Exploring the Namena Barrier Reef

In good weather this long narrow, open water reef provides an ideal environment for larger fish and smaller sharks, like silver tip sharks and grey reef sharks. There are a couple of popular diving and snorkelling sites along the reefs ridge, but as with all open water snorkelling you need to either have experience yourself or go with an experienced guide to get the best out of your water time, this will also help with directions to the places I will mention. In an area near the edge of the reef are three long thin bommies the tops of which are only about six feet below the surface, these bommies, called Chimneys are home to nudibranches, clown fish, hard and soft corals and elegant pipe fish which are among my favourite small fish to watch. A bit deeper below the surface you’ll catch site of barracudas and maybe a grey reef shark. At the other side of the reef is a much larger single bommie called Magic Mound which is about thirty feet wide, on the flat top of which lives an intricate array of coral, twisted lace sea fans and hard and soft corals amongst the coral caps which make good homes to lionfish. This site is where I saw the most sharks during my most recent trip to Fiji in 2005.

4 / 5 Review by expert member Daniella May

‘Octopus's Garden in the shade:Snorkeling Guide’

Snorkeling in tropical water, snorkeling in cool water, snorkeling in coral gardens, snorkeling in rock gardens, snorkeling amongst wonderful marine life, snorkeling in emptiness. Snorkeling: it's easy and a great way to enter the underwater world.... Read more »

‘Get down with the fishes: A diver's guide’

How to get diving underwater and how to make the most of your time down there with the sharks, fish, whales, turtles, dolphins, coral and other marine life.... Read more »

‘Namena Barrier Reef and North Save a Tack’

Namena is in the migratory path of both whale and dolphin species, is lined with islands where turtles come to lay their eggs and just thrives with ... Read more »

Review by expert member Nick Shaw

‘Mountains of soft coral’

Fiji advertises itself as being the soft coral capital of the world and this area truly lives up to that claim. I visited Namena Reef while aboard the Nai'a. ... Read more »

5 / 5 Review by expert member Bonnie Pelnar

Have you been here? Why not add your own review or report an error.

If you liked that, you might like these...

• 

  Snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef

  The Great Barrier Reef is appropriately described by superlatives. It's the largest organic structure ever created on the planet. At 1250 miles long,...

• 

  Diving the Great Blue Hole

  This is one of the world’s most famous dives, I saw a dvd showing it and I really wanted to go, so much so that I went and had some more technical...

• 

  North Save-a-Tack Passage Dive

  Namena is in the migratory path of both whale and dolphin species, is lined with islands where turtles come to lay their eggs and just thrives with...

• 

  Vanua Levu snorkeling spots

  Starting in California where I live, Fiji is one of the most accessible South Pacific snorkeling destinations. Besides the remarkable reefs, Fiji...

• 

  Snorkeling Molokini

  Off Maui’s coast, Molokini is a tiny sunken volcano island with what must be some of Hawaii’s best diving and snorkeling. The best spots are in the...