Rauto’Anui - Bora Bora

Rauto’Anui. It’s a bit of a mouthful, but trust us, this Bora Bora spot delivers. We love it for the sheer density of fish life, a proper soup of scales and fins. Drop in and you’re immediately enveloped by schools of scissortail sergeants, their tails flashing like hundreds of tiny scissors in the sun-dappled water. Look closer and you’ll start picking out the intricate patterns of clown butterflyfish flitting between coral heads, alongside the bolder stripes of longfin bannerfish. Our favourite time to dive Rauto’Anui is mid-morning, after the first boats have cleared out, but before the strong afternoon currents pick up. You’ll feel a gentle drift, perfect for just hanging back and letting the reef come to you. Keep an eye on the sand patches for flowery flounder, they’re masters of disguise, almost disappearing against the seabed. This place is less about big pelagics and more about the vibrant, busy community of reef dwellers. It’s ideal for divers who appreciate the finer details, the constant dance of predation and survival played out in miniature. Bring a good macro lens if you’re into photography; the granular frog shells and various cones are stunning subjects.

Location: Bora Bora, French Polynesia, Central & South Pacific
Coordinates: -16.758276, -151.504040

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

Nearest Dive Centres to Rauto’Anui

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 Rauto’Anui

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