OVALAU

Protected Area

Vanua Rakiraki, Ra

Why dive here

With 382+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, eagle rays, giant moray eels, humpback whales and sperm whales - OVALAU offers some of Kadavu & Great Astrolabe Reef's richest wreck diving.

Marine lifeBlue Sharks, Eagle Rays, Giant Moray Eels, Humpback Whales and Sperm Whales · 382+ species recorded

CharacterWreck dive · max 15m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

Ovalau is one of those wrecks that just holds you. We always tell people it's not about the depth here, just 15 metres, it's about the sheer scale and the history you can almost feel. This old ferry, the Ex-Uwajima '83, was built in '69 and she’s a big girl, over 60 metres long. You can swim through sections of the main deck, imagining passengers crossing to Suva back in the day. The twin six-cylinder engines are still visible, an impressive tangle of corroded steel now home to schools of snapper and barracuda. The wreck itself is covered in soft corals and sponges, a vibrant canvas against the dark steel. Look closely and you’ll find nudibranchs clinging to the superstructure, and we’ve often seen reef sharks circling the bow in the early mornings. It’s an easy dive, perfect for divers who appreciate the character of an old vessel and the way the ocean reclaims its own. For us, it’s one of Kadavu's quiet stars, proof that a shallow wreck can be just as captivating as any deep reef.