Scuba Tahiti and French Polynesia - for beginners and experts

Tahiti Honeymoons

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We are excited to present to you various options on how to incorporated scuba diving into your Tahiti vacation. It doesn't matter how experienced you are, there are dives sites to be enjoyed by divers of all levels. Stay at a hotel or take a cruise or combine both. All of the islands in French Polynesia offer some great diving and there is at least one dive shop per island, but the locations featured here are what we consider to be the best.

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Moorea is considered to be the top spot for diving in the Society Islands. Moorea's coral reefs are well preserved with abundant marine life and the visibility is often greater than 130 feet.

There are four dive centers on the island, Bathy's Club and MUST are larger, higher priced operations and both offer shark feeding as part of their dive activities. The two smaller dive shops, Scubapiti and Moorea Fun Dive don't participate in shark feeding and are more relaxed, no frills operations. All four dive operators visit the same dive sites. Certification programs are offered by all dive operation including NITROX at Bathy's.

During the busy times between June and August, make reservations several days in advance. Dives outside the reef for certified divers are generally made at 9 am and 2 pm and dives inside the lagoon for beginners are at 10:30 am.

There are about 20 dive sites in Moorea, the most popular are along the north coast, easily reached by all dive operators.

The Tiki. This popular dive site is renowned for the exceptional density of its marine life. Dives are

made along the outside of the reef close to Motu Fareone and facing Club Med. The water is exceptionally clear, perfect for underwater photography. This dive site is very safe and most diving is done a a depth of less than 70 feet. In the shallower depths you'll find perches, surgeon fish, butterfly fish and other small fish, at greater depths you'll find napoleons, black-tipped reef sharks and grey sharks, tuna and barracuda, and occasionally lemon sharks.

Ray Passage. On the west side of Tareu Pass, schools of leopard rays are regularly at a depth of about 60 feet. Because of the current through the pass, visibility can be limited. Along the drop-off, at less than 20 feet depth, the reef life abundant. This makes for great diving for beginners as the lagoon is less than 6 feet deep at the start of the dive.

Opunohu Bay. There are several popular dive spots around the entrance of Opunohu Bay including a ship wreck in about 50' of water and a coral wall with a great deal of colorful coral and sponges. You'll encounter schools of fish as well as black-tipped reef sharks.

Garden of Roses. Entered via the Tareu and Teavarua passes, this spectacular dive is recommended for the more experienced divers. The open water descent reaches a depth of about 160 feet. The main attraction here is the rose coral on the ocean side of the reef. The coral formation reaches a diameter of about 10 feet.

Taota Pass. This pass south of Hauru Point features a coral wall with a great variety of reef fish, black-tipped reef sharks, gray sharks and leopard rays. Taota Canyons is a more difficult drift dive from the ocean into the pass.

Avamotu Pass. Great visibility, colorful coral and large numbers of reef fish and moray eels.

Matauvau Pass. The pass to Haapiti village can be a difficult dive due to the strong outgoing current. Eagle rays like a strong current; other marine life includes red snapper, large napoleons, and perches. The caverns attract white-tipped reef sharks, gray sharks and sleeping nurse sharks.

If you'd like to include scuba diving in Moorea into your vacation, check out the following Moorea or combination packages in our Tahiti Vacations section. Most packages can be extended in most islands for those extra days of diving. If you're traveling as a couple, take a look at our Tahiti Honeymoon section - you don't have to be a newly wed.

For a really exciting addition to any dive trip, check out Rangiroa in the Tuamotu Archipelago - for drift diving, it doesn't get any better. Take a basic package and add a few night on Rangiroa!

Another option is to book your vacation à la carte and choose from the resort hotels listed in our Moorea Hotels section.

Need help putting it all together, we are scuba divers and we're here work with you.

Bora Bora, the most famous of the leeward islands, is well-known for its abundant marine life - large species in general, manta ray in particular. The manta rays are often found solitary, but it's not uncommon to encounter groups of up to 10 swimming in the shallow as well as deep waters and in strong currents running in and out through the passes in the coral reef.

Four dive centers operate on the island: Top Dive, Nemo World Diving, Bora Diving Center and Aqua Safari - the largest is TOPdive and the newest is Nemo World. With TOPdive it's possible to dive up to 4 times a day; every morning there are two dives inside the lagoon: the first one at Anau where you'll be diving among the manta rays and the second one at Toopua, a very colorful dive with gorgeous coral formations and all the multicolored lagoon fish, moray eel and eagle rays. For the more experienced divers, a 45-foot catamaran dive boat makes the journey through the pass to the outside reef. From this boat you'll be making two dives, with lunch in-between. In the evening, night dives are being conducted inside the lagoon. In addition to the 45-foot catamaran equipped for 30 divers, TOPdive also operates a 30-foot motor boat for 20 divers and a 23-foot motor boat for 16 divers.

Nemo World has four new dive boats - a 33-foot, 25 diver catamaran; twi semi-rigid boats, one 27-foot for 17 divers, the other 32-foot for 30 divers. The fourth boat is a 46-foot catamaran set up for excursions from Bora Bora to the atoll of Tupai. The Tupai excursion involves two dives and lunch for an all-day trip. There's also a half day excursion.

There are popular dive sites both inside and outside the lagoon at Bora Bora. There is only one pass, Teavanui Pass, out of the lagoon, and it can be a long trip to some of the outer reef dive sites. Some of the more interesting dive sites include:

Inside the Lagoon: The dive operators offer daily manta ray dives between Anau village and Motu Piti Aau known as Manata Bay or Manta Reef. Manta Ray Channel or Manta Ray Pit is another lagoon dive where manta rays are regularly encountered The aquarium is a popular diving and snorkeling spot located between Motu Piti Aau and the inner edge of the outer reef near Tupitipiti Point.

Outside the Reef: The Tapu dive starts at about 80 feet and ends almost at the surface. Moray eels are abundant and are quite accustomed to divers. Another populare reef dive is the Teavanui Pass Entrance.

The White Valley Dive (Muri Muri) is a curving sandbar off Paharire Point, featuring the larger species, including barracuda. Outside the reef, Tupitipiti Point is an excellent dive spot, but it's a long trip through the Teavanui Pass and round the outer reef to get to the dive the site. The same goes for the South Point Dive on the outer reef south of Matira Point.

There are two dive operators on each of these islands and diving is excellent within the large Raiatea-Tahaa lagoon. The size of the lagoon and the numerous passes offer plenty of diving opportunities. There are numerous good dive sites just off-shore from Uturoa. Some of the favorite dive sites include:

The Octopus Grotto: Located in the lagoon between Raiatea and Tahaa, is dive site is for experienced divers - the cave is 400 feet long at a depth of 165 feet.

Teavapiti & Teavarua Passes: The Teavapiti Pass is between Motu Ofetaro and Motu Taoru. Dives sites include the Catalina seaplane wreck on the north-west side of Motu Taoru in about 26 feet of water. Marine life in the Teavapiti Pass is plentiful. Other popular sites are the Japanese Gardens in only about 18-foot depth. Napoleon Cliff features huge napoleons and the Coral Roses.

Avapeihi Pass: A favorite dive site, just south of town. Popular spots include Fitii Pass or Fitii Tombant, one of the best in French Polynesia. This dive starts with a 35-foot drop then a gentle 80-foot descent into the pass. You'll be diving among many small and large fish including eagle rays, tuna, barracuda and sharks. Another popular spot is on the south side of the pass, where the dive goes down a sheer 100-foot vertical wall with caves, chimneys, yellow coral and many fish, including schools of snapper.

Garden of Coral: Located just north of the airport. Not many large fish but plenty of small ones, some moray eels as well as the yellow coral. Another major site for coral is the Yellow Valley.

If you'd like to include scuba diving in Bora Bora, Raiatea/Tahaa or Huahine into your vacation, check out the packages in our Tahiti Vacations section. Most packages can be extended in most islands for those extra days of diving. If you don't see a package you like, we'll put together a custom itinerary for you.

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We invite you to visit another of our travel sites offering many scuba diving opportunities:
Club Med Vacations Around The World!