Diving in Central Polynesia
Quick Facts
- • Entry types: Mostly shore entries
- • Expect: Varies by conditions visibility
- • Highlights: Discover Central Polynesia's dive spots
Explore the underwater wonders of Central Polynesia, province. This region features 14 documented dive spots, each offering unique underwater experiences. Whether you're seeking calm snorkeling bays, challenging freediving depths, or exciting scuba adventures, Central Polynesia has something for every underwater explorer. Browse detailed spot information, check current conditions from recent dive logs, and connect with the local diving community to make the most of your visit.
Regional Context
🌍 Associated Countries
Countries in Central Polynesia (8)
🇦🇸American Samoa
🇨🇰Cook Islands
🇰🇮Kiribati
🇳🇿New Zealand
🇼🇸Samoa
🇹🇴Tonga
🇺🇲United States Minor Outlying Islands
🇼🇫Wallis and Futuna
Sub-regions in Central Polynesia (3)
Popular Spots in Central Polynesia (14)
Alibaba
Alibaba is a drift diving site located in the Fakarava north channel, specifically suited for diving during incoming currents. Divers begin in the open blue waters and can make a stop at the edge of the drop-off before drifting into the channel towards the lagoon. The dive features the 'Ali Baba Canyon,' which is rich in marine life. Common sightings include grey reef sharks, white tip lagoon sharks, snapper, and groupers. Occasionally, divers may encounter larger species such as great hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks, or manta rays.
Avatoru Pass
Avatoru Pass is a drift dive located on the northwestern side of the Rangiroa lagoon. Divers enter on the eastern side of Motu Fara and drift through the pass, observing marine life such as silvertip, blackfin, and whitetip sharks, along with groupers, jacks, and snappers. The dive reaches a maximum depth of around 30 meters before finishing in the lagoon.
Eolienne
Eolienne is characterized by a well-preserved coral plateau situated between depths of 10 and 14 meters, leading to a steep drop-off. This site serves as the starting point for a drift dive that can conclude at the Angle site or within the pass. It is suitable for divers of all experience levels. Marine life includes common bottlenose dolphins, grey and coral sharks, and there is a possibility of encountering hammerhead and silky sharks during dives in the deeper waters. Schools of various tropical fish are also present.
Garuae Pass
Garuae Pass is the largest pass in French Polynesia, reaching depths of 30 meters (100 feet) with visibility ranging from 20 to 60 meters (66 to 196 feet). Divers can encounter grey reef sharks, hammerhead sharks, manta rays, and a variety of other marine life including humphead wrasses, nurse sharks, and dolphins. This site requires boat entry due to its location in the Tuamotu Islands.
Manta Point
Manta Point is a dive site primarily suitable for beginners, accessed by boat. The dive begins at a sandy seabed interspersed with coral formations. Divers can expect to encounter oceanic manta rays, which can have wingspans reaching up to 5 meters, as they visit the site for deparasitization. This unique interaction with the manta rays enhances the diving experience.
Motu Nuhi-Nuhi (l’aquarium)
Motu Nuhi-Nuhi is a small coral islet situated within the lagoon near the Tiputa pass. This dive site is characterized by its shallow depths and sheltered conditions, making it suitable for beginner divers, training sessions, or rehabilitation dives. Divers can explore a vibrant coral garden teeming with a variety of colorful lagoon fish. The dive concludes on a sandy bottom scattered with coral formations, often referred to as 'coral potatoes.'
Passe de Tikehau - Tuheiava
Passe de Tikehau - Tuheiava is a small pass with a maximum depth of 30 meters. The dive is characterized by an incoming current, making it a drift dive where most of the activity occurs at depths less than 10 meters. This site is suitable for both beginner and experienced divers. Marine life is abundant, with frequent sightings of great hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, and large schools of yellowmouth barracudas.
Passe de Tiputa
Passe de Tiputa, formerly known as Hiria pass, is located between Avatoru and the village of Tiputa on Rangiroa atoll. This pass measures 900 meters in length and 400 meters in width, with depths ranging from 14 to 55 meters. The site is characterized by strong and variable currents, making the presence of a local guide advisable for safety. Seasonal visits from large Pacific predators are common, including bottlenose dolphins, great hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks, and grey sharks, along with sightings of sailfish and rays.
Poito
Poito is accessed from the shore, beginning at a coral reef plateau with depths ranging from 5 to 15 meters. The dive site features a gently sloping oceanic drop-off that follows the reef and leads into a channel or pass at an angle. Divers can expect to encounter a variety of marine life, including big-eyed red fish, paddle perch, big-eyed jacks, white tip reef sharks, turtles, and Napoleon wrasse.
Pufana
Pufana is situated within a lagoon, characterized by shallow depths that make it suitable for novice divers and training sessions. The site is also favorable for underwater photographers due to its bright white sand and calm conditions, which are protected from strong currents. A diverse range of marine life can be observed here, including various species of sharks, contributing to the site's ecological richness.
Teonai
Teonai offers a dive that begins on the reef, leading to a descent along an oceanic drop-off. Divers will reach a plateau at a depth of 20 meters, where they can explore the area before returning to the channel to head back to the shore. The site features a diverse array of marine life, including schools of horse mackerel, as well as sightings of napoleons, eagle rays, and both black and white tip sharks. The depth range for this dive extends from 6 to 50 meters.
Tiputa Pass
Tiputa Pass, located in the Rangiroa Atoll, offers deep dives at approximately 40 meters (131 feet) where divers can observe various shark species including grey, white-tip, and hammerhead sharks. Additionally, common sightings include barracudas, eagle rays, moray eels, manta rays, and turtles. Due to strong currents, this dive site is recommended for advanced divers only.
Tombant d Ohotu
Tombant d Ohotu features a reef plateau that gently slopes down to a depth of 30 meters before leading to a drop-off. Divers can explore the wall along the reef, which culminates in a coral garden. This site is known for its rich marine life, serving as a nursery for various species. Common encounters include grey sharks, tunas, barracudas, jacks, and manta rays. The dive is suitable for divers of all experience levels and is accessed from the shore.
Tumakohua Pass
Tumakohua Pass in Fakarava offers a drift dive with an average depth of 20 meters (66 feet) and a maximum depth of 40 meters (131 feet). At approximately 28 meters (92 feet), there is a cave that provides a good vantage point for observing grey sharks, along with various marine life including parrotfish, goatfish, barracudas, groupers, and perch.