South Pacific scuba diving holidays are reputed as amongst the very best in the world. There's a wealth of exotic marine life including diving amongst turtles, sharks, rays and even whales. There are stunning coral formations, walls and drop offs. Scuba diving is one of the regions main attractions so dive operators can be found throughout the South Pacific Islands. Decompression chambers are available in Hawaii, Fiji, Tahiti and on Palau in Micronesia. Areas of notable interest include:

South Pacific Dive Holidays our rankings - select destination for more info
The Best Fiji	Superb Hawaii	Superb Tahiti	Good Tonga	Average Cook Is	Average Samoa

clown fish

diving

parrot fish

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Fiji is without doubt the best of the South Pacific destinations for both scuba diving and snorkelling. In fact, Fiji is renowned as the soft coral capital of the world and is caters for a large scuba diving enthusiast crowd. There are a number of specialist scuba diving resorts catering exclusively for scuba divers, as well as luxurious scuba diving charter boats that explore the region and a decompression centre. Most other resorts in Fiji have either their own PADI scuba instructors or lease out to private scuba diving companies. Tonga has a smaller scuba diving set up than Fiji - it's speciality is tidal flows and large marine life including whales. There are no purpose scuba diving resorts but you can charter live aboard - most resorts have a local scuba diving operator who operate either at the resort or will pick up.
Fiji Scuba Diving Guide
Fiji Dive Resorts


Hawaii is renowned for its submarine lava tubes on the Big Island, Maui and Lana'i and although there are no specialist dive resorts, almost all resorts cater for scuba diving. Snorkelling is excellent in many parts of the islands, but is generally off rocky coasts rather than from the beach.
Hawaii Scuba Diving Guide
Hawaii Dive Resorts


Tahiti is best renowned fort its large pelagics, particularly sharks and rays, and for its enormous schools of colourful reef fish. There are great dives on Bora Bora, Moorea and off the atolls of the Tuamotu Group, but diving in Tahiti is more expensive than its Pacific neighbours.
Tahiti Scuba Diving Guide
Tahiti Dive Resorts


Tonga offers some good diving, notably around the Ha'apai group although there are only a couple of dive operators. There are several excellent snorkelling spots in Vava'u which rank amongst the best in the South Pacific, and if you snorkel between May and October, you're likely to hear the singing humpback whales!
Tonga Scuba Diving Guide
Tonga Dive Resorts


Cook Islands is limited for experienced divers but is excellent for beginners and holiday divers. The dive sites are good for marine life and are all just off the coastline of Rarotonga - getting to them takes no time at all.
Cook Islands Scuba Diving Guide
Cook Islands Dive Resorts


Samoa has average scuba diving with only a couple of scuba diving operators and no specialist resorts. Snorkelling is good on the south west coast of Upolu.
Samoa Scuba Diving
Samoa Dive Resorts

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