Scuba Diving in French Polynesia

The Tuamotu passes are the headline. Twice a day the tide pours ocean water in and out of the lagoons, drawing sharks, rays, dolphins and huge schools of fish into the current.

Diving is good all year, with warm water and generally excellent visibility in the passes. Two natural events are worth planning around: great hammerheads in Rangiroa’s Tiputa Pass, roughly December to March, and the mass grouper spawning in Fakarava’s south pass around the full moon in June or July.

Above water, May to October is drier, though strong trade winds can make pass conditions lively. November to April is warmer and wetter, with lighter winds that often calm the passes. Our month-by-month guide shows what each season brings.

Open Water divers can enjoy lagoon dives and gentler reef sites, but the passes are drift dives in strong currents, often with descents in blue water. Most operators prefer Advanced certification and recent drift experience for them, and they time dives to the tides to suit your level.

Dive centers follow French regulations that link maximum depth to certification level, and some ask for a medical certificate, especially for older divers. Bring your card and logbook, and if you haven’t dived for a year, book a refresher first.

A classic dive route pairs Rangiroa with Fakarava, sometimes adding Tikehau, using Air Tahiti flights between the atolls. Split Fakarava between the north and a pension near the south pass if you can. Then finish on Bora Bora or Moorea for overwater rest days. Read Rangiroa vs. Fakarava if you can only choose one.

Every inter-island flight counts for no-fly rules, so leave a no-dive day before flying. Make sure your travel insurance covers scuba and evacuation from remote atolls.

Many dive centers offer try-dives in calm lagoon water, and some run full certification courses, so you can learn in one of the world’s best classrooms. Children can usually join supervised try-dives from about age 8, depending on the operator.

Non-divers can still meet the same wildlife: guided snorkel drifts through Tiputa Pass and lagoon tours with rays and reef sharks are highlights in their own right.