Beqa Island and Lagoon

Beqa lies about ten kilometres off the southern coast of Viti Levu inside a barrier reef that encloses a lagoon of nearly four hundred square kilometres. Two things make it known: the shark dive on the reef, where bull sharks and sometimes tiger sharks are fed at a site run with the local villages, and the vilavilairevo, the firewalking tradition of the Sawau people of Beqa, in which men walk on heated stones. The island itself has villages, forest and a handful of small resorts.

What you actually see

• The shark dive - bull sharks and other species at a fed site inside the lagoon.
• The barrier reef - a large lagoon system with dive sites around its edge.
• The firewalking tradition - the vilavilairevo of the Sawau people, performed on the island and elsewhere.
• The villages - a handful of communities around the island's coast.

When to go

May to October is the drier season with the best visibility. The shark dive runs year-round in suitable conditions. Cyclone season is November to April.

Honest expectations

The shark dive is a baited dive and opinions on that practice differ sharply; it is worth deciding where you stand before booking. Firewalking performances staged at resorts are not the same as the ceremony in its own context. Accommodation on Beqa is limited and boat transfers depend on weather.

Nearby

Pacific Harbour is on the mainland opposite, and Vatulele is west.