Diving, Kayaking & Other Watersports -- Most of the resorts have complete diving facilities. A very long boat ride is required to dive on the Rainbow Reef and Great White wall, which are more easily reached from Taveuni than from Savusavu. But that's not to say that there aren't plenty of colorful reefs near here, including the wonderful barrier formation that nearly encircles Moody's Namena.
Your one-stop shop here is the environmentally conscious Eco Divers-Tours, P.O. Box 264, Savusavu (tel. 885 0122; fax 885 0344; www.ecodivers-tours.com), opposite Waitui Marina. In addition to their land-based excursions, Curly and Liz Carswell offer diving, kayak rentals and trips, and sailboat rentals. Two-tank dives cost F$146 (US$88), with a third dive of the day for F$95 (US$57). Full equipment rental is available, and they teach PADI certification courses. Snorkeling trips to colorful reefs offshore start at F$25 (US$15) per person.
You can rent the single and double ocean kayaks, starting at F$15 (US$9) and F$20 (US$12), respectively, per hour. The Carswells offer a full-day guided paddling trip to a Fijian village for F$115 (US$69) per person. They will also tailor 3- to 14-day paddling excursions along the northern and western coasts of Savusavu Bay. You'll stay in the villages and dine with the villagers, so consider these to be "soft adventure" excursions. Contact them for schedules and prices.
The Carswells also will arrange water-skiing.
There are usually several sailboats doing day cruises and longer charters here. Check with Eco Divers for information and reservations.
You can also contact the Savusavu Hotsprings Hotel for deep-sea fishing, which costs about US$400 for half a day, US$600 for a full day.
The gray-sand beaches around Savusavu aren't the main reason to come here. The nearest beach to town is a shady stretch on Lesiaceva Point just outside the Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort, about 5km (3 miles) west of town, which is the end of the line for westbound buses leaving Savusavu market. There also is a half-moon beach at Naidi Bay, an extinct volcanic crater, just west of Namale Resort on the Hibiscus Highway. The road skirts the bay, but the beach is not easy to see. Take a taxi or ask the bus driver to let you off at Naidi Bay -- not Naidi village or nearby Namale Resort. The bar and restaurant at Namale Resort are not open to walk-in customers, so bring something to drink and eat.
When to Go Diving in Northern Fiji -- Diving in northern Fiji is best from late May through October, when visibility reaches 120 feet and more. Because of the strong currents, however, dives to such outer reef sites as the Great White Wall and Rainbow Reef can be strenuous any time of year.
Tui Tai Adventure Cruises -- Ecotourism takes to sea with Tui Tai Adventure Cruises (tel. 877/313-0536 or 885 3032; www.tuitai.com), which uses the 140-foot sailing schooner Tui Tai to make 4-day trips from Savusavu. The boat goes to Koro, where guests visit a private plantation; Taveuni, where they visit Bouma Falls; and Kioa, where they spend time in that island's one village. It carries mountain bikes for land excursions and kayaks and snorkel gear for exploring the shoreline and reefs. The Tui Tai can accommodate 25 guests in cabins ranging from an 8-bunk dormitory to a luxury model with its own shower (the others share bathrooms). Rates range from F$935 (US$561) for a dormitory bunk to F$3,580 (US$2,148) double for the luxury cabin, including all meals and activities. The cruises usually run from Tuesday to Friday. If space is available, you can go along on just its first day, around Savusavu Bay, for F$100 (US$60).
