Dive Review of Dive Fiji/Oneta Resort in
Fiji and Tuvalu/Ono Island

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Dive Fiji/Oneta Resort: "Dive, Eat, and Sleep on Ono Island", Jul, 2019, by Charlie Notthoff, CA, US ( 1 report with 2 Helpful votes). Report 11260 has 2 Helpful votes.
Photos Submitted with this Report Click on an image to see an enlarged version and captions
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	We planned our Fiji trip for July, since Undercurrent reports that water is typically clearer in winter despite possibility for stronger winds. We encountered both of those. During our 2 week stay, we only missed one day of diving due to weather. Since the boat ride to and from Ono Island to Kadavu Airport can be sporty, be prepared to get wet. Oneta Resort has been recently acquired by a couple from Southern California. They have been improving the resort and developing the Dive Fiji operation. Once you arrive at Oneta, there is not much else to do but dive, eat, sleep, and enjoy the company of staff and guests. All of those were excellent. Diving is a small group concierge experience. This is no cattle-boat operation. Our group of 4 divers usually had a 35’ dive boat and crew to ourselves. When a couple joined us, another guide was added to accommodate our tendency to stay down longer. Beginning divers were taken out on another boat. In 10 days of diving, we only encountered 1 other group of divers. We had miles of the Astrolabe Reef to ourselves. I never checked out the House Reef which would be the only shore dive available. It required a walk across the shallows to access it. There is no dock, so loading on the dive boat varied from a short hop from shore to a longer walk at low tide. All our gear (except cameras) was loaded by the crew. Navigating the Astrolabe Reef is restricted by tides. This was never a problem due to the crew’s native knowledge of the reef. Rental equipment is new from Scubapro, so in good condition. Cylinders are new aluminum 80’s. Fills were always good. Nitrox was not available. The dive center was built in early 2019. It is beautiful and includes classroom, gear storage, and dive deck. The dive staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. They were able to adapt to our group’s tendency to spread out as some stopped to compose photos. Most dive sites are around a half hour from the resort. We never had a rough trip to our dives. Dives were made from a live boat, so pickup was easy. Our surface intervals were spent at nearby beaches with snacks and drinks. This area is not often dived, so the staff has been doing extensive research to find the best dive sites (a rough gig). We were able to dive a wide variety of sites, from walls to sandy stretches. A manta cleaning station near the resort provided an opportunity to free-dive with a couple of manta rays. Oneta Resort consists of some Bures (thatched cottages) and larger Villas. All were clean and well-cared for. This is a very isolated resort. They make all their electricity. A new photovoltaic system provides most power. Everything there needs to be hauled in. Prior to our trip, we asked if there was a Mahjong set at the resort. After an extensive search didn’t turn up the set they thought they had, one of the owners picked up a set in the states and carried it in his luggage to Oneta. We spent many of our afternoons playing Mahjong on the lanai. Dining in the common area is family style. There were never more than 2 dozen guests at dinner, and a few nights it was only our group. The food and company were excellent. Oneta Resort and Dive Fiji are worth the trip halfway around the world, both for the underwater and shore time experience.
Websites	Dive Fiji Oneta Resort
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Most of my diving's been on the North American west coast from Ensenada to Puget Sound. I've made a few trips to Caribbean and South Pacific.
Closest Airport	Kadavu	Getting There	Fiji Air to Nadi, Twin Otter to Kadavu, boat ride to resort
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy, rainy, cloudy, dry	Seas	calm
Water Temp	75-78°F / 24-26°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	80-120 Ft/ 24-37 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	After a few dives, the crew learned that we could take care of ourselves
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	no
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	1 or 2
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	1 or 2
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	Dive Fiji is developing its operation. Crew was not familiar with larger housed camera setups. We broke them in for you. They accommodated us by bringing special tubs for our rigs.

Report currently has 2 Helpful votes

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Dive Review of Dive Fiji/Oneta Resort in Fiji and Tuvalu/Ono Island

Dive Fiji/Oneta Resort: "Dive, Eat, and Sleep on Ono Island", Jul, 2019,

Photos Submitted with this Report

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Dive Fiji/Oneta Resort in
Fiji and Tuvalu/Ono Island