Somosomo Strait
Rainbow Reef, Taveuni
Fiji's most famous soft coral diving: walls and bommies fed by the tide, drift dives, and the Great White Wall.
The reef
Rainbow Reef Taveuni diving at a glance
Rainbow Reef runs along the Somosomo Strait, the stretch of water between Taveuni, Fiji's third-largest island, and the south-east coast of Vanua Levu. Twice a day the tide pushes a large volume of water through the strait. That current carries the plankton that soft corals feed on, and when the current runs the corals open up and fill with colour. It is the reason the reef got its name and the reason Fiji is called the soft coral capital of the world.
Most Rainbow Reef diving is drift diving. Boats drop divers up-current, the group drifts along a wall or between bommies, and the boat follows the bubbles and picks everyone up at the end. Dive operators time each dive to the tide, because the same site can be gentle or very strong depending on the hour.
The Great White Wall
The Great White Wall is the signature dive on Rainbow Reef and one of the best-known dives in the South Pacific. Divers usually enter through a short tunnel or swim-through and come out onto a steep wall covered in pale soft coral. When the current is running and the corals are open, the wall looks white or lavender from top to bottom. When the current is slack, the corals close up and the same wall can look ordinary, which is why timing matters so much here.
The wall drops well beyond recreational depth, so buoyancy control and depth awareness are important. Follow the guide's plan and keep an eye on your computer: it is easy to drift deeper than intended while looking at the coral.
Other Rainbow Reef dive sites
Operators run dozens of named sites along the reef. Names vary a little between dive shops, and the best way to plan is to ask your operator which sites suit the tides during your stay. Common favourites include coral bommies teeming with anthias and other small reef fish, sloping reefs with hard corals in the shallows, and passages where larger fish such as trevally and barracuda patrol in the current. Divers also see turtles, reef sharks and plenty of macro life on the walls.
Who Rainbow Reef suits
Rainbow Reef is best for divers with some experience in current. Beginners can dive here with a good operator on the gentler sites at slack tide, but the reef's best dives happen when the water is moving. If you have not done much drift diving, spend your first day on easier sites, carry a surface marker buoy, and stay close to the guide. Our learn to dive in Fiji page explains how an Advanced course can build the skills you need before you get here.
Photographers love the reef but find it demanding. Wide-angle shots of soft corals need the current running, which also makes it hard to hold still. Plan to shoot on the drift rather than settling on one spot.
Planning
Getting to and staying on Taveuni
Flights
Small domestic flights connect Nadi and Suva with Taveuni's airstrip. Schedules change, so book early.
Two sides
Rainbow Reef is dived from resorts on Taveuni and from the Vanua Levu side of the strait.
Tides
Dives are planned around the tide, so start times move from day to day.
On land
Taveuni is known as the Garden Island, with rainforest, waterfalls and hiking for a day off.
When to dive Rainbow Reef
Rainbow Reef can be dived all year. The cooler months from about May to October tend to bring drier weather and steady trade winds, and visibility is often good. The warmer months bring warmer water and calmer seas on many days, but also rain and the risk of cyclones. The strength of the current depends far more on the tide than on the season, so moon phase matters too: spring tides around the full and new moon bring the strongest water. See best time to dive Fiji for the full picture.
Many divers pair Taveuni with Beqa Lagoon on Viti Levu, linking them with a domestic flight. The best dive sites in Fiji page compares the regions, and the Fiji marine life guide explains why soft corals grow so well here.
Questions
Rainbow Reef Taveuni FAQ
Is Rainbow Reef suitable for beginners?
Some sites are, at the right point in the tide, but the reef is best for divers who are comfortable with current and drift diving.
Why is it called the Great White Wall?
The wall is covered in pale soft corals that look white or lavender when the current is running and the coral polyps are open.
How do I get to Rainbow Reef?
Fly from Nadi or Suva to Taveuni, or stay on the Vanua Levu side of the Somosomo Strait. Resorts on both sides run boats to the reef.
Combine Taveuni with another region
Itineraries, flights and transfers for a two-region Fiji dive trip.