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Fabulous, Funominal Fiji Islands

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Last Call!! We have only 5 spots left at this air inclusive price.

This is a once in a lifetime dive travel experience. And it is all yours at incredible Wet Set prices.. 11 days, 10 nights all inclusive, and dive inclusive  for only $ 3795.00 with round trip air fare** plus park fees and tax. This is a confirmed trip...Paul and Jennifer will be hosting, March 8 - March 18, 2008. Lock in this incredible price now.  Book this incredible package group trip  Pay only a small refundable* deposit and wait till January 1, 2008 to pay the balance. Clear your calendar and book this once in a lifetime trip NOW!!

Garden Island Resort,

Taveuni

Taveuni (Fiji's Garden Island) has a unique quality that is hard to find in today's world; it is unspoiled. Here exists an ecosystem of incredible diversity ... rugged mountains, verdant rainforest, exotic flora and fauna, plus the surrounding sea with its colorful reefs and multitude of tropical fish.

A visitor to Taveuni will soon appreciate that the 'Garden Island' applies not only to the landscape, but also to the underwater coral gardens.

Together with the island's unmatched beauty lies the beauty of Fiji's people who are some of the most delightful in the world.

GARDEN ISLAND RESORT

Garden Island Resort is an intimate oceanside property with 30 well appointed rooms, each with a commanding view of the Somosomo Strait and the island of Vanua Levu. The Resort provides a quiet and relaxing lifestyle in tropical surroundings with pleasant, attentive staff and fine international cuisine.

Spend your time sunning by the pool or diving the Rainbow Reef; sit back on your ocean-front balcony and enjoy a magnificent sunset; or take off and explore the beauty of the island, it's up to you! Our knowledgeable staff will be happy to help you arrange a variety of activities including sea kayaking, visits to waterfalls, village and cultural tours, golfing, bird watching, rainforest treks, snorkeling and scuba diving.

Garden Island Resort, nestled in the heart of Taveuni, provides a comfortable home away from home for your South Pacific holiday adventure. Baby sitting service and PADI Seal (pool dive) class available for children under the age of 12.

To see Hotel Amenities click here


WORLD CLASS DIVING

Aqua-Trek Taveuni at Garden Island Resort is the first Gold Palm Resort to be awarded by PADI Australia in their region!

"This award recognizes PADI International Resort Association members that present a professional image, and demonstrate excellence in customer satisfaction, dive experiences, education, safety and environmental awareness".

Fed by the nutrient-rich waters that flow through the Somosomo Strait, Taveuni's Rainbow Reef is home to one of the world's greatest displays of soft coral. In short, scuba diving in Taveuni is world class. Aqua-Trek Taveuni (formerly Rainbow Reef Divers), the Resort's professional dive operation, is Fiji's first PADI Gold Palm Resort facility and Taveuni's first nitrox facility. They offer daily dive excursions to the Rainbow Reef, a full range of PADI dive courses, and on-site E-6 processing. Garden Island Resort is the closest establishment to the Rainbow Reef. In just 15-20 minutes our swift 30ft. custom dive vessels will whisk you away to famous dive sites such as the Great White Wall, The Ledge, Annie's Bommie, Blue Ribbon Eel Reef, and more.

For more information on Diving in the Somosomo Strait, read on.....

DIVING IN TAVEUNI

Known in the colonial days for its prodigious coconut plantations, today Taveuni is a landmark for divers. Beneath the surface of the sea lies an incredible eco-system that rivals the rich bio-diversity found on land. Fed by nutrients that emerge from the depths of the Tongan trench, Taveuni is famous for its multitude of reef fish. However, if there is one trademark or signature species in the area, it is soft coral, which billows and undulates in the currents. Soft coral comes in dramatic, often electric hues of orange, red, pink, and white-fringed by purple.

Aqua-Trek Taveuni dives the Somosomo Strait, a narrow waterway located between Taveuni and Vanua Levu. Scuba diving in the Somosomo Strait is said to be "... unequaled anywhere else in the world". Along the southeast shore of Vanua Levu one will find a barrier reef continually fed by microorganisms washed in by the currents which are driven by the narrowing of the funnel-like strait. Protruding into the strait from the Vanua Levu side is the magnificent Rainbow Reef. Here one can find one of the most famous dive sites in the South Pacific, the Great White Wall. There are a number of other world class dive sites located throughout the area and new attractions are found all the time. It is estimated that divers have explored only 3% of the entire reef system in the Taveuni area.

Dives We Offer

Specialized Facilities

Photogaphers will enjoy having a full-service photo center with E6 processing on site as well as dedicated rinse tanks. Camera rental and film sales are also available. Nitrox divers are encouraged to take advantage of the only dive center on Taveuni offering Nitrox. There are also Nitrox regulators for rental, and courses in enriched air diving are available. A small retail sales section offers diving accessories and souvenirs.

 

TEN NIGHT PACKAGE
-  Roundtrip flights Los Angeles / Nadi
-  Roundtrip flights Nadi / Taveuni
-  Seven nights oceanview accommodation at Garden Island Resort
-  Four days of soft coral diving, four days of outrageous shark diving,  sixteen dives
-  Roundtrip airport transfers and all resort taxes
-  Three meals per day including continental breakfast, sumptuous lunch and dinner
   (no beverages) at  

Breakfast Only at Pearl South Pacific - Beqa Nadi Lunch and dinner at some really great restaurants close to the resort or resort dining, as you choose. Credit cards accepted. Prices are cheap!!
 

Price per person, double occupancy. Airport taxes are additional.  Restrictions apply.

TAVEUNI DIVE SITES

1. Dakuniba Pass is a 100 foot maximum (30 meters) wall dive where you'll see pelagics such as barracuda, sharks and tuna. There are also some beautiful gorgonian fans at this site which is about 30 minutes by boat from the resort. (Note that this is the most distant dive site that we visit.) It's only done on outgoing tides.
   
   
2. The Zoo, a 20 minute ride, also has its share of big fish including barracuda, reef sharks, bronze whalers, eagle rays and manta rays. It's a wall dive again with a 100 foot (30 meters) maximum depth that is only done on outgoing tides.
   
   
3. The Great White Wall is a legendary dive named because of the unusual soft coral that inhabit the area. Starting at a depth of about 50 feet (15 meters) and continuing to over 200 feet (60 meters), this underwater escarpment is covered with an almost luminescent white coral tinged with lavender. It's only 15 minutes by boat from the Garden Island Resort and is explored at a maximum depth of 100 feet (30 meters). Only dived on incoming tides.
   
   
4. Annie's Bommie has been likened to a coral head that glows like a Christmas tree. Only 65 feet (20 meters) down, it is lined with spectacular multi-colored soft coral that includes all shades of red, purple, violet, blue, yellow and white. The diversity of fish is also extraordinary including wrasse, parrot fish, damsels and a host of other species.
   
   
5. The Corner is located on the same reef as Annie's Bommie and is roughly the same distance from shore (15 minutes) and located at the same depth, 65 feet (20 meters). There is a wonderful variety of multi-colored soft coral. It's called 'The Corner' because it's actually a corner of a large reef. In reality it's an oasis of soft corals and there is often an unbelievable amount of fish life that the diver passes through.
   
   
6. The Ledge, located only 10 minutes from shore and at a depth of 65 feet (20 meters) is one of the most popular dives aside from the Great White Wall. It consists of a pinnacle of coral that rises from a depth of 200 to 250 feet (80 to 90 meters) almost to the surface. It's a magnet for reef fish and pelagics, with lion fish in residence in the overhangs and crevices. There are also outstanding soft corals here as well as a tremendous variety of underwater flora and fauna that makes for good night diving. Another plus is that it's easily accessible and great for photos.
   
   
7. Jerry's Jelly is a series of coral heads covered in every conceivable color of soft coral. It's a favorite of photographers because of the colors, the abundant tropical fish life, and the numerous small caverns and crevasses that mark the reef. It's located 15 minutes away by boat and is at a maximum depth of 65 feet (20 meters).
   
   
8. Blue Ribbon Eel Reef, a 15 minute boat ride and 65 to 85 foot (20 to 25 meters) dive, is done as a drift dive. There are some incredible violet soft corals as well as an amazing density and variety of fish. The main attraction of course is the blue ribbon eel, which measures about the length of a finger but has strikingly vivid bands of blue and yellow. Despite the coloration these eels are hard to find for neophytes but our dive guide can easily point them out.
   
   
9. The Yellow Tunnel is located 10 minutes away by boat and is at a depth of 85 feet (25 meters). It's an astounding display of yellow soft coral on a wall with a vertical swim-through. One actually swims through a chimney-like structure. There is also a wonderful variety of fish here.
   
   
10. The Cabbage Patch is a garden of unusual cabbage-shaped (hard) coral ranging in size from 3 to 15 feet (1 to 5 meters) in diameter. It's not unusual to see cabbage-shaped coral here but why they are here in such abundance is a mystery.
    

Ready to Go Yet??....

 

Beqa Lagoon is included in this fantastic 10 night package. 4 days of Shark dives!!! Yes!! Read on my friends,

 

Diving Beqa Lagoon

BEQA LAGOON  DIVING


Discover Beqa Lagoon's world class diving with AQUA-TREK BEQA - Fiji's premier Dive Operator. Whether you're a novice or experienced diver, Aqua-Trek Beqa can offer you a diving adventure long to remember - World class dive excursions; superb PADI training; and first class service with modern boats, top brand equipment, and fun and professional staff. From our base at the Lagoon Resort Pacific Harbour we depart daily for two dives to explore a variety of famous dive sites. Experience soft corals in multihued kaleidoscopes of color and reefs teeming with fish, plus numerous caves and tunnels that are home to weird and wonderful exotic critters.

For trained divers, excursions depart daily for two dives aboard our new 30-foot custom-built dive vessel "Aqua-Sport", complete with two 200-hp Yamaha engines. Aqua-Sport can accommodate some 15 divers and is one of the fastest vessels in the area. That means less time traveling and more time relaxing and having fun! The dive guides are the best in the business and the service is 5-star. Extra day and night dives are available on request with weather permitting.

Aqua-Trek Beqa is a PADI Resort Dive Center and offers a full spectrum of PADI courses from Discover Scuba up to Dive Master level. The classes are small, the instructors professional, and the content enjoyable and educational. The Dive Center also features quality up-to-date equipment including a full range of Sherwood rental gear.

Aqua-Trek has installed moorings at popular dive sites that can be used by other local dive operators as well. This is in keeping with Aqua-Trek's eco-sensitive policy to do all it can to preserve Fiji's pristine environment and reef structure. Some of the world class sites explored include 'Caesar's Rocks', a collection of pinnacles covered with a profusion of soft coral and fans, and teeming with small exotic fish life; 'Nisici Rocks', pinnacles featuring an extravaganza of soft coral and reef fish including the elusive Blue Ribbon Eel; and "Side Streets", a multitude of small pinnacles that occupy a reef passage creating the surreal feeling of walking between large buildings. The pinnacles are smothered in rich dark red and purple soft coral, with dense masses of surgeonfish hanging in the current above.



DIVE SITES

Caesar's Rock (10 minutes) Nisici Rock Aquarium The Needle Twin Sisters Fantasea Bird Island Turtle Island Golden Arch

Rusi's Pinnacle Side Streets 7 Sisters & Wreck 3 Nuns Nomad Drift Yanuca Passage Frigates Nest Frigates Passage Lovers Leap (35 minutes)

Pacific Harbour
SHARK ENCOUNTER OF THE AQUA-TREK KIND

Enter the world of the Shark, the most evolved and least understood predator in the ocean, where you can witness up close its strength, grace, precision and commanding presence in its own environment.

Aqua-Trek's SHARK and BIG FISH ENCOUNTER offers you just that. Which explains why this dive excursion is quickly becoming known as one of the TOP shark and big fish encounters in the world of diving. The variety of shark and fish species found on this dive rivals any excursion of its kind. Numerous bull sharks up to 10' are on most dives, along with the frequent gray, white and black tip reef sharks, nurse sharks and silvertip sharks. Even the elusive oceanic white tip and tiger sharks like to come in and raise the level of adrenaline every so often. What about the Big Fish? You can also witness giant travellies (sometimes 30 or more), humphead wrasse, red bass, surgeon fish, triggerfish, cod, grouper, bait fish and many others!

Are you ready for a Shark Encounter of the Aqua-Trek kind?

Or, keep reading...

AQUA-TREK'S SHARK AND BIG FISH ENCOUNTER
Aqua-Trek initiated the Shark and Big Fish Encounter as a way to educate divers about sharks and the problems they face. As much as 80 percent of some shark species have been wiped out in the last 10 years by fishing and consumption of shark meat and shark products. Furthermore, the media has contributed to damaging their reputation by overpublicizing shark incidents. Sharks play a crucial role in the oceans ecological system and the more people know about them, the more advocates they will have in the fight for their survival. Since Aqua-Trek began offering the Shark and Big Fish Encounter, the Fijian village that holds customary fishing rights to the area has agreed to protect the site and turn it into a marine park with an entry fee that goes back to the protecting village.

A Shark excursion is one of the most exciting, rewarding, and educational experiences offered in the sport of diving. Recent shark specials on television have contributed to disproving the theory that sharks are just mindless eating machines, and people now travel the world to dive with and photograph sharks. We are offering you the opportunity to dive with these magnificent creatures. Divers can see for themselves why sharks should be more respected than feared. Those who already know can just sit back in awe and amazement, learning more about them each dive, but never failing to be humbled by their presence.
 

               

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT AQUA-TREK'S SHARK AND BIG FISH ENCOUNTER

1. WHERE DOES THE DIVE TAKE PLACE?
The dive takes place on the mainland side of Beqa Passage, away from Beqa lagoon.

2. ARE THE DIVERS IN A CAGE?
No. Divers are situated on the reef around the perimeter of the dive site. A bin of discarded fish from the local fish factory is brought down and left for the fish to feed while divers observe

3. HOW DEEP IS THE DIVE?
100 feet or 30 meters

4. HOW LONG WILL WE BE DIVING?
20 minutes max. It is a square profile dive with at least 10 minutes safety stop.

5. WHAT KIND OF FISH WILL WE SEE?
We have observed several different species of shark such as white and black tip reef, grey reef, bull, nurse, lemon, silvertip, oceanic white tip and tiger sharks. We also have giant trevallies, humphead wrass, red bass, surgeon fish, triggerfish, cod, grouper, bait fish and many others.

6. HOW SAFE IS THE SHARK DIVE?
No dive involving sharks is guaranteed safe. The safety record associated with shark dives is exceptional. "In 30 years, some 500,000 divers have made shark dives without a fatality", according to Jim Abernethy, owner of a scuba-diving company in Palm Beach, Florida. "Shark dives are a wonderful tool, they provide people with first-hand knowledge of what the species is all about. We are teaching people that sharks are beautiful creatures that need to be protected". Sharks are unpredictable animals, but they are also very smart and can differentiate between you and the bait. Because feeding dives are more controlled and supervised by the operators, it is said that these dives are actually safer than your typical open water dive.

7. HAS ANYONE EVER BEEN HURT ON THIS DIVE?
Never

Ready to go NOW???

Book today. A fully refundable deposit of $600.00 is necessary to reserve your space for Garden Island Resort/Pearl South Pacific.. all inclusive, dive inclusive, Air fare is available with packages via Pacific Air at standard rack rates. BOOK THIS NOW!!! Deposits must accompany reservations. It takes 48 hours for your deposits to reach Fiji so don't delay. We only have room for 4 more couples at this fantastic price.

**Depart March 8: Depart Los Angeles 11:30 PM
             March 10: Arrive in Nadi 5:10 AM
             March 10 – 15: Pearl South Pacific with Aqua-Trek Beqa four dive days, 5 nights
             March 15: Flight to Taveuni
             March 15 – 20 Garden Island Resort with Aqua-Trek Taveuni four dive days, 5 nights
             March 20: Flights Taveuni – Nadi – Los Angeles, arrive at 1:20 PM
 

note: departure and arrival times may change. We will notify our friends with confirmed reservations of any changes that occur.

There is a 238.00 airport tax and fuel surcharge fee that is additional. However, by booking now you are locked into these prices and the airline can not increase the fuel surcharge or the airport fee once you have booked your trip. All ground transportation is also included. Fiji exit tax is separate and must be paid in cash when we leave the country, March 18.

Deposit breakdown is 100.00 for rt air from/to LAX and 250.00 for each of the two dive resorts and dives. Deposits are per person double occupancy. Single divers....we are happy to pair single divers up with other single divers so you still get the double occupancy rate.

Trip insurance is 142.00 per person and insures for loss of trip in the unlikely event that a fully purchased trip is cancelled due to weather, airline problem or other unforeseen situations beyond the control of Wet Set DiveTravel.com, the resorts, airlines or their agents. Dan Insurance is recommended.