Fiji

Where to surf in Fiji

The 322 islands and 522 islets of Fiji form the epitome of the surf travel dream. A magical Melanesian archipelago covering 18,274 km2 of white sand beaches and tropical vegetation ringed by a staggeringly large 10,000 km2 of shallow coral reefs. The Fiji Barrier Reef marine ecoregion supports at least 300 species of coral, over 475 species of molluscs, and 2,000 fish species, below the bombing waves that arrive from all directions. Best known for the heavy, hollow lefthanders that set the standard for wave quality around the world.

Western Division

The SW flank of the main island Viti Levu has held the surf world's gaze for decades and the perfect lefts of Cloudbreak in the Mamanucas have become one of the most iconic stops on professional surfing's 'Dream Tour'.

Eastern Division

Further south, land-accessible spots were found on the fringing reef before Frigates fantastic lefthander emphasised the wave potential of the Kadavu Passage.

The trade winds cause havoc for the swell drenched far reaches of Eastern Division, so finding a pass or curve of reef that faces west is the challenge and only ocean-going yachties will get to explore the far-flung islands of Lau and Lomaiviti provinces where traditional life continues without resorts.

Northern Division

Snaking along the frontier of the Northern Division and Vanua Levu, Cakaulevu Reef is about 200kms long and is the third longest continuous barrier reef in the world. While this Great Sea Reef is generally considered as diving territory, from November to March, NW-NE swells can arrive, helped along by the NE swing in the trade winds.

Getting out to the reef takes plenty of time and money so few bother to explore during the N swell season. Labasa has direct access to the reef and there are enough curves and passes to expect to find some rideable waves, providing there is swell and the F4 winds haven't ripped it to pieces.

Nukubati Resort boats out to Raviravi and Twin Passage, where lefts and better rights break with E wind protection in the shadow of Kia Island. Yasawa, Nacula and down to Naviti all face NW and are a little too far around the corner for any consistent S swell, making them another Nov-March N swell option, but far riskier than the Great Sea Reef. There are many fancy resorts, but none offer surfing, with flat water SUP, kite or wakeboarding more likely for the droves of honeymooners.

Islands on the outer edges filter the SE-SW swell, but plenty still punches up through the wide channels, hitting the 4th largest island Taveuni at a large hammerhead reef at Lavena, or a protruding coral finger holding challenging rights at Nadillo (aka Purple Wall). Neighbouring Qamea has a surf camp set up at Maqai Beach in front of a handful of good waves including Maqai Wall, an all tide, all abilities, righthand barrel to carve-fest to inside rolling shoulders over a forgiving reef.

Across the deep channel is Kavas, a gauntlet-throwing left sprint and Bula Bowls is an easier left on the other side of the Wall. There's even beginner-friendly inside reef waves and an artificial sandbag reef in front of the resort. The myriad of small islands sprinkled to the east probably all have surf at certain times of the year and are open to both S and N swells, mixed in with the constant underlying ESE windswell.

Nanuku is one such speck where fast closeouts comb the outer reef until a bigger swell wraps enough to create makeable lines on the western fringes at higher tides.