ocean. Thank you :-) I think that what factored most into the my choice at each time was where I was staying. The massages are definitely something everyone should do. Now, the best part, the diving. This was a fantastic value. Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Pay balance 30 to 45 Days prior to travel*, Pay balance 60 to 90 Days prior to travel*. We were then picked up on the dive boat to go over to Beqa Lagoon. A group of us had morning tea -lemongrass right out of the garden and coconut milk that I watched being made. Get your adrenaline pumping and watch Bull sharks, Nurse sharks, Lemon sharks, Silvertip sharks, Grey sharks plus White- and Blacktip reef sharks. Experienced divers come here for the Lagoon's astonishing biodiversity. Music and performances each night (along with occasional appearances by their adorable resort dog, Coco) were also great fun.Turning to the main reason for our visit - the scuba diving - we bought the package that included ten dives per guest. Our room is very nice. FJ$ 425. Its all about the big stuff on this dive, whether an 18-foot-long tiger shark or massive schools of hungry fish. Copyright Discover Fiji 2023. We were able to request half orders so that we could experience more than one entre at a meal. During our trip to Fiji, I booked a shark dive with BEQA Adventure Divers at Pacific Harbour. Some of these were up to 3.5M in length. DivePhotoGuide.com, Underwater Holdings, LLC. Ask dickgoodspeed about Beqa Lagoon Resort, We compared the lowest prices from 10 websites, We compared the lowest prices from 15 websites, We compared the lowest prices from 12 websites, We compared the lowest prices from 19 websites, We compared the lowest prices from 8 websites. We went home.the next year, we tried again. OperatesMonday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. It is a bit of a trek from the main road, and that is where BAD was (is?) Show more Show more The rooms were really nice and the bathroom had a large shower. They memorize your name and room number within a couple of days of your arrival. One of these is 'Shark Reef'. It is so affordable that most of us went back multiple times during the week, absolutely a 5 Star rating. Please see our partners for more details. When time is up (necessitated by no-deco time diving with an air tank) your dive guide will tap you on the shoulder and signal to swim away. There are also oceanfront bures, but I did not see them.Moving to the restaurant, the food was almost always excellent. One of the most fun dives we did while visiting Fiji was this shipwreck near Beqa Island. The spa is a must and dont hesitate to buy the Pure Fiji products from them (very reasonably priced at the reception). Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions. We were joined by a huge Napoleon wrasse, schools of remoras, groupers and of course the sensational tiger sharks, we had 3 swimming around usone big female a real beauty, also nurse sharks, bull sharks and black tip reef sharks. A person should never be bored here-they provide activities every day. Fairway Place, Pacific Harbour, Fiji | Phone: +679.998.8006 | Email: contactus@fijisharkdive.com Despite all of the shark and fish action, the dive plan for the Beqa shark dive is straightforward. With protection for the last decade and regular (monitored) feeding, the reef is now exploding with shark and fish life, and a once-again healthy reef. You can test the tanks you breathe or - dive on hope. It was really sad to leave the resort when it was time to fly home. Not only do you want to remain safe, but it will help assure you experiment with different angles of shooting (rather than just straight forward) and you wont miss a visit from a tiger shark. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Probably the same shark in my avatar pic. Very friendly staff "Bula." This can happen in rough seas. Contact - Beqa Adventure Divers - fijisharkdive.com We offer everything from Surfing, Fishing, Snorkelling to hikes culture and shopping we also at quite a good place to scuba if you are interested.Vinaka vakalevu for your wonderful comments and we can't wait to host you again .A very big vinaka vakalevu to all .. from all of team Beqa. Shark Dive Rate (2-Tank . Will I return to Beqa Lagoon Resort. Shark diving - Review of Beqa Lagoon Resort, Beqa Island, Fiji This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Then, there are all the less exciting shark species like reef sharks and giant tawny nurse sharks. Resorts near the Beqa Lagoon area also offer the best access to the famous Fiji shark dives. Featuring over fifty world-class dive sites, diving in the Beqa Lagoon caters to all experience levels. I went with my husband (diver) and I am a non-diver. We had a reported 10 tiger sharks and several of my group did the shark dive twice it was that good.More. We got to see the fire walking! A close friend of the victim, who was a tourist visiting from Malaysia, told the Fiji Times the tiger shark was roughly four to five metres in length and unexpectedly changed it swim path to attack them. Fascinating--and very, very persuasive. Fiji Shipwreck Near Beqa Lagoon Is An Awesome Dive! - Scuba Diver Girls This one you have mentioned in correspondence to others.. plus the comment you made in that correspondence that two others had similar incidences. but I did not see them .It was not reported by any of the three ladies concerned.Boats:Yes, we did have an issue with the dock on the mainland. However the Monday group were not disappointed they saw the biggest Lemon sharks they had ever seen and a mass of Bull sharks, and other species playing around them with a plethora of fish like a curtin gently rolling and flowing in a breeze, the variety and selection of deep sea an reef fish playing among the large grouping of other shark varieties, was outstanding.We are please your expectations on your visit to Beqa were fully addressed and meet.Thank you for taking time to comment on TripAdvisor we all look forward to hosting you again in the near future. The staffs and crews takes care of you on personal level however slight let down from the head management as we were unable to reach the resort as the website still had resorts old number made it difficult for first time wannabe Fijians to arrange transfers after our flight schedules were changed and had to change our resort on our last day to a different resort.