Tuesday 14 December 2010

FREE HONEYMOON BURE UPGRADE ON ALL 10 DAY PACKAGES IN JAN 2011!

DEAL #2FREE HONEYMOON BURE UPGRADE ON ALL 10 DAY PACKAGES!

Free Honeymoon Bure UpgradeBook any of our packages to go fishing, diving, bird watching, or indeed just hanging out at Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort during the whole month of January and get upgraded to our exclusive Honeymoon Bure free!

BUDDY DIVES FOR FREE IN JAN 2011!


Your buddy dives fir FREE!Don't miss your chance to have your buddy dive for free at Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort during the whole month of January 2011 and see the mantas on the Great Astrolabe Reef.

Use this great deal to get your one of you diving for free to get in even more diving this year.

Friday 3 December 2010

Recognition for Matava at the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2010 | Matava - Fijis Premier Eco Adventure Resort

MEDIA RELEASE: 29th November 2010

Recognition for Matava at the
Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2010

Matava has won in the Best in the Marine Environment category at this year’s Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2010 organised by responsibletravel.com.

The Judges said “Matava is a beacon for responsible tourism and an example to other dive sites. They maintain a strong commitment to both the conservation of the marine environment and the development of the local Fijian community. All staff and dive guides are from local villages, they have signed an agreement with local villages designating 3 established marine reserves as 100% no-take zones, across large geographic areas, and even succeeded in assisted in getting marine conservation on to the Fijian National Curriculum.”

At a ceremony hosted at World Travel Market (WTM), Docklands, London, on Wednesday 10thresponsibletravel.com, organisers and founders of the Awards, and Amanda Wills, managing director of Virgin Holidays, headline sponsor of the Awards.

November, the Awards were handed out by Justin Francis, managing director of

Justin Francis, founder of The Responsible Tourism Awards and managing director, responsibletravel.com, organisers of the Awards said:

“This year I have been heartened by the depth of commitment and connection our winners have shown to the local communities in their destinations. Their successes and pioneering spirits are remarkable and the very real and authentic experiences they have created, set responsible tourism apart. They also remind us that holidays can be both luxurious for visitor and enhancing for local people – helping build schools, water pumps, clinics and conserving cultural and natural heritage.”

Lorna Young accepting Matava’s Award at WTM 2010

Richard Akhtar, Director of Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort said:

“At Matava, we are of course both happy and proud to receive this prestigious global award. We find it even more important that the industry, by rewarding similar efforts, choose to take a stand for the environment we depend on. We also see it as an important continuing signal to the community which at the same time can serve to inspire the numerous individuals and companies who have been doing so much, and continue to do even more in the field of environmental enlightenment and conservation. This award has highlighted Fiji’s leading role and efforts in this regard especially.”

Amanda Wills, managing director, Virgin Holidays, headline sponsor of the Awards said:

“I’m once again humbled by the commitment, drive and ingenuity of today’s winners. They have shown us all what can be achieved by the people and places seeking to benefit from tourism, even when the economic climate continues to challenge us all. Their’s is truly an example for the rest of the industry to follow, and I’m delighted that Virgin Holidays is again able to be a part of this celebration.”

Launched in 2004, the Awards are run in association with partners World Travel Market, Metro Newspaper and Geographical

Over the years the Awards have celebrated the best in responsible tourism, and attracted some of the best celebrity supporters, including Michael Palin and Paul Theroux!

Simon ReeveIn 2010 Simon Reeve, best-selling author, presenter and broadcaster launched the Awards with an exclusive interview in Metro Newspaper:

“The Responsible Tourism Awards focus attention on travel firms that are providing us all with amazing trips that make a difference to a local community while still protecting the environment and our planet. And they remind us that responsible travel is not only better for our world, it’s also more interesting and memorable. Responsible tourism is the future of travel.”

Liz BonninLiz Bonin, Wild Animal biologist, biochemist and presenter of ‘Bang Goes the Theory’ on BBC1 also lent her support to the Awards with an exclusive interview on wildlife and responsible tourism in Metro Newspaper:

“If we make the effort to respect our holiday destinations and contribute responsibly to the local economy by staying in local farms or homestays and exploring the local wildlife through eco-tourism, we benefit by getting a real sense of local culture and discovering hidden treasures we could never get from a faceless resort holiday, all the while knowing that we have our done our bit to keep this planet happy and healthy. The Responsible Tourism Awards are doing a fantastic job at reminding us of our duty to travel in this responsible way.”

For a full list of finalists, see www.responsibletourismawards.com

- Ends -


Notes to editors

About Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort

Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort, is an eco adventure getaway offering you a fun and unique blend of cultural experiences and adventure activities in the environmentally pristine and remote island of Kadavu in the Fiji Islands. Matava – Fiji Premier Eco Adventure Resort is a PADI 5 Star Dive Resort as well as a Project AWARE GoEco Operator. With more than 14 years experience in the Fiji Islands, Matava is recognized as a leading educational dive centre. Matava offers accommodation for up to 22 guests in lush tropical surroundings in traditional thatched Fijian ‘bures’ with hardwood polished floors, louvre windows and private decks offering privacy, comfort and superb ocean views.

For interviews, images or further information please contact Stuart Gow, Stuart@Matava.com, t: 679-997-5416

About The Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards

The Awards are the most prestigious and competitive of their kind in the world and are a collaboration between online travel directory responsibletravel.com; UK media partners Metro Newspaper and Geographical Magazine and World Travel Market who host the ceremony. The central tenet of the Awards is that all types of tourism – from niche to mainstream – can and should be operated in a way that respects and benefits destinations and local people.

About responsibletravel.com:

responsibletravel.com is the world’s leading travel agent for responsible holidays. The site offers over 3,500 richer, deeper and more locally distinctive travel experiences that are better for destinations and local communities.

Whether you’re after an action-packed adventure, a relaxing beach escape or a charming countryside getaway closer to home, there’s something to suit all tastes and budgets.

Co-founder, Justin Francis had the original idea for the website on his travels through Africa having completed his MSc in Responsible Tourism. He launched the site with backing from Dame Anita Roddick in 2001 and since then has been included in Courvoisier’s The Future 500, Thames and Hudson’s 60 Innovators Shaping Our Creative Future and taken his place on the Advisory Board of The International Centre for Responsible Tourism at Leeds Metropolitan University. Based in Brighton, England responsibletravel.com also campaigns for positive change in the travel and tourism industry.

Contact:

Stuart Gow
Stuart@Matava.com

+679 603 0685

Alex Lyons
press@responsibletravel.com
+44 (0)1273 648 519


Recognition for Matava at the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2010 | Matava - Fijis Premier Eco Adventure Resort

Thursday 2 December 2010

One if by land, or two if by sea…

One if by land, or two if by sea…

AND / OR

It’s your choice when you travel with the Amazing Sisters to Fiji.

Option 1: Fiji Island Dancer Live-Aboard
Oct. 6, 2011 to Oct.16 (includes travel days)
$2,995 or $3,195 (includes taxes and port fees) depending on your cabin choice

Option 2: BOTH Fiji Island Dancer + Fiji’s Matava Eco Resort
Oct. 6, 2011 through Oct. 23, 2011
$4,595 or $4,795, depending on your cabin choice

Option 3: Matava Eco Resort (land based)
Oct. 15, 2011 through Oct. 23 (includes travel days)
$1,799

NOTE: This pricing does NOT include airfare, and it’s too early to be able to get a confirmed air price right now, but based on current available fares, we are ESTIMATING the airfare from RDU to Fiji to be in the $1,400 - $1,500 range. You are free to arrange your own or to book through us.

Here's Laine and Mary Ann (the Amazing Sisters) describing these amazing adventures:

Fiji Island Dancer (only 8 spots available)
Climb aboard the intimate, 10-passenger Island Dancer II for a live-aboard diving adventure to paradise. We’ll explore the reefs, bommies (that’s Aussie for pinnacle), and walls of Nigali Pass, Wakaya, Koro and Namenalala Islands. We’ll experience the dazzling underwater colors of Fiji firsthand: brilliant corals and huge sea fans, ornate ghost pipefish, brightly pigmented nudibranchs, lionfish, blue-ribbon eels, giant clams, maybe even a yellow pygmy seahorse, and don’t forget “Dorie” and of course clownfish “Nemo”. The Sisters know from experience that Fiji is called the soft coral capital of the world for good reason. You won’t believe the beauty of both the soft and the hard corals in Fiji. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, Fiji is also home to schooling pelagic so keep an eye out for giant mantas, sharks (reef and hammerheads), eagle rays, turtles, giant groupers, huge schools of barracuda, yellowfin tuna and even the occasional pilot whale! And how about a night dive with the light fish so abundant they make for a great light show?

Island Dancer Trip includes:

  • Seven nights on board the Island Dancer II
  • All meals and beverages (including national brands of alcohol)
  • Transportation from Nadi to the boat in Suva
  • 5 and ½ days of diving up to five dives per day
  • Land excursions on some days
  • And all the usual Peter Hughes Diving Dancer Fleet services and amenities:
  • Comfortable staterooms with air conditioning and private bathrooms
  • Fine cuisine prepared by the chef
  • Warm towels draped around your shoulders after each dive
  • Hot chocolate (with or without alcohol) is passed around after each night dive
  • Nightly turn-down service with a mint on your pillow
  • Morning beverage service. Leave your request on your door at night, wake up to your preferred beverage brought to your stateroom each morning
  • Dive deck services include hanging up your wetsuit and rinsing your dive gear, handling your valuable camera equipment with care.

Matava Eco Resort, Kadavu Island
On the remote island of Kadavu, Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort boasts secluded splendor while also satisfying your spirit of adventure. Matava is a genuine eco-hideaway designed to cause minimal impact on the environment. Don't be afraid of the words "ECO RESORT" in the name. While the resort is run primarily on solar power and has won various awards for their efforts in Eco Tourism and low carbon foot print, the only thing you will have to do without is a hair dryer and you won’t even miss it!!! If you are looking for the perfect hidden paradise with amazing food, service, personal attention, awesome diving and a true Fijian experience, then you need to look no further than Matava! The real magic of the place is the location and service. The staff are warmly welcoming, helpful and friendly. Add to this a pristine and amazing location, great food and a nice atmosphere and you have the ingredients for a perfect vacation destination. The entire resort only accommodates a maximum of 22 guests.
Matava is bordered by the Great Astrolabe Reef, the world’s fourth largest barrier reef. It is rated as one of the world’s premier diving locations, offering great diversity and spectacle in coral structures and marine life. Dive sites are 10 - 30 minutes away with 2 scheduled morning boat dives -- more if you request them. The diving is fantastic with amazingly healthy hard corals, soft corals of all colors and the reefs and walls teaming with tropical and reef fish, anemones of every color and size, sharks and turtles and mantas. You may even hear a humpback whale serenade.
We will sleep in beautiful traditional thatched Fijian bures nestled in the rainforest and set amidst lush tropical surroundings. Each bure has its own deck, and offers privacy, comfort, and beautiful ocean views - the perfect vantage point for each night's sunset. The bures are large, comfortable, and airy with many windows and beautifully polished hardwood floors.
For non-divers and divers there are hikes, treks, snorkeling, surfing, fishing, bird watching, kayaking, or simply relaxing and unwinding. Step into the village greeted by locals with huge smiles and a loud “BULA!” Watch the young villagers jump from high atop the rocks above the beautiful waterfall, or choose to spend the night in the village with a family.
The staff at the resort is amazingly friendly, including the owners who really go out of their way to give you the trip you want. If you want to do something, just ask, they will make it possible for you. For example, some guests told the staff they were interested in learning about local healing. The staff arranged for them to take a trek across the island to visit a healer who had been working his trade and farming local produce all of his life.
Gas lamps emerge just before sunset giving the main bure and the surrounding area a warm and inviting glow. Dinner is family style, making for easy conversation with other visiting guests as well as the owners of the resort who make you feel like you are part of their family. The food is fresh, plentiful, local flavors including fresh fish caught that day, vegetables and fruits grown in the resort’s organic gardens, and very nice wines to compliment the culinary creations coming from the chef!
Listen…do you hear the morning drum? It’s telling you it's time for a huge breakfast. Then it's off to dive the great Astrolabe Reef!! Join the Amazing Sisters on a truly unique and genuine Fijian experience.

Matava Trip Includes:

  • 5 day of 2 tanks diving (10 dives)
  • All day free access to shore diving at The Critter Junction
  • 7 nights in Oceanview Traditional Bure
  • All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, unlimited tea/coffee)
  • Traditional Lovo evening with entertainment and kava drinking
  • Waterfall trek on final non-dive day
  • All taxes


Join us NOW! Space is LIMITED!! $500 non-refundable deposit due immediately to reserve your spot. Additional $1,000 due January 1, 2011. Additional $1,000 due April 1. Final payment due July 1, 2011. Berth choice is assigned on a first-come / first-served basis, with priority going to couples.
Cancellation penalties are stiff for this trip, so please read the cancellation policy carefully.
We STRONGLY RECOMMEND trip cancellation insurance.

Sign up through our secure ON-LINE site right now.


Gypsy Divers Aquatic Center; Raleigh's Finest Family Aquatic Center

Sunday 14 November 2010

Premier of Body Glove’s Drop Zone Fiji at the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel’s prime venue The Joint

In less than a week DEMA commences as does the premier of Body Glove’s Drop Zone Fiji at the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel’s prime venue The Joint.  We hope to see you all there next Thursday, Nov. 18, at 8p.m., as it should be a jubilant occasion featuring some of Fiji’s premier dive and surf spots.  Body Glove’s pro surfers turned divers will be on hand for Q & A before the premier.  We hope you can attend and for those of you who have prior commitments please feel free to invite those who have nothing better to do except check out this beautifully shot film.  And if you haven’t seen the trailer yet have a look at the attached Body Glove website and then post it on your fan page.

Drop Zone Fiji will also premier on Fuel TV in early March which is available in up to 30 million homes across the U.S. market.  Fuel TV and Drop Zone will also air throughout Australia, Asia and Europe next spring.  So lots of reach on this project and it’s really highlighting Fiji’s world class dive, surf, culture and soft adventure activities.  Not to mention it’s just a fun film with great music and people who love what they’re doing in Fiji.  We look forward to seeing everyone next Thursday and sharing good times and BULA whimsy with the over and underwater masses.   


For trailer go to:  www.bodyglove.com


See attached premier invitation.                     

Saturday 6 November 2010

Deep Blue Adventures Announces New Dedicated Charity Program

Deep Blue Adventures is extremely proud to announce its newest program, Good Will Diving, a new branch of Deep Blue Adventures dedicated to bringing together divers with organizations or people in need. In addition to facilitating Deep Blue Adventures corporate contributions, Good Will Diving will organize and participate in various benefits, fundraisers and educational programs, and provide a place where anyone interested in assisting or contributing to a need can find information on a cause in which to participate.

While Good Will Diving will participate in numerous fundraising throughout the year, Deep Blue Adventures will highlight one specific cause for a set time to maximize the potential awareness and participation. Charities and foundations are welcome to suggest their own causes and individuals or dive stores are also encouraged to highlight a need they would like to see supported.

Cheryl Patterson of Deep Blue Adventures states the Good Will Diving program was created as both a way to better serve the benefits the company already participates in as well as providing a source for divers who also want to help in some way. “Divers are a very community-oriented group of people and we often have many clients asking what they can do to help. Sometimes it is the form of taking school supplies or other much needed items to a place they are visiting, other times it is looking to offer aid during a disaster or making a financial contribution. We have always provided this information whenever it has been requested, but we wanted more people to know they have a reliable contact point. There are many more of our customers that did not know until they arrive at their destination that even a few simple items that could easily fit in their bag would have made all the difference and they wished they would have known before they embarked on their trip. We are looking to increase this awareness. Additionally, our team are all already very actively involved in various charities and we try to support various programs whenever we can, such as Diabetes Youth Services, Dive For The Cure and IAHD. We want charities, foundations and those in need to know they can come to Deep Blue Adventures and that we want to be involved. As a small company, we can only achieve so much, but combined with the efforts and involvement of others, we can make an incredible impact”.

November will mark the official beginning of Good Will Diving, and for this Deep Blue Adventures is highlighting the need for eye glasses for Fijian Villagers.

Patterson explains “We chose this cause for a number of reasons. As divers and travelers we experience many wonderful aspects of the countries we visit. We often fall in love with the surroundings, the food, the culture and of course what we find there beneath the surface. More often than not, the people are what touches us the most and deepens our experiences. We felt that highlighting a need of some of the warmest people we have ever met in one of our top-selling destinations would be an appropriate place to start. This is also something everyone can be involved in – we are not asking for money, we are asking for something very simple that many people are able to give – used or old reading eye glasses. Kids and teens can be just as involved as adults and no one has to dig deep in their pockets – that’s part of what Good Will Diving is all about. While foundations often desperately need financial support, and we will always encourage and be part of that, many of us are not aware that we can often make a huge difference in someone’s lives without it costing a penny. Finally, another reason we selected this program is it struck a very personal chord with one of our team members.

Terri Huber, Senior Sales Representative with Deep Blue Adventures explains. “One night, during my recent trip to Fiji, I was chatting after dinner with another guest and Matava resort owner, Richard Akhtar. During our conversation, the subject of the needs of the Fijian Villagers came up and Richard immediately responded without hesitation, eye glasses. Having traveled to many remote diving destinations around the world and being welcomed and treated graciously by the locals we have thought of a small gesture to say "thank you". We as divers visit and enjoy these far off countries and return home with long lasting memories, photos, and souvenirs. So, why not give back a little to help out the remote villages of Fiji?”

While the glasses will be distributed to various villages in need across the country, Matava Resort on Kadavu who operates the Matava Foundation has agreed to assist Deep Blue Adventures in their first Good Will Diving venture by providing a contact point in Fiji and facilitating in getting the glasses to those that need it most. Organizations such as clubs or schools that participate in the Eyes For Fiji Program and elect to take a group to the resort will receive a Meke from the village, with an official handing over ceremony to the elders of the village as part of their week at Matava, a truly memorable experience.

Those not attending DEMA can still contribute to this effort simply by mailing in reading glasses, but Deep Blue Adventures is willing to absorb the postage costs involved if a donor emailsGoodWillDiving@deepblueadventures.com or calls 888-266-2209 and requests a self-addressed, postage paid envelope. They are also encouraging dive stores, clubs, schools, scouts, business and other organizations to consider becoming a collection point for Eyes for Fiji and engaging their local community in an effort on a larger scale. Once the glasses are received any interested donors will be issued a $50 travel voucher as a thank you for their donation. Glasses collected will be sent on a regular and ongoing basis to the islands through the company’s various contacts.

All vouchers will be distributed electronically due to conservation efforts also being made by the company.

More information is available on Deep Blue Adventures’ website and the same contact information above can also be used for other causes, efforts or questions regarding Good Will Diving. You may also connect with the team on their new FaceBook page, all of whom are excited to begin working with fellow divers and travelers in this unprecedented program immediately.

Divenewswire

Monday 25 October 2010

Fiji | Scuba Diver Girls Dive Travel & Dive Vacations


*
Packages starting at:* (Diver) $1,349* *(Non-Diver) $949*

SDG is going to Fiji!! Why not you???

7 nights and diving starting at $1,349!!

Reserve with Scuba Diver Girls Travel (Full Travel Services for Everyone)


Fiji | Scuba Diver Girls Dive Travel & Dive Vacations

Thursday 21 October 2010

The most awsome experence! | Scuba Diving Magazine

At the end of our first week my daughter and I parted ways and she went back home and I went onto Matava Eco resort on the Island of Kandavu.

It was about a 30 min. plane ride there from Suva. Then a 45 min. boat ride to the resort. Was met by the resort host Maggie. He was the best, funny, hilarious and attentive. Always there with a drink for you checking to see if you were comfortable. A shout out for George again very helpful. He escorted me over to the village one day and to the waterfall, great time.

It is an eco resort but other than not having plug-ins in your Bure they were very nice and comfortable. The food there was outstanding! several nights there the catch of the day was turned into Shashimi, hope I spelled it correctly. The main bure had charging stations.

The dive shop was small but it was adequate. You could see the Astralobe reef from the resort. The diving there was out of this world. There were soft corals and massive walls of hard corals. The high light of this location was the Manta reef dive. It was only 20 min. ride to the reef. We saw 2 of them thay were about 15 to 20 ft. across. The most awsome experence! I also came across a sea crate, but all I got was a video clip that I cannot post here, rats.

I also did a night dive there that was great in its self but the night sky was breath taking and you could see the southern cross as if it was close enough to touch it. It was the best trip of my life so far. The people, the diving and the location. Enjoy, oh yes if you go to my face book address (Dave Wyatt) you can see the video clips and some of the other pics I took.

Fiji dive vacation | Scuba Diving Magazine

Thursday 30 September 2010

Shark Savers: Racing to Save Sharks - Mustang Driver John "Chip" Scarlet...



John "Chip" Scarlett is racing to save sharks with his Shark Car. This season Chip has been promoting Shark Savers while driving in the Mustang Challenge racing series.

Chip has taken this novel approach to promote awareness about the oceans dire need for sharks. To learn more about the plight of our sharks watch this short feature about Chip and his mission to save them.

To see Chip's underwater photography visit http://www.johnscarlett.com.

Fiji and Tuvalu Dive Reviews: Dive Resorts & Liveaboards

Undercurrent Home
Home | Members' Home

Dive Review of
Mad Fish Dive Center/Matava Resort in
Fiji and Tuvalu/Matava, Kadavu Island

in 2009/11
an Instant Reader Report
by
Debbie Pasich, CA, usa
Report Number 5271

N/A means "Not Applicable" or "No Answer" given

Reporter
Dive Experience
501-1000 dives
Where else diving
 Caymans (all 3), Cozumel, Roatan, Dominica, Belize, Bonaire, San Diego 

Dive Conditions

Weather
sunny, windy, cloudy
Seas
choppy
Water Temp
75 to 77 ° Fahrenheit
Wetsuit Thickness
3
Water Visibility
60 to 150 Feet

Dive Policy
Dive own profile?
yes
Enforced diving restrictions
Were desire given depth and time for dives but permitted to dive computer
with buddy.
Liveaboard?
no
Nitrox Available?
no
What I saw
Sharks
Lots
Mantas
1 or 2
Dolphins
1 or 2
Whale Sharks
None
Turtles
> 2
Whales
None
Ratings 1 (worst)- 5 (best):
Corals
5 stars
Tropical Fish
4 stars
Small Critters
4 stars
Large Fish
3 stars
Large Pelagics
5 stars


Underwater Photography 1 (worst)- 5 (best):
Subject Matter
5 stars
Boat Facilities
1 stars
Overall rating for UWP's
4 stars
Shore Facilities
2 stars
Comments
[None]  
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst)- 5 (best):
Accommodations
5 stars
Food
3 stars
Service and Attitude
5 stars
Environmental Sensitivity
5 stars
Dive Operation
5 stars
Shore Diving
4 stars
Snorkeling
4 stars


Overall Rating

Value for $$
5 stars
Beginners
4 stars
Advanced
5 stars
Comments
The Diving:
Matava’s newest dive boat delivered just the week prior to our arrival, is
capable of accommodating approximately 14 divers. We were pretty
comfortable with 10 divers plus the dive master, crew and boat captain.
Dive sites were anywhere from a 10 minute to 30 minute ride and surface
intervals were done either in the calmer waters inside the reef or on
shore. (The new boat has overhead canvas bins for dry storage but none of
their dive boats have marine heads nor provisions for large camera
equipment.) Outside the reef there was always an ocean swell (between 2-3
ft). Inside the reef was calm but because the weather was unseasonably
windy we usually had some surface chop. The Astrolabe Reef provides an
incredible display of healthy, colorful hard corals and the diving was
excellent. During our 1 week visit we dove “Manta Reef” twice and as the
name implies – it delivered. We dove with no less than 10 Manta’s total.
“Eagle’s Rock” was a great shark dive: 20 to 30+ white tip, black tip and
gray reef sharks of various sizes schooling together in the reef inlet.
“Japanese Gardens” had a beautiful assortment of soft corals and “Cabbage
Patch” should not be missed. During the week in addition to the manta rays
and sharks (and probably the largest variety of butterfly fish we’ve ever
seen) of note we saw a dolphin, a napoleon wrasse, a sea snake, several
lion fish, octopus, turtles, giant clams, eels, clown fish and stunning
nudibranchs. The dive staff did a great job of understanding the needs of
the guests and DM’s Masau and Ta were informative and fun to dive with.
During briefings we were given dive profiles but for the most part we were
able to dive our computers. Every day the dive staff took care of setting
up our gear as well as rinsing and hanging our suits at the end of the day.
In a nutshell, great diving and an excellent dive staff made for some
terrific memories.

The resort:
With traditional thatched bure’s tucked into the mountain side of Kadavu
Island, the resort is a beautiful place to get away from it all. The
newest (honeymoon) bure at the top of the hill (94 stairs of various sizes
to climb) has an absolutely spectacular view! It’s an eco-resort and a
majority of the power is supplied by solar so leave your hair dryer at
home. The hot water is solar but for cloudy days they have back up
propane tanks for hot showers. The bure’s are cleaned daily and the sheets
and towels are changed every 2-3 days (all laundry is done by hand). To
keep the pests at bay they provide mosquito nets over the beds and mosquito
coils for the bures. The combination seems to work pretty well. Maggie,
the resort host/hostess has a unique style of hospitality that is
entertaining and he makes sure that you feel welcome and have need of
nothing. The staff is Fijian and they were always ready with a big smile.
They have a small area in the main bure for charging batteries from 9am –
5pm daily. My one recommendation would be that you bring your own water
bottle (for use in your bure and on the boat).
Kayaks are available for use at no charge and if you’re up to a 50-60
minute (one-way) hike there is a Fijian Village, School and beautiful
waterfall that is well worth the effort.

The food:
3 meals per day, breakfast was comprised of fresh fruit, toast and eggs.
In addition to these some days they had homemade breakfast rolls, French
toast or banana pancakes. All of their homemade breads were terrific.
Lunches were varied and dinners ranged from satisfactory to quite good with
excellent flavors. Soups were extraordinary! (I believe one of the more
disappointing meals was simply the result of a late supply ship to the
island.) When you arrive you are asked about dietary
restrictions/requirements. This close to New Zealand you will likely be
served lamb for at least one dinner – let them know in advance if you would
prefer something else. They seemed to accommodate the vegetarian’s quite
well. Instant coffee, tea and cocoa are available from 6am – 11pm daily.


Fiji and Tuvalu Dive Reviews: Dive Resorts & Liveaboards

Monday 13 September 2010

Party at Matava for Thanksgiving with ScubaRadio Crew!

ScubaRadio at Matava 2010Scuba Radio Mermaid Special 2010

Come and join us and the Scuba Radio presenters and Mermaids at Thanksgiving for a week of fun and diving and Turkey Gobbling in November 2010.

November 20th to November 27th 2010

A week of diving, chaos and fun for only - USD 1199.00


ScubaRadio recording in FijiThe Scuba Radio crew with Greg the Divemaster and the Mermaids are coming back to Fiji, and this time it's going to be mostly for fun!

The week will begin on Saturday 20th, however DO feel free to drop in for half the week, or even just the last few days! Drop us an email or call us on Skype and we'll work it out! Heck, it's going to be chaos anyway!

Greg et al will arrive at Matava in Fiji on Monday 22nd November, fresh from a week in Las Vegas at the DEMA Show. If you are planning on going to this Dive Show, cahnces are that you'll bump into the crew there, and you can fly with them all the way to Fiji.

Greg and the crew were here in May (listen to that show here!), and they loved it SO much that they're coming back. This time they're coming to Matava in Kadavu to dive the Great Astrolabe Reef with the mantas, and they are inviting us all along for the week!


Listen to Scuba Radio now!

ScubaRadio is radio talk show with a diving theme. Pictures are painted of the underwater world as listeners and guests share their diving adventures. Every diver has a story about the perfect dive, destination, or encounter with some amazing sea creature. ScubaRadio provides the forum. It’s like hanging out at a Tiki hut and sharing fish tales with friends.

Never heard of Scuba Radio (where HAVE you been?), find the podcasts/archives of ScubaRadio here, available worldwide online! Just click here or paste the following link into your podcasting software: http://www.scubaradio.com/srpodcast.xml. You’ll find at least a couple years of past shows!

ItunesIf you’re using Itunes, just click here and subscribe!


The latest edition of ScubaRadio will now automatically download to your computer/MP3 listening device!


Scuba Radio Mermaid Special 2010

So here's the deal:
  • • 7 nights at Matava in an Oceanview Bure
  • • All meals and airport transfers included
  • • 5 days of 2 tank diving - 10 dives
  • • Free unlimited shore diving
  • • Free 3rd tank on 1 afternoon
  • • Free use of kayaks, snorkelling around the resort
  • • Traditional Lovo Feast and Kava Ceremony
  • Scuba Radio T-shirt and baseball cap
  • • Free fun times with the Matava / Scuba Radio team and of course the ScubaRadio Mermaids
Chance to star on the Scuba Radio broadcasts recorded throughout the week!
 
Diver - USD 1199.00
Non Diver - USD 899.00
(only valid for double / twin share, Group 5 pay - 1 FOC)
ScubaRadio

Additions

  • • Upgrade to 5 days of 3 tank dives (15 dives) – USD 199.00
  • • Extra night – USD 125.00(based on 2 sharing)
  • • Extra days diving (2 tanks) – USD 100.00
  • • Single supplement – USD 500.00
Dates:- November 20th to November 27th 2010


Book your ScubaRadio MERMAID Package Now!

Thursday 26 August 2010

New telephone numbers for Matava! - Matava - Fijis Premier Eco Adventure Resort

Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort has installed a new Satellite Communications System with new telephone numbers. We have new methods of contacting Matava in the Fiji Islands including new telephone and fax numbers and a new Skype name! All running off the in-house solar power!

Our new permanent contact numbers are:
TELEPHONE: +679 603 0685

FAX: +679 603 0684

SKYPE: MatavaFiji
My status
"And so what does this mean to you?" I hear you ask? Well one of the big step forwards is that we now have a 24 hour contact via Skype technology and voice-mail there-in on site at the resort. This will revolutionise our online reservations and booking system.

Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco-Adventure Resort Matava Resort is proud to install this communications solution purely using the alternative power already available at the resort.

We will maintain our current CDMA/Easytel phone (+679 368 0080) until the end of August 2010, at which point they it be disconnected.
The new system runs on the Gilat SkyEdge System which supports telephony, broadband data and video communications via satellite. It is optimized for transaction-oriented applications, business continuity needs, legacy protocols, rural telephony deployments and multi-topology networks with mesh, star and multi-star topologies.
The system has an uplink speed of 64kbps where the service and support are provided by Connect Fiji.
Not only does the new service out perform its predecessors, the satellite network is designed to perform even under the heavy tropical rain.

The equipment installed at Matava is called a VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal). It consists of a 1.8m dish (situated hidden away behind the resort office) and outdoor electronics for communicating with the satellite and an indoor unit to which our standard telephone /fax lines and laptops are connected. The intelligence within the indoor unit processes the calls and distributes them to assigned telephone lines.

Power for the terminal is purely 12V DC and is supplied by our own in-house solar panels and batteries in our Main Bure complex.

Watch this space for the next phase in the program which is to make WiFi available directly to guests laptops in the Main Bure (shhhhh... this is currently top secret info!)

Once again, here are our new permanent contact numbers:

TELEPHONE: +679 603 0685

FAX: +679 603 0684

SKYPE: MatavaFiji
My status

New telephone numbers for Matava!

Wednesday 25 August 2010

Fish certification scheme shows its true colours - environment - 18 July 2010 - New Scientist

NEXT time you spot the telltale blue label at your fishmonger's counter, you needn't worry about whether your supper of "sustainable Alaska salmon" actually came from depleted stocks in the Atlantic.

Several landmark studies have, over the past 20 years, highlighted the problem of mislabelled fish. One-third of fish on sale in the US is not the species it is sold as, and one-quarter of cod and haddock sold in Ireland is neither of these.

Now an exercise in eco-forensics has found that the certification scheme run by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a global not-for-profit organisation, offers a way of ensuring you get what you think you're buying.

In a blind study, Rob Ogden of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland tested 240 MSC-certified samples bought at supermarkets, restaurants and markets in the US, UK, Japan and Germany. He compared their DNA with validated reference samples. "Nothing came back as anything other than what it should have been," he says.

The study was able to differentiate between species such as farmed Atlantic salmon and the more expensive but sustainable Alaska salmon, and various populations of toothfish. This opens the possibility of telling apart sustainable and unsustainable fisheries of the same species. Ogden now plans to develop tests to distinguish between different populations of cod, herring and hoki.

Fish certification scheme shows its true colours - environment - 18 July 2010 - New Scientist

Monday 9 August 2010

Shark Savers debuts anti-shark finning campaign in Hong Kong :: Wetpixel.com

Shark Savers debuts anti-shark finning campaign in Hong Kong



Shark Savers debuts the "Say 'No' to shark fin soup" Campaign in Hong Kong at the Diving and Resort Travel Expo

Hong Kong, July 16, 2010. Shark Savers launched the "Say 'no' to shark fin soup" campaign in Hong Kong at the Diving Resort & Travel Expo that opens today and extends through July 18, 2010. Shark Savers, a key participant in the Expo’s theme of marine conservation, will encourage people to stop eating shark fin soup as a means to protect sharks and improve ocean health.

According to Michael Skoletsky, Shark Savers' Executive Director, "Shark populations are being destroyed at a devastating pace throughout the world, primarily due to high consumption levels of shark fin soup. We are bringing the message of the protecting sharks by not eating the soup to Hong Kong, one of the epicenters for shark fin trade and consumption."

Sharks are the apex predators of the seas and have been shown to play an important role in maintaining the healthy balance of other species throughout the ocean food chain.

Hong Kong has long been the center of the shark fin trade. However, there has been a growing movement of people rejecting shark fin soup in this dynamic city. The Shark Savers campaign provides grassroots support to this emerging trend by empowering people to take a Pledge to not eat shark fin soup and to carry the message to their friends, family, local restaurants and businesses and their places of employment.

The “Say ‘no’ to shark fin soup” campaign is an extension of an effort pioneered by WildAid in China. Since 2009, Shark Savers has been partnering with WildAid in China and elsewhere, an effort that includes a powerful advertising message with spokesperson Yao Ming, urging people to stop eating shark fin soup. Yao Ming is Houston Rockets NBA Basketball star, owner of the Shanghai Sharks, and flag-bearer for China’s 2008 Olympic team.

The leader Shark Savers’ volunteers at the Expo, Jonn Lu, has set an ambitious goal -- to get 20,000 Expo visitors to Pledge not to eat or serve shark fin soup. "The Hong Kong Shark Savers team is excited to be part of this growing movement to take shark fin out of soup and keep sharks in the oceans where they can do so much good."

Shark Savers will be encouraging Expo visitors to sign the Pledge at a table at the Expo entrance, at Booth G52 and at its web site. More about shark fin soup, Shark Savers, and the pledge, may be found at http://www.sharksavers.org/sharkfinsoup

About Shark Savers:

Shark Savers is an international non-profit organization founded in 2007 dedicated to shark conservation. It focuses on reducing the consumption of shark fin soup, serving as the voice of sharks for the maligned species, and creating effective shark sanctuaries to protect sharks.

About The Hong Kong Diving, Resort & Travel Expo (the “DRT Show”):

The DRT Show runs from July 16-18, 2010 at the Hong Kong Exhibition Centre. It is one of the largest and most sought after events focused on diving, resort and travel held in Asia, open to the trade and consumers. It is the only Dive Expo supported by Hong Kong Underwater Association (HKUA) and China Underwater Association (CUA). The Expo is expecting an estimated 45,000 to 50,000 visitors over 3 days.

Contacts:

Julie Andersen
julie.andersen@sharksavers.org
Ph:+1.917.546.6618

Mary O'Malley
mary.omalley@sharksavers.org
Ph: +1 305 632 3688

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