French Polynesia

Diving the Tuamotu Islands

The Tuamotu archipelago offers fantastic diving with exhilarating ”big fish“ encounters. The islands are well known for their shark populations and you will be stunned by their sheer numbers. Most of the sharks are reef sharks - blacktip reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks and grey reef sharks, however lemon sharks are also common. Furthermore, silvertip sharks, hammerhead sharks, oceanic whitetip sharks as well as whale sharks can all be found here. For shark lovers this is a real treat, however if you do not want to see sharks, do not dive in these islands.

Scuba diving in Rangiroa and Fakarava

The most famous atolls for diving in the Tuamotu island group are Rangiroa and Fakarava. Fakarava is generally less crowded with divers. However, the diving here is equally good.

Apart for sharks, sharks and more sharks, some of the better known sites have also huge amount of fish. Most dives are done in the passes, which are passages into the lagoon. Due to strong currents, many nutrients get swept in and out of the lagoon which explains the great marine life. These dives are all drift dives.

Different types of rays, including manta rays and eagle rays, can also be found on these dives. In Rangiroa, there is also a resident friendly dolphin pod that regularly checks out divers. If you like it big and fast, these atolls are the right place for you.

Diving the Marquesas Islands

Scuba diving in Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa

The Marquesas in the very north-east corner of French Polynesia offer great marine life for the adventurous scuba diver. These islands are very different to most tropical islands, on land and in water.

The diving is exceptional! Due to strong currents and high concentrations of plankton, manta rays are very common here. When you dive in the Marquesas, you will see these majestic rays on most dives.

On Nuku Hiva, hammerhead shark are also very common and you are very likely to encounter them underwater. Here you can also find many endemic species of fish that you won't find anywhere else in the world.

Due to the high concentrations of plankton, underwater visibility in these islands is often reduced to 5 to 15 metres. However, the sheer amount of marine life makes up for it and the islands are unrivalled when it comes to sea snails and molluscs.

If you are a serious diver, interested in fish and/or molluscs and want to dive off the beaten track, the Marquesas Islands are the destination for you.