Strains of soft melodies waft over emerald landscapes tinged with mellow evening light, blending with the music of the spheres in skies so star-studded they will take your breath away. Music is everywhere in Fiji, from the sounds of busy washerwomen humming a tune to a local island choir come to entertain outside your resort’s dining bure to your divemasters themselves, one of whom is almost always ready to pick up a guitar and lead the rest in song as the traditional bowl of kava is passed around and around. From the warm welcome of its loving people that gladdens your heart and bids you stay awhile to its wonderland of soft coral and startlingly beautiful reef denizens—marching right up the food chain to the most apex of predators, including visiting tiger sharks and many resident bulls— this is Fiji, a dive paradise that will soothe your soul like no other.

LAND AND SEA

The legendary fire walkers of Fiji’s lush southern coast prepare for the ritual at the Pacific Harbour Arts Village, where visitors can get a taste of Fiji’s unique culture, including reenactments of ancient tales. Just as unique to this island group is Taveuni’s Great White Wall, which offers divers the chance to witness a rare phenomenon not seen by all who dive Fiji’s famed Rainbow Reef. Due to tidal conditions that cause coral blooming, the vibrant colors and snow-white soft corals are only visible a few days a month. Once you drop down to 100 feet, look in any direction and you’ll see almost nothing but white.

TAKING THE BAIT

Beqa Island, off the main island of Viti Levu’s southern coast, has become legendary in the past decade for its high-adrenaline shark dives. From the bull sharks resident in massive 150-square-mile Beqa Lagoon to dives designed to attract tiger sharks to the Cathedral site, in the passage between Beqa and the main island, Fiji’s shark dives—executed by highly trained professionals (don’t try this on your own)—offer a chance to observe much more than sharks. Nearly every kind of fish these waters offer—from 4-inch dascyllus to 18-foot tigers—arrives at the feed, all interacting together in one place and time, producing all the thrills a vacationing diver could ask for; it’s no wonder many divers opt to repeat these dives as many times as they can during their stay.

THE PERFECT DIVE ISLE

With its proximity to Rainbow Reef, Taveuni might be Fiji’s ultimate dive island. All of its resorts are geared toward divers, and there are myriad adventure and sightseeing options as well (don’t miss the silly fun of hopping over the international date line). With some of the friendliest people in a nation legendary for its hospitality, Taveuni’s varied accommodations also make it easy to experience, whether you’re on a budget or having a luxury fling.

Clockwise from top left: Two-spot banded snapper (Lutjanus biguttatus) in a tight school; a common lionfish (Pterois volitans) at Wakaya Wall; the eye of a bicolor parrotfish (Cetoscarus bicolor), Namena Marine Reserve; a soft coral porcelain crab (Lissoporcellana nakasonei) at Coral Garden off Taveuni; a blue ribbon eel; an elegant phyllidia nudibranch (Phyllidia elegans), Wakaya Wall.

THE GANG’S ALL HERE
Fiji is home to several types of barracuda—a local delicacy— including smaller species in shallow waters and bigger fish up to 6 feet long in deeper water. Schools like these pickhandle barracuda (Sphyraena jello) at Grand Central Station in the Namena Marine Reserve, south of Vanua Levu, are abundant December through March. There’s even a dive site named for them: Barracuda Hole, in the Somosomo Strait, which separates Taveuni and Vanua Levu islands.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DIVING IN FIJI

WHEN TO GO: Fiji is a year-round destination. Warm season is November to April; cooler temps last from May to October.

DIVE CONDITIONS: Water temperatures range from 71 to 84 degrees F, with cooler temperatures occurring in July; a 3 mm or 5mm suit is good. Visibility averages 75 feet and greater; rain and wind can shorten that. Air temps stay in the low 80s most of the year and dip to about 75 degrees F from May to October.

TRAVEL TIPS: Fiji Airways offers direct flights from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Honolulu. Take baggage rules seriously: They are enforced. International flights come into Nadi, code NAN, on the main island of Viti Levu. English, Fijian and Hindi are spoken; currency is the Fijian dollar. Bring extra cash for tips; ATMs can be difficult to find. Get more Fiji tips from Tourism Fiji.

OPERATORS: Beqa Lagoon Resort; Garden Island Resort; Paradise Taveuni; Taveuni Dive Resort; Voli Voli Beach Resort.