Nai'a Liveaboard, Fiji

Diving onboard and itineraries

Diving from Nai'a revolves around flexibility, comfort and plenty of time in the water. Unlike many other liveaboards, Nai'a itineraries include a dive on the first afternoon followed by six or nine full dive days, making the trips very cost effective ways to explore Fiji. Guests can expect up to four or five dives a day, interspersed with meals and down-time - as well as an optional night dive.

The liveaboard uses two 6.8-metre skiffs for diving operations dropping them on the site,  and picking them up wherever they surface. The vessel also has a dedicated dive deck, stern platform, camera room, freshwater camera rinse tanks and compressed air for camera maintenance. Nitrox is available for certified divers, usually as a paid extra, and Nai'a can also offer a PADI Nitrox course, Advanced Open Water and Deep Diver courses with eLearning. Rental equipment includes BCDs, regulators, dive computers and lights. There are normally two divemasters and two dive instructors onboard, with around eight divers per divemaster or instructor. Snorkellers are welcome, though not every site is suitable for snorkelling.

The liveaboard’s itineraries focus on the barrier reefs and offshore islands around Vatu-i-Ra in Bligh Water, Namena, Wakaya, Gau and the Koro Sea. Signature sites include UndeNAI’Able and Cat’s Meow in Bligh Water, along with remote reefs visited on longer charters. Diving is known for vivid soft corals, schooling trevally and barracuda, reef sharks, hammerheads, manta rays, macro subjects such as ghost pipefish and pygmy seahorses, and a wide variety of reef fish including Fiji endemics.

Diving in Fiji

Fiji is one of the South Pacific’s most colourful and varied diving destinations, with sites ranging from easy reef slopes and coral gardens to current-swept passages, pinnacles, walls, shark dives and remote offshore reefs. The country is particularly well-known for its soft corals, with Bligh Water, the Vatu-I-Ra Passage, the Somosomo Strait, Rainbow Reef and the Great White Wall helping Fiji cement its reputation as the soft coral capital.

Learn more about diving in the Bligh Water and other destinations in Fiji on the ZuBlu site here.

ZuBlu’s dive travel experts will help you book the ideal trip onboard Nai'a, including your preferred cabin type, itinerary, diving, equipment rental, transfers and any special requests. Share your travel dates, group size, diving experience and budget, and we’ll recommend the best options for your trip.

We’ll also help with practical travel planning, including flight routes, arrival timings, embarkation details and transfers, making sure your itinerary works as smoothly as possible from start to finish.
Once you’ve finalised your plans, your travel expert will put a complimentary hold on your preferred cabin and send a final quote that includes accommodation, meals, diving, transfers, rental equipment, port fees or other extras. This quote will also show any costs paid in advance or onboard - there are no hidden fees - as well as a payment schedule and cancellation terms and conditions.

Your booking is confirmed once the required deposit, or full payment when necessary, has been received.

After confirmation, your dedicated guest concierge will take over and assist with flight routes, transfers, any personal information required by the liveaboard, and questions about your reservation. They are there to make the entire process as straightforward as possible.

Ready to start planning your trip? Chat with a travel expert now.

Getting there

Guests should fly into Nadi International Airport (NAN) on Viti Levu. Nai'a provides scheduled transfers from most Nadi-area hotels and Nadi International Airport to the vessel at Lautoka Main Wharf. Pickup usually begins between 13:00 and 13:30 on departure days. Guests are not permitted to arrive on their own as access to Lautoka Wharf is restricted.

At the end of the trip, guests disembark at around 08:00, with a bus transfer back to Nadi airport or their hotels. Same-day international departures may be possible depending on flight time and no-fly-after-diving requirements, but guests should confirm suitable flight timings before booking.

Other activities

Nai'a is very much a dive-focused liveaboard, but snorkellers are welcome on trips. Not all dive sites are suitable for snorkelling, so non-divers should expect to sit out a few dives. Between dives, guests can relax in the main salon or on the sun deck, enjoy the changing views across Fiji’s islands and reefs, or use the camera facilities for image review and maintenance.

Good to Know

• WiFi – Starlink Maritime is available and can be paid for onboard, arranged through the Cruise Directors.
• Mobile coverage – Coverage may vary significantly once the vessel leaves the main islands and offshore routes.
• Electricity – Cabins have both 110v and 220v power.
• Plug type – US 110V and Australian 240V standard outlets are available onboard.
• Payments onboard – Gratuities can be paid by cash or credit card, including AMEX, MasterCard and Visa. Confirm payment options for other onboard extras before travel.
• Currency – Fiji’s local currency is the Fijian dollar, while charter pricing and many onboard extras are listed in US dollars.
• Time zone – Fiji operates on Fiji Time, UTC+12.
• Nitrox – Available for certified divers as a paid extra.
• Marine park fees – Nai'a pays for permission to dive in the Marine Protected Areas it visits and guests may be invited to make voluntary donations.
• Children – Children aged 10 and above may be accepted, provided they are experienced travellers and supervised by parents or guardians.
• Tanks – Standard tanks are 11.1-litre / 80 cu ft; 15-litre tanks are not supplied.
• Accessibility – Nai'a is not wheelchair accessible, as cabins are reached by steep steps.