Matangi Island diving
Matangi is a privately owned island located in Fiji's north. Around Matangi are numerous dive sites among which are the renowned Noel's Wall and the White Wall. There are dive sites for divers of all levels of expertise. There are many off-shore reefs, impressive coral formations made up of both hard and soft corals and walls that provide shelter to a rich variety of marine life.
Always dive according to your level of training.
Never enter the water without checking with the local dive center for safety, additional information, level required for each dive site and without being accompanied by a professional.
All the information provided is purely informative for our readers and shouldn't be used as is to plan your immersion.
Visibility: 15 – 30 metres (50-100 feet). Will vary depending on the time of the year
Possible to dive: All year round
There is a resort on Matangi island that offers scuba diving at all levels. Most dive sites in Matangi are very close to the island and can be reached in 20 minutes by boat. Beginners can take their first steps here as the waters are warm and clear. Dive courses are available from beginner to advanced levels. Dive trips are made up of two tank dives with the boats coming back and departing again in the afternoon. Full day trips are organized for distant dive sites.
Matangi has a lot of exciting dives. East of the island you can dive on an atoll that has a vertical wall with a drop off. This place is well known for its abundant yellow soft corals (earning it the name of the Great Yellow Wall), whips, fans and hard coral. You may encounter sharks, mackerel, barracuda tuna and trvally. Also present are butterflyfish, fusiliers and nudibranches.
Noels Wall is also north of Matangi and it's a vertical drop off going from 9 – 300 metres (30-1000 feet) with swinm throughs and canons. This is a truly spectacular dive where you can see white and violet soft corals as well as red algae. Present here also are lots of hard and soft corals, lots of reef fish and dudibranches. Pelagics that can be seen include barracuda, trevally and bronze whalers.
Departing from Matangi you can dive between Taveni and Qamea. There is a dive that is conducted between seven coral peaks. On this dive you will see an enormous variety of marine life here that includes princess damsel, triggerfish and the peacock groupers. In between the peaks you may see giant clams, white tips, banded sea snake and bronze whaler sharks in the channels. Also to be seen are grand cowrie shells and lots of soft corals.
There is a submerged reef in this area, between Qamea and Taveuni. This reef boasts magnificent hard and soft corals and a variety of reef fish. Encounters with squirrelfish and trumpetfish are common.
Another submerged reef here is found at a depth of 5 – 30 metres (15-100feet). The marine life is abundant and includes fusiliers, anemone fish, damsels and anthias. The underwater structures are impressive with arches and overhangs and lots of soft corals.
SomoSomo strait is a popular dive site where you can dive on the White Wall. This can be done on a day trip from Matangi Resort. The White Wall is a tunnel 9-18 metres (30-60 feet) that leads to an outer wall that drops to more than 73 metres (240feet). After 21 metres (70 feet) the wall is completely covered in white coral (giving the site it's name). The top of the reef has swim throughs and overhangs and colourful soft corals. You will also see longnose hawkfish and long sea whips. This is truly a worthwhile dive!
These are just some of the dive sites you can visit while in Matangi. The variety is great and the underwater life so varied. The diving center on place will help you make a schedule that fits your interests and expertise.
For underwater photographers this is simply a paradise. The marine life is varied and the waters are clear with great visibility.
