Viani Bay

Bula!
We drop anchor in Viani Bay and dinghy into the Dive Academy Fiji/Viani Bay Resort, a small eco-resort owned by Marina and Jone Waitaiti, for happy hour. Founded in 2017 they have made a significant environmental difference both above and below ground and water with their mission to educate locals and guests of the importance of corals and the impact of a healthy environment.

We schedule a couple dives with them to go out to Rainbow Reef to dive the Purple Wall, covered with soft purple coral, and to go to “The Zoo.” Both sites were full of vibrant corals and abundant sea life, including the largest barracuda I’ve ever seen, several large sharks, and fish that I’ve never seen before (went down to 91’ to follow a large grouper!). Both dives were drift dives where we let the current take us along the reef and the boat picks us up wherever we surface.

We complete a great day of diving with a great night at the resort, starting with gulping down lots of kava with all our new friends. What a great tradition and opportunity to socialize with the locals – it’s almost like a night at OOGA. Dinner time is announced by the wooden Lali drum. WOW! What a beautiful table and dinner presentation of Fijian cuisine freshly prepared with local ingredients wrapped in a taro/elephant’s ear. Delicious. Dessert is coconut cake with homemade coconut milk ice cream. Also Delicious. Followed with a shot of Fiji’s Bati Coffee Rum. OMG. Delicious. Too tired to stay for the music and dancing. Time to call it a day.

The next day we visit the Coral Farm, Dive Academy’s coral restoration project and nursery for marine life. After Marina’s presentation explaining why they do what they do and how, we snorkel the farm and become ocean gardeners, helping to plant pieces of coral to grow into larger ones to help increase the fish population in the bay to help feed the people. We also see previous projects with growing corals, a giant clam nursery and a diverse number of small fish enjoying life in this protected area.

Viani Bay is a very serene, protected bay with homes scattered along the shore, mostly belonging to Jone’s extended family. Though they are actually on the large island of Vanua Levu, there are no roads connecting them, so they need to boat to another bay or across the Somosomo Strait to Taveuni Island when they need to “go to town”. They have perfected the art of living a simple life off the grid.
We would like to spend more time here – but it’s time to move on.

Au domoni iko,
XO XO Gma & Gpa