Hidden Kingdoms
WORLD-CLASS DIVING AT COMO LAUCALA ISLAND
Activities 5 minute read
The magic that is Fiji can only be understood once you head beneath the waves.
The oceans surrounding these idyllic South Pacific islands are home to flourishing reefs and dramatic calderas, brimming with some of the most diverse marine life on the planet.
Towering walls of colourful corals, rare tropical fish and shimmering pelagic shoals spiralling down into the depths — no visit to Fiji is complete without heading to these hidden underwater worlds.
COMO Laucala Island’s location means that the dive sites on our doorstep are almost exclusive to us. You’ll rarely, if ever, see another dive boat here, allowing for peaceful, unspoilt reefs teeming with life, from graceful rays and elusive hammerheads, to reef crabs no bigger than your palm.
With our team discovering new reefs all the time, we’re able to rotate the ones we visit, giving our dive sites space to breathe and flourish without human observation. As a result, shy and solitary species are more likely to roam, making them easier to spot if you know where to look.
01
MILLER’S REEF
Located approximately 20 minutes from COMO Laucala Island by dive boat, this hidden reef is also known affectionately as ‘the playground’. Huge schools of trevally and tuna dart through Gorgonian sea fans, whilst white- and grey-tip sharks chart a slower course their way through their smaller neighbours. The shoals of fish are sometimes so dense here that at times you can’t see more than ten metres beyond your scuba mask, through shoals of silvery pelagics and tiny, multi-toned reef fish.
02
RAINBOW REEF AND THE GREAT WHITE WALL
At a 40-minute boat ride away, these two Taveuni Island dive sites are the furthest from COMO Laucala Island and offer some of the finest diving opportunities of anywhere in the world.
In the Somosomo Strait on the west side of Taveuni is Rainbow Reef, a multi-coloured kingdom of corals, reef fish, pelagics and meandering blue ribbon eels. The reef is so large and diverse, it would take several lifetimes to explore all its many wonders.
Meanwhile, at the Great White Wall, you’d be forgiven for thinking it had somehow snowed under water. Named for its 90-foot wall of striking white coral, this otherworldly reef is populated by rays, bright coral trout and lionfish. Swim closer to the coral wall and you’ll spot tiny orange orangutan crabs hanging there, swinging from branch to branch in a manner similar to their simian namesake.
03
THE BIG BLUE
Named for the crystal clear azure of its waters, the Big Blue reef is the place to dive if you want to try and catch a glimpse of the elusive hammerhead shark. Recently discovered by the COMO Laucala Island team, it is one of our newest dive sites and home to schools of giant trevally and barracuda, as well as plenty of tiger sharks. For the best chance of seeing a hammerhead, plan your visit for the winter season.
04
MANTA RAY POINT
The appropriately named Manta Ray Point is the best place to spot these graceful creatures. Known as a ‘cleaning station’, rays gather here in large numbers due to the presence of tiny cleaner wrasses, who help rid them of unwelcome algae and itchy parasites. It is one of our best-kept secrets, and you’ll be able to watch rays cruise gently between the currents without another soul in sight.
05
INNER REEF AND BEACH
The protected waters of the inner reef are the perfect place for beginner divers to master the skill, whilst also offering some of the richest diving opportunities. Hard and soft corals bloom here, bristling with basket stars, Spanish dancers and distinctive spotted clown triggerfish, whilst giant stingrays and white-tip sharks bask in the quieter waters of Dorian’s Reef.
If you prefer to stay close to the shore, snorkel amongst the green sea turtles who gather here at high tide, drawn by the plentiful seaweed that grows in the shallows. Thanks to conservation efforts from the COMO Laucala Island team, turtles have started to lay their eggs on our beach for the first time in 40 years, and guests visiting during hatching season have a front row seat as hundreds of baby turtles take their first steps towards the ocean.
For more information and to plan your COMO Laucala Island diving experience, please get in touch with our dedicated Activities Team.
