Trip Highlights
Explore Fiji’s legendary Rainbow Reef, the “soft coral capital of the world,” spanning 4,000 square kilometers of vibrant coral gardens.
Snorkel alongside manta rays at Rabi Passage, where nutrient-rich currents create one of Fiji’s most reliable manta encounters.
Participate in and learn about hands-on conservation initiatives, from monitoring and removing Crown-of-Thorns starfish to planting mangroves and supporting local shoreline cleanups.
Explore a vibrant house reef just steps from your bure, home to colorful corals, reef fish, and sea turtles.
Learn about and experience Fijian culture through traditional meals and dance performances, and participate in a kava ceremony.
About This Trip
Uncover the vibrant marine world of Fiji on an immersive snorkeling expedition to Rainbow Reef, often called the soft coral capital of the world. From your eco-friendly, oceanfront resort and spa, stay in traditional Fijian-style bures just steps from the water, with direct access to the house reef and nearby snorkeling sites. Over several days, explore iconic reefs like the Great White Wall, Cabbage Patch, and Fish Factory, where rainbow-hued corals sway in the currents and schools of reef fish, graceful rays, curious turtles, and even sharks glide through crystal-clear waters. Experience one of Fiji’s most reliable manta ray aggregation sites at Rabi (Manta) Passage, where ocean conditions often align to give guests an exceptional chance of snorkeling with these gentle giants as they filter-feed in nutrient-rich currents.
Every snorkel is a chance to witness the dazzling biodiversity that makes Rainbow Reef one of the most spectacular and healthy reef systems in the South Pacific. Experience Fijian culture through shared meals, kava ceremonies, and traditional song and dance, gaining insight into daily life while enjoying the island’s stunning land and seascapes. Beyond snorkeling and cultural experiences, this expedition offers hands-on marine conservation and citizen science opportunities, allowing you to actively contribute to Fiji’s vibrant marine ecosystems.
Crown-of-Thorns Starfish Monitoring & Removal
Help protect Fiji’s reefs from one of their greatest threats: Crown-of-Thorns starfish, which can rapidly devastate living coral and reduce biodiversity. Guided by our dive team, participants identify and remove starfish using low-impact methods like vinegar injection, directly supporting coral recovery and reef resilience.
Community Beach Cleanups & Environmental Education – Nawi Village School
Work alongside Fijian students and teachers to remove shoreline debris and foster environmental awareness, creating immediate improvements and healthier reefs downstream.
Mangrove Transplant Program
Plant young mangroves in a sheltered lagoon to stabilize shorelines, filter runoff, create nursery habitat for marine life, and protect nearby coral reefs while supporting coastal resilience.
Conservation Impact
Established in 1969, Oceanic Society is America’s oldest ocean‑conservation nonprofit, pioneering eco‑travel that directly supports marine research and protection. Through Oceanic Society's Expedition Impact Program, every traveler directly contributes to ocean conservation grants, coral restoration, and the removal of 200 lbs of marine trash.
On this expedition, travelers take direct action to protect Fiji’s reefs and coastal ecosystems. Guests help remove Crown-of-Thorns starfish, plant mangroves in sheltered lagoons to stabilize shorelines and create vital nursery habitats, and work with a local village school to collect marine debris along local beaches. These hands-on efforts give every guest a tangible way to contribute to the long-term health and resilience of Rainbow Reef and its surrounding environment.
Dates & Prices
What's Included
All accommodations, activities, and meals as described; ground transportation to each destination, airport transfers; and a dedicated Oceanic Society naturalist.
What's Not Included
Airfare, alcoholic beverages, meals not listed in the itinerary, airport taxes, any activities not described, and gratuities. Room upgrades and limited single cabins are available with a $1,995 supplement fee.
Itinerary
Send us an email at expeditions@oceanicsociety.org to request a detailed itinerary for this expedition.
Sample Itinerary
Arrive at Nadi International Airport and connect to a domestic flight to Taveuni. On arrival, meet your driver for a short transfer to the landing, then enjoy a scenic boat ride to Sau Bay Resort & Spa.
After checking into your accommodations and touring the grounds, partake in a safety checkout snorkel on the house reef. Depths range from just 3 feet to 90 feet, revealing vibrant hard and soft corals, abundant reef fish, moray eels, octopus, and squid. You may even encounter the resident sea turtle, often seen cruising the bay, along with several healthy coral bommies near the bay’s entrance.
Throughout this expedition, multiple daily snorkeling outings are offered, with flexibility to revisit favorite sites and adjust plans based on weather, tides, and marine life activity. Spending several days in each location allows for a deeper understanding of reef dynamics while maximizing wildlife encounters and time in the water.
Spend multiple days exploring the vibrant reefs surrounding Sau Bay and Fiji’s legendary Rainbow Reef. With more than 25 accessible snorkel sites and consistently clear and warm waters, this extended stay allows for in-depth exploration of one of the healthiest reef systems in the South Pacific.
Snorkel sites may include iconic locations such as the Great White Wall, Cabbage Patch, Fish Factory, and Rabi (Manta) Passage. Multiple snorkels are offered most days, directly off of Sau Bay and at multiple locations along nearby Rainbow Reef, depending on conditions.
Beyond time in the water, guests enjoy meaningful cultural connections through Fijian kava ceremonies, traditional music and dance, and locally prepared meals that offer insight into island life and customs.
On select afternoons, guests may take part in hands-on conservation initiatives led by trained local experts, including Crown-of-Thorns starfish monitoring and removal, community shoreline cleanups, visits to a local village school to address marine debris and environmental education, and mangrove planting in a sheltered lagoon. Together, these efforts support reef resilience, improve coastal habitats, and strengthen connections between marine conservation and local Fijian communities.
Accommodations
A charming double bure accommodation at Sau Bay Resort in Fiji, featuring a single-story wooden bungalow with a covered veranda supported by rustic pillars, orange-framed windows and doors, surrounded by lush tropical gardens with vibrant foliage, colorful plants, and tall palm trees under a clear blue sky.
Naturalist(s)
Your expedition will be led by one or more of the following expert naturalist guides:
