Visit Date: June 2012

The dive operator (Subsurface - Access from Plantation Island) lacked enthusiasm. Subsurface was essentially a shuttle to dive sites. It lacked a happy-hour feel to it. The dive guides did their job and pointed out stuff, but that was about it.

- In addition to diving, Subsurface did not really cater to the underwater photographer. There was no set up area to prepare/store the complex gear for setting up camera.

- Dive shack at Plantation Island was BORING! No merchandise whatsoever. This was the first time we’ve been on a dive trip and not walk out with a “brag” T-shirt.

- Fish life was lacking. There’s only so many pictures you can take of blue water and bommies/ hard corals. The main highlight was a lion fish, eel, garden eels, and anemone fish and one blind shark (not even one reef shark to be had) at the Supermarket. Not one single turtle to be seen. No palegics to be had. It’s obvious that Fijian reef systems are suffering. I always like when you arrive at a dive centre and at the entrance there’s a sign that brags about pelagic and big fish, with all these amazing dive sites, but in reality, all the fish appear to be gone. I almost feel like it’s false advertising.

Was hopping to have both a good family and diving holiday. Plantation Island Resort provided the good family holiday, but Subsurface did not deliver for us in terms of diving holiday.