Getting Scuba-Certified in Fiji Is the Best Way to Explore the Underwater World – Yahoo Singapore News

My journey to become a PADI-certified diver started in a chilly Massachusetts poolcomplete with floating hairballswith a local instructor giving us the basics. It wasnt quite as exotic as Id imagined, but the certification process took a sweeping turn in Fiji last February, where I did my open-water dives.

Kokomo Private Island was about as five-star as it gets, starting with the resorts private Otter seaplane transporting us from the airport in Nadi to the resorts dock.

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There, we were welcomed by the smiling staff, singing a traditional Fijian song. At that point, I realized this was going to be more than just a luxe holiday to get certified. It was going to be a bucket-list adventure that wasnt even on the list.

Diving with sea turtles.

Theres really no bad time of year to visit Fiji. The islands share the same weather patterns as Australia and New Zealand, so the seasons are opposite to the US. Fijis winter (June-August) is the most popular season to visit, thanks to milder temperatures and drier weather. Its summer (Dec-Feb) is generally hotter and rainier. But either works for getting certified.

Thats because there are few places on the planet that rival Fijis diving, with the Great Astrolabe Reefthe worlds fourth-largest coral reefextending over 62 miles.

Kokomo has exclusivity to multiple dive sites, which let us get up close and personal with manta rays, reef sharks, turtles and dozens of fish species living in the extensive reef systems.

More than 60 miles of protected reefs make Fiji one of the worlds most sought-after dive spots.

The instructors were all business when it came to teaching and demonstrating the skills needed to be PADI-certified, but were also clearly proud to introduce us to the warm, gin-clear waters around their remote South Pacific home.

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The diving venues were exceptional, with names like the Grotto, which feature vibrant, mysterious caverns, or Wonderland, where bright clownfish float in and out of soft corals, or the sweeping slopes of Side Street, with its hard coral that abut a sheer cliff teeming with marine life.

Any nervousness I may have felt at the beginning quickly morphed into the confidence that comes from experience, thanks to the expert dive team. We settled into a pleasant rhythm that featured two tank dives on the pristine reefs surrounding Kokomo in the mornings.

The view from the island.

The first four dives were dedicated to the skills needed for certification, but our instructors always built some time in to explore the local reefs that were only a short boat ride away. Of course, spending post-dive afternoons floating in the pool at our private waterfront villas was a relaxing counterpoint to the mornings adventures.

The island has a handful of one-, two- and three-bedroom villas, as well as residences for groups or families, that share contemporary island-style interior design, with elegant stonework and artwork by Chris Kenyon. The one-bedroom villas have a large living space, master bedroom with rain shower, deep-soak bathtub and outdoor shower.

Two restaurants, the Beach Shack and Walker DPlank, offer cuisines ranging from upscale Mediterranean and Fijian to more casual Asian street foods, sourced with local seafood and vegetables. The islands facilities and private beaches are ideal for just kicking back after each dive.

The seaplane that gathers guests from the airport and drops off at the island.

During the underwater workwe did a total of 13 dives, including one at nightI came to love the feeling of weightlessness. Theres also something calming about swimming 50 feet below the surfaceincluding the time we encountered sharks while exploring a coral wall on the edge of an ocean shelf.

One of our dive instructors, also a marine biologist, helped us understand (both scientifically and emotionally) just how special it was to dive Fijis pristine reefs. She pointed out all the wildlife: black-tip and white-tip sharks, green and Hawksbill turtles, fish ranging from a Napoleon wrasse and damselfish to angel fish and clownfish, while explaining the reefs importance to the archipelagos eco-system.

Now that Ive experienced all the wonders of weightless exploration and a whole new world below the surface, I cant believe I waited so long to get certifiedthough fortunately it happened in an exceptional place. But diving in paradise doesnt come cheap: The experience ranges from $15,000 to $20,000 per week.

Click here to see other private islands and superyachts that offer certification in paradise.

Six superyachts and resorts that offer certification courses.

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Getting Scuba-Certified in Fiji Is the Best Way to Explore the Underwater World - Yahoo Singapore News