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Papua Passage

Papua Passage is one of those Rarotongan dives that really sticks with you. It’s a classic channel dive, punching through the reef, and we’ve found it’s often where the bigger stuff hangs out. The current here can be ripping, so you’ll want to be comfortable with a bit of a push, but that’s what brings in the action. We love setting up at the entrance and just watching the parade. Expect to see whitetips cruising by, maybe a grey reef shark or two if you’re lucky, and often a couple of green turtles just chilling in the calmer spots. Keep an eye out for Achilles Tangs darting through the coral, their electric orange tails flashing. The corals themselves are healthy, lots of staghorn and plate formations, and the visibility is usually exceptional, often pushing 30 metres or more. We've often seen schools of manini, thick enough to momentarily block the sun. This is a dive for folks who appreciate a bit of current and the thrill of pelagic encounters rather than hunting for macro critters.