The Soft Coral Reefs of Bligh Waters Are Among the Most Vibrant in the World
Fiji: Bligh Waters · November 20 to 27, 2027 · Thanksgiving Week. Fiji is a reset for how diving is supposed to feel. The soft coral density in Bligh Waters is exceptional: walls and pinnacles covered in color, currents that bring in pelagic life, and the kind of diving that reminds experienced divers why they got certified in the first place. Volivoli Beach Resort sits on the edge of Bligh Waters and is built around serious diving without sacrificing comfort.
Seven nights at Volivoli Beach Resort, five days of two-tank boat diving in Bligh Waters, daily meals, airport transfers, and all taxes. Starting from $3,050 per person (double occupancy). Open Water certification required · comfortable boat diving and solid fundamentals recommended.
What’s Included and What to Plan For
Included
- 7 nights at Volivoli Beach Resort
- Airport transfers
- Three meals daily
- All applicable taxes and fees
- 3 days of 2-tank boat diving and 2 days of 3-tank boat diving
- Unlimited shore diving on dive days
- Unlimited Nitrox, if certified
- Access to Bligh Waters dive sites
- Professional dive operation and guide support
- Group travel coordination by Tom’s Dive & Swim
Not Included
- Airfare to and from Fiji (NAN: Nadi International)
- Personal dive equipment
- Gratuities
- Dive and travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Optional excursions, add-ons and additional dives
- Vatu Ira Conservation Fee
- Any meals or services not explicitly listed
Reserve your spot
Fiji: Thanksgiving Week 2027
Spots are limited. Reserve early to guarantee your place.
Fiji Rewards Divers Who Arrive Ready.
Solid fundamentals, comfortable in current
Bligh Waters is dynamic. Currents are part of what makes it spectacular: they bring in the pelagic life and keep the reefs healthy. Divers with strong buoyancy and comfort in moving water will get the most from every dive.
Where continuing education pays off
Perfect Buoyancy and boat diving experience all translate directly to better dives in Fiji. If you’ve been building your skills for a destination worth diving, this is that destination.
The trip worth saving Thanksgiving for
Tom’s premier trip runs Thanksgiving week every year. Fiji is far from Austin in the best possible way: a genuine expedition to the other side of the world, organized so you can focus entirely on the experience.
What to expect
Bligh Waters. The Soft Coral Capital of the World.
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Bligh Waters earned its reputation across decades of diving by serious underwater photographers, marine biologists, and experienced divers who came back and kept talking about it. The soft coral density: sea fans, gorgonians, and massive coral heads covered in color: is the kind of thing that changes what you think a reef looks like. Visibility is consistently exceptional. Pelagic life follows the currents.
Volivoli Beach Resort sits on the Rakiraki Peninsula at the northern tip of Viti Levu, which puts it at the gateway to Bligh Waters. The resort runs its own professional dive operation with experienced local guides who know the sites. Days are structured around morning and afternoon boat dives, with the resort’s oceanfront setting and on-site dining filling the time between.
This trip is Tom’s 2027 premier international destination for a reason. It is not a beginner trip and it is not a casual beach vacation with some diving attached. It is a dedicated dive expedition to one of the world’s genuinely great underwater destinations, organized for divers who are ready to make the most of it.
Unique dive opportunities
Mount Mutiny and the Pinnacles of Bligh Waters.
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Bligh Waters is built around dramatic volcanic pinnacles that rise from deep water to within a few feet of the surface, and Mount Mutiny is the most famous of them: a single seamount wrapped top to bottom in soft coral, with schooling fish stacked along its walls. Dives here are less about covering ground and more about picking one pinnacle and watching it change as you circle it.
The same currents that built this reputation also bring in bigger life: white tip reef sharks, large schools of barracuda and trevally, and the occasional pass from something larger in open water. Between the pinnacles and the resort’s own house reef, Volivoli’s dive team adjusts the day’s sites to match conditions, so every boat dive is chosen for what’s actually running that morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is this trip suitable for newer divers?
Yes, divers joining this trip will gain valuable experience with boat diving and currents along side Tom’s dive leaders to assist.
What courses should I do before Fiji?
Perfect Buoyancy and Boat are the most directly applicable. Both improve your diving on this trip. Nitrox is also worth completing before this trip.
What is the flight gateway for Fiji?
Fiji’s main international airport is Nadi International (NAN) on Viti Levu. Most US routes connect through Los Angeles or San Francisco. Airfare is not included. Book early: seats to Fiji from Texas can be limited, especially around Thanksgiving.
How physically demanding is the diving?
Bligh Waters involves boat diving and can involve current. It is not technical diving, but it is not passive either. Divers who are physically comfortable in the water will find it manageable and rewarding.
Is dive and travel insurance required?
Dive accident insurance and trip cancellation insurance are strongly recommended for all Tom’s trips, and especially for international travel. Neither is included in the package price. Typical travel insurance policies include protection from unforeseen medical or weather events.
Ready to go?
Fiji: Thanksgiving Week 2027
Confirm availability and reserve your spot on the flagship trip.