The Coral Coast is named for the fringing coral reefs that run close along the shoreline of the southern coast of Viti Levu. Though quite shallow and often out of the water at low tide, the edge of these reefs falls away 100s of metres just a short distance offshore. This means that as well as gently sloping reefs, there are walls and cavernous areas with deep slots, swim-throughs and large overhangs. There are chance encounters with bigger stuff like turtles and even dolphins, and all the usual critters are there from Nudibranchs to reef sharks.
The Coral Coast is the south western coastline of Viti Levu – the main island. The fringing coral reef that runs along the coast actually joins the Malolo Barrier Reef to the west, and runs into Pacific Harbour to the east.
Getting There
With the continual improvements in the road system in Fiji, you can get to Sigatoka in just over an hour from Nadi, and just over two hours from Suva. There are plenty of coach lines traversing the Queens Highway in either direction and if you’re going to a resort, chances are your airport transfer will be included. It also means that Denarau, and the day trips that depart from there, are still accessible from the Coral Coast resorts – though it usually means an early start.
If you are staying at one of the resorts to the east of Sigatoka, then contacting the resort you are staying at is your best choice for diving. Diveaway Fiji has dive centres in several Coral Coast resorts including Outrigger Resort and The Warwick. At the southern tip of the Coral Coast, Waidroka Bay Resort has access to dive sites in Beqa Lagoon as well as famous Coral Coast dive sites such as Frigates.
The Coral Coast has a variety of terrain: in some places the reef edge falls away like a vertical wall, in other areas it slopes gently out towards the ocean in shallow u-shaped valleys or deep v-shaped gullies. The coral is a mixture of soft and hard, and there are plenty of sea fans, sea whips and feather stars.
All the usual reef fish can be found in all the usual places: butterflies and angels, wrasse and parrotfish, surgeons and damsels. There are regular patches of anemones with a number of different types of clownfish: orange-finned, Clarks, skunks and pinks – as well as the local Fijian Anemonefish.
Often a turtle will glide through the marine scape, a black tipped reef shark will cruise by patrolling the reef edge, and you might stumble upon a white tipped reef shark resting on a sandy patch at the bottom of a gully. Though every dive is different, each one always offers something new.
