Les rairas - Bora Bora
Les Rairas is a site we’ve always enjoyed for its sheer comfort food vibe, the kind of dive where you just kick back and watch the show. It’s not about dramatic drop-offs or swim-throughs here, but about the density of reef life moving around you. We're talking schools of Pacific Half-and-half Chromis so thick they shimmer like a single organism, reflecting the light from above. Keep an eye out for the Golden cleanerwrasse darting in and out of bigger fish gills, a constant, fascinating ballet. We often spot Pinktail triggerfish hovering near their territory, a bold flash of colour against the reef. Look closer and you'll find Flowery Flounders perfectly camouflaged on the sandy patches, sometimes only giving themselves away when they twitch an eye. This spot is fantastic for photographers who want to spend time getting close-up shots without fighting a strong current. It’s a gentle drift, really, letting you soak in the details. We’d suggest a morning dive, the light is usually softer and those chromis schools tend to be at their most active. It’s a reminder that sometimes the best dives are the ones where you just slow down and observe.
- Location
- Bora Bora, French Polynesia, Central & South Pacific
- Coordinates
- -16.762056, -151.399150
Marine Protected Area: Motu Tapu
Best Time to Dive in Bora Bora
The warmest water temperatures in Bora Bora occur in April, averaging 29.3°C. The coolest conditions are in September at 26.8°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.4°C
- February: 28.6°C
- March: 29.3°C
- April: 29.3°C
- May: 28.9°C
- June: 28.1°C
- July: 27.2°C
- August: 26.9°C
- September: 26.8°C
- October: 27.2°C
- November: 27.8°C
- December: 28.1°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Bora Bora
- Anau (cenote)
- Anau
- Aquarium (reef)
- Aquarium (reef)
- Avapeihi pass (drift)
- Cite corail (reef)
- Coral Garden (reef)
- Eagle-rays station
- Eleuthera Bora Diving Center
- Fafapiti
- Haapiti (wall)
- Iriru
- L'Aquarium
- Le Nordby (wreck)
- Les Roses
Nearest Dive Centres to Les rairas
Marine Life in Bora Bora
Home to 141 recorded species including 121 reef fish, 7 sea snails & nudibranchs, 4 hard corals, 3 whales & dolphins, 2 sharks & rays, 1 other.
Notable Species
- Lemon Peel (Centropyge flavissima) - Reef Fish
- Six-line wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia) - Reef Fish
- Banded Goatfish (Parupeneus multifasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Orange-lined Triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus) - Reef Fish
- Arc-eye Hawkfish (Paracirrhites arcatus) - Reef Fish
- Flea Cone (Conus pulicarius) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Argus Grouper (Cephalopholis argus) - Reef Fish
- Dot and dash Butterflyfish (Chaetodon pelewensis) - Reef Fish
- Citron Butterfly (Chaetodon citrinellus) - Reef Fish
- Spotted Toby (Canthigaster solandri) - Reef Fish
- Armed Squirrel-fish (Neoniphon sammara) - Reef Fish
- Lineated Butterflyfish (Chaetodon trifasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Brilliant Red Hawkfish (Neocirrhites armatus) - Reef Fish
- Pinktail triggerfish (Melichthys vidua) - Reef Fish
- Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
- Honeycomb Grouper (Epinephelus merra) - Reef Fish
- Yellowtail Dascyllus (Dascyllus flavicaudus) - Reef Fish
- Giant Squirrelfish (Sargocentron spiniferum) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) - Reef Fish
- Savigny's Brittle Star (Ophiactis savignyi)
Recommended Packing List for Les rairas
Based on average water temperature of 28.0°C, currents 6 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories