Lava Fields - Savai'i
The Lava Fields are exactly what they sound like – a sprawling underwater landscape shaped by the 1905 eruption, now softened by a century of ocean life. We love how the dark, undulating basalt rock creates these natural canyons and swim-throughs, all just a few metres deep. It’s like diving through a submerged, ancient maze. Our favourite part has to be the light play. Sunlight filters down through the shallow water, bouncing off the sandy patches and illuminating the bowl corals that have colonised every available surface. Keep an eye out for the giants here: huge spider conches slowly traversing the sand, and we’ve spotted humpbacked conches settled in the crevices too. Blackfish often dart between the rocks, and it's a calm spot, perfect for new divers to practice their buoyancy without worrying about deep drop-offs or strong currents. The coral hind and silver squirrelfish are pretty common, but it's the sheer architectural beauty of the lava formations that really makes this place special. We’d suggest going in the morning; the water tends to be clearest, and the low sun casts long, dramatic shadows.
- Location
- Savai'i, Samoa, Central & South Pacific
- Coordinates
- -13.540000, -172.350000
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 5-18m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Manase
Best Time to Dive in Savai'i
The warmest water temperatures in Savai'i occur in January, averaging 29.4°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 29.4°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 29.4°C (air: 25.9°C)
- February: 29.4°C (air: 25.6°C)
- March: 29.4°C (air: 26.3°C)
- April: 29.4°C (air: 26.4°C)
- May: 29.4°C (air: 26.3°C)
- June: 29.4°C (air: 26.0°C)
- July: 29.4°C (air: 25.5°C)
- August: 29.4°C (air: 25.4°C)
- September: 29.4°C (air: 25.5°C)
- October: 29.4°C (air: 25.6°C)
- November: 29.4°C (air: 25.7°C)
- December: 29.4°C (air: 25.6°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Savai'i
- Fagamalo Reef - 5-22m (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Lava Fields
- Dive Savaii - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Savai'i
Home to 204 recorded species including 141 reef fish, 33 hard corals, 9 sea cucumbers, 8 sea snails & nudibranchs, 3 clams & mussels, 3 whales & dolphins.
Notable Species
- Burrowing urchin (Echinometra mathaei) - Sea Urchins
- Black sea cucumber (Holothuria atra) - Sea Cucumbers
- Greenfish (Stichopus chloronotus) - Sea Cucumbers
- Tigerfish (Bohadschia argus) - Sea Cucumbers
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
- Batavian Parrotfish (Scarus psittacus) - Reef Fish
- Banded Goatfish (Parupeneus multifasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Parrotfish (Scarus oviceps) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly fish (Chaetodon vagabundus) - Reef Fish
- Blackedge thicklip wrasse (Hemigymnus melapterus) - Reef Fish
- Floral wrasse (Cheilinus chlorourus) - Reef Fish
- Kihikihi (Zanclus cornutus) - Reef Fish
- Orange-lined Triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus) - Reef Fish
- Manini (Acanthurus triostegus) - Reef Fish
- Brown Sandfish (Bohadschia vitiensis) - Sea Cucumbers
- Staghorn coral (Acropora humilis) - Hard Corals
- Redfin Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunulatus) - Reef Fish
- Clown Tang (Naso lituratus) - Reef Fish
- Citron Butterfly (Chaetodon citrinellus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Lava Fields
Based on average water temperature of 29.4°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories