About Dive Academy Fiji - Dive Rainbow Reef

About Viani Bay Resort &
Dive Academy Fiji

We created Viani Bay Resort and Dive Academy Fiji from a shared vision: a place where exceptional diving, thoughtful hospitality, and genuine engagement with the local community come together. What began as two personal journeys has grown into a small, independent operation rooted in care for the reef, the people, and the place we call home.

Meet the Team

We are fortunate to call a beautiful place home, with one of Fiji’s most vibrant reefs just offshore. But the true heart of Viani Bay Resort and Dive Academy Fiji lies with the people who bring it to life. Our multi-skilled team comes from the surrounding bay, often working across diving, hospitality, conservation, and operations. Everyone has grown into their role through hands-on experience, in-house training, and our scholarship program.Together, this is what defines life at Viani Bay — professional yet personal, capable yet unpretentious.

Our Story

In Fiji, land does not simply change hands — it chooses its guardians. When plans to settle on Taveuni did not work out, we were entrusted with a piece of land in Viani Bay through Jone’s family connections. The land is not for sale, and being welcomed onto it shaped everything that followed.

What first felt like a challenge — no road access and complex logistics — soon revealed itself as a rare gift. Living in a tent, collecting rainwater, and building with what was available, we slowly created what would become Viani Bay Resort and Dive Academy Fiji, guided by patience, improvisation, and strong community support.

From the beginning, conservation and community were part of everyday life. We welcomed divers and visiting yachts while growing organically — shaped by relationships rather than scale — an approach that continues to guide how we live, dive, and host today.

Viani Bay, February 2017
Clearing the land and start building

At Viani Bay Resort, we operate with a low-impact approach. The resort is largely solar powered, uses locally sourced materials where possible, and the bures are cooled through natural ventilation and fans rather than air conditioning.

Food is sourced locally, creating additional income for families around the bay. We focus on reducing waste and unnecessary impact — avoiding single-use plastics, providing natural coconut-based soaps, minimising cleaning chemicals, and defogging dive masks with hibiscus leaves.

As a PADI Eco Center and Green Fins Member (2025), reef care and respectful engagement with the community are part of normal operations rather than separate initiatives.