Sharks and Humpbacks, Dive the Best of French Polynesia!
Overall Rating
Immerse yourself to the sound of whales singing, not very shy sharks (and friendly, the most dangerous animal remaining man) and in the end the protective gaze of a giant of the seas. Humility! And Gratitude Madame Nature. All in a grandiose site, and the warm and gentle welcome of the Polynesians. Thank you Isabelle, and to all of you who welcomed me. The only downside: by dint of repeated dives in the same place, the sites are damaged and the coral suffers. Why not immerse geuzes or other alternative solutions to observe without damaging?
Amazing diving in Rangiroa!! This is a large and well-run operation catering to all levels of diver. The boats are small, but the dive sites are so close it doesn’t matter. Guides are very good and professional. There were some minor organizational mix-ups as to how many dives and with whom, but everything got taken care of. The prevalence of sharks and dolphins and diversity of other marine life is incredible!! Currents can be very strong in the pass so stay close to your guide and pay attention! As in other FP dive sites, holding onto the coral in strong current is a common practice and one it would be good to see phased out. Overall, a great dive operation in a truly spectacular dive location. We’ll be back!!
Why We Love It
Rangiroa and Fakarava are a diver's paradise—Jacques Cousteau declared Rangiroa as one of the most beautiful waters on Earth. This atoll is the biggest in French Polynesia, and its Tiputa Pass is home to hundreds of sharks, including grey reef sharks, silky sharks, lemon sharks, white tips, black tips, and—in season—great hammerheads!
Fakarava Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, is teeming with marine life: healthy corals, hundreds of sharks, schools of fish, dolphins, and manta rays are commonly seen. In Moorea, humpback whales come every year from the end of July through October to give birth. Snorkeling with them is an unforgettable experience! Combining Rangiroa, Fakarava, and Moorea is the best way to discover French Polynesia's most exciting dive and snorkel sites.
Conservation
In Rangiroa, the dive center is part of Longitude 181, which promotes responsible scuba diving and routinely runs ocean cleanup sessions. In Fakarava, the dive center has been constructed entirely of wood and uses rainwater. They ask their clients to only use reef-safe sunscreen and promote local employment. In Moorea, you can discover humpback whales with a renowned scientist.
Who Is It For?
Experienced divers who are attracted to large, offshore pelagic wildlife will find this a great destination. With strong currents in the passes, drift dives are common. Non-diving partners also have much to enjoy, with hundreds of picturesque beachy islands (known locally as "Motu"), there is plenty to explore. Excursions to Rangiroa's Blue Lagoon and Fakarava's Pink Sand Beach make brilliant day trips. On Rangiroa's main island, you won't want to miss out on visiting Gauguin's Pearl Farm or watching the bottlenose dolphins jumping at Tiputa Pass at the end of the afternoon! There are several activities available for non-divers in Moorea, such as snorkeling, trekking, stand-up paddle or kayaking.
Prices and Dates
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Dive Briefing!
Marine Life
- Rangiroa is home to some of the greatest dive sites in the world:
- Thanks to the large congregations of sharks and other pelagic marine life, it's not unusual to see 200+ sharks on a single dive! Grey reef, white tip, oceanic whitetips, silvertips, lemon sharks, great hammerheads - you have it all!
- Barracudas, manta rays (in season), spotted eagle rays, napoleons, small sharks in the lagoon, turtles, anthias, groupers, triggerfish, multicolored butterfly and angel fish, lobsters...
- Interesting topography with the canyons and the shark's cavern
- Fakarava North and South Pass host incredible marine life:
- Huge coral heads, schools of fish by the thousands, “walls” of sharks (grey reef, black & white tip, silky, hammerheads), dolphins, manta rays, humpback whales (in season), barracudas, tunas, napoleon fish, groupers, butterfly, angel, surgeon fish... Some good macro life too
- Every year, during the full moon of June or July, Fakarava is home to a big marble groupers spawning event that attracts hundreds of sharks
- In Moorea, humpback whales migrate to give birth between the end of July and the end of October:
- Discover these magnificent creatures on a day trip with their renowned scientist. You may even be able to snorkel with them: get ready for an experience of a lifetime!
Dive Conditions
- Season: Diving all year long. High tourist season is from June to September. July to September: manta rays. December to March: great hammerheads. June & July full moon: groupers spawning event in Fakarava. End of July to end of October: humpback whales season in Moorea.
- Currents: Strong and changing - some dive sites are not suitable for beginners or anyone that doesn't feel comfortable in currents.
- Visibility: 30 meters (98 ft)
- Water Temperature: 26° to 29°C (79° to 84°F)
- Depth: Deep and shallow dives
Dive Sites
- Dives in the Passes are drift dives, with canyons. They require good buoyancy skills and currents experience
- Inside the lagoon, dive sites have less current, they are usually more shallow with beautiful coral gardens
- You can dive in Rangiroa two main Passes: Tiputa and Avatoru. Tiputa has the most dive sites: the Sharks Cavern, the Canyons, the Run, the Crossing, the Windmill, the Blue, the Half-windmill, the Angle
- In Fakarava, Garuae Pass in the north is where most dives are - the Pass is 1.6km wide. Tumakohua Pass in the south is 60km away
- Up to three boat dives per day
The Team
- Operation created in 1995 in Rangiroa and in 2016 in Fakarava
- Number of boats: 3 in Rangiroa and 2 in Fakarava
- Courses up to Guide, ask us
- Languages spoken: English, French, Italian, German in Rangiroa. French and English in Fakarava
- Maximum divers per group: 5
Safety Information
- Equipment Recommended: A Surface Marker Buoy and a Nautilus Lifeline (if you have one), as currents can be strong. A 5 mm wetsuit between July and October, and a 3 mm wetsuit the other months of the year
- Insurance: Both dive insurance and travel insurance are mandatory. We recommend DAN Europe that has plans to cover both - ask us for a quote
- Nearest Hyperbaric Chamber: Tahiti, 340 km away from the atoll
Visas, Flights, and More!
Visa Requirements
- Please check the current visa policy that applies for your country.
- Many countries are entitled to a three-month stay without a visa, check what's requires on the website of the French Polynesia Prefecture
How to Get There
- From the US: United Airlines, Air Tahiti Nui, Hawaiian Airlines, and Air France fly to Papeete (PPT).
- From Australia: Air Tahiti Nui thanks to interline agreements with Qantas, Air New Zealand, and Emirates.
- From New Zealand: Air New Zealand and Air Tahiti Nui.
- From France: Air France and Emirates have the shortest flight times to Papeete.
- Once in Papeete, French Polynesia, fly with Air Tahiti to go to Fakarava. If you want to visit more islands, you can purchase the Air Tahiti Multi-Island Pass, it's really worth it!
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- Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, rash guard, and insect repellent
Destinations
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