Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach
Why not ask us about a multi-centre holiday?
3* Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach, Bahamas
Grand Bahama is the most northern island of the Bahamas, and the closest major island to the United States, lying 90 kilometres off the state of Florida. Grand Bahama is the fourth largest island in the Bahamas island chain of approximately 700 islands and 2,400 cays. The island is approximately 150 kilometres long west to east and 20 kilometres at its widest point north to south.
Great All-round Diving That Won’t Break the Bank
We recently just returned from this resort so are happy to share our thoughts. It is in a great location, right on a white-fine sand stretch of beach with an on-site diving centre. If you want opulence then we can recommend other places, but to use this as a base for diving and lying by the pool, and soaking up the sun, it’s ideal.
The Diving in Grand Bahama
You can do a real variety of dive sites here including reefs encrusted with soft corals, wrecks, caverns, reef shark dives, and day trips to Tiger Beach to see…Tiger Sharks!
The Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach Resort is an exciting resort and has a dive centre on it’s doorstep offering daily boat dives.
Beautiful surroundings and lots of activities and entertainment can be found in this all-inclusive resort.
Dive and Stay
The dive centre is located inside the Beautiful Resort of Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach.
The Diving Center has perfect logistics to satisfy beginners, expert divers, shark divers and snorkellers.
All divers students are insured and maximum standards of safety are applied for any activities. The centre offers daily diving trips, and snorkelling trips in the wonderful waters of Grand Bahamas.
The Viva Wydnham Fortuna Beach is also great for non-divers, families and couples. The spectacular evening entertainment helps you indulge in the all-inclusive bar!
- Ocean view pool
- Tennis
- Fitness centre
- On-site entertainment - nightly entertainment & themed parties
- Ocean front trapeze
- Free wi-fi
- Bar
- Children's play area
- Concierge
- Games room
- Hot tub
- Restaurant
- Sauna
Intinerary
Apart from Shark Diving, Grand Bahamas offers some of the best SCUBA diving. From great wrecks to excellent reef and wall dives and diving from boats. With an assortment of marine life- Grand Bahamas has it all.
TIGER BEACH
As you can see from the name, this is one of the most unique dive sites in the world where you have the chance to watch Tiger Sharks swimming around in their natural habitat. You can also see here nurse sharks along with lemon sharks. In addition to sharks on this dive site other you can always see large representatives of the underwater fauna such as huge groupers and snappers.
The Tiger Beach trip is available from November 15 to May 15.
SHARKS ALLEY
The Western side of shark alley. Connects with hydro Lab to the East and Caves Sites to the south. A very interesting dive with many options for a tour. Named ‘pretenders wreck’ for the 45’ upside down tugboat hull holding down the mooring line. Plenty of Grey Caribbean Reef Sharks circling the area, along with Hugh Groupers, Schooling Jacks and Spade fish, often a stingray or two. And you never know what else!
ANN’S PARADISE
Anne was a local school teacher and diving enthusiast. This site was Anne’s favorite. A very pretty site with plenty coral growth – rows of thick coral heads. Always plenty of flamingo tongues and lettuce leaf slugs on this reef. Hogfish and yellow-tail snapper are frequently seen.
PICASSO GALLERY
Shape of this reef forms a rough ‘painters palette’. It is said the coral heads at this site are like masterpieces in an art gallery, you move from one piece to the next seeing what each one has to offer. Colors are fantastic – considered a photographers delight. Lots of small life, Arrow crabs, slugs, juveniles. You will often find a stingray or a stray reef shark.
THEO’S WRECK
Theo’s Wreck dive site is located about 1.5 miles from the coast. The wreck is about 230 feet long and rest on the ocean floor on its port side, between the deep reef and the drop-off at a depth of about 101 feet. The bow points landward and the stern seaward, she rests on a flat, sandy floor, among a few isolated coral banks. Two permanent buoys, one at the bow and one at the stern, mark the ship’s position. The waters around the wreck are subject to currents that vary according to the tides; use the buoys for safe resurfacing. Since she was sunk in 1982, the ship has become home to numerous fish and is now covered with rich vegetation. The bow anchor chain, in particular, has splendid gorgonian sea fans. The shaded part of the hull is completely smothered in orange false gorgonians.
CAVES 1 and 2
Level: Intermediate
Two very interesting sites, well worth the visit. Site is comprised of thick spur and groove coral formations, teeming with life. So many cracks, nooks, crannies and hiding places for fish that it is almost impossible to see everything! Both Moorings are set along a sloping drop-off. Starting at 60’ sloping to about 80-90’ at the bottom. In the deepest part of this site it is possible to see a sunken
GALE’S GROTTO
Level: Intermediate
Sharks and spotted rays are frequently seen here. There is a coral cavern that passes through the reef for about 100 feet. The cavern is inhabited by soldier and squirrel fish.
ANGELS’ CAMP
Level: Beginner
At the mooring pin you find sections of coral running from east to west. Running parallel to this is a large sand channel – an extension of shark alley. Queen, Grey and French Angel fish are often encountered in the area. Great place to find lobsters, stingrays, spotted drums and even the odd Gray Caribbean reef shark. A nice relaxing second dive.
SEA STAR WRECK
Level: Advanced
(Formerly Emmanuelle) was sunk in April 2002. The ship is approximately 180 foot long and sits upright, in 2 sections in around 90 feet of water. As a freighter, she has a cavernous cargo hold which is open to exploration, where the diver can see evidence of how the ship was made ready for sinking, with cement ballast and holes in the side of the hull still visible. The wreck is now home to
PLATE REEF
Level: Intermediate
Many varieties of hard coral have formed here. Many plate coral overlap above the surge channels. The blue hole here is quite large and comes right out of the side of a high-profile coral. Mahogany and yellow-tail snappers, goat-fish, and French grunts are usually seen.
Ben’s Blue Hole
Level: Beginner
This classic site could be considered our ‘house reef’ as its right in front of the resort. Mooring is set at about 40-45ft in a coral head, directly south of the pin you can see a large sunken horseshoe shape in the sand, this is bens blue hole. The Blue hole is a funnel, or channel for fresh water to come out into the sea, the water mixing creates an interesting place for fish to hang out. Often you will
Cost includes
- All meals
- Soft drinks
- Alcohol including local spirits and cocktails
Cost excludes
- Internal flights
- International flights
- Upgrade to fully stocked mini-bar and safe
What level of diver do you need to be?
For the most part open water or equivalent is fine. There are some special trips that can be organised to wrecks and caverns where you need to be advanced open water.
What is there to see on the dives?
There are plenty of reefs which are a short journey by the resorts dive boat. You can often see turtles, cruising Caribbean reef sharks, groupers, barracuda and the occassional lionfish.
How do you get to Grand Bahama
From the UK you fly in to Nassau, from here you then take a short flight to Grand Bahama. The airport is around 15 minutes from the hotel.
Would you stay at the resort the for your whole vacation?
If you are just coming for a week there is plenty to see and do. However if you wanted to come for 10-14 days then we would recommend a 2-centre holiday. Somewhere like Bimini to see the Great Hammerheads is a great addition! Just ask and we can put an itinerary together for you.
What else is there to do in Grand Bahama besides diving?
You can snorkel with turtles, swim with pigs and you can even visit a restaurant a few minutes away that attracts sharks in the evenings (due to them throwing away their fish carcasses).