Diving in Moorea & Tahiti
Why dive here
Moorea & Tahiti offers some of French Polynesia's richest diving, with 135+ marine species recorded in the area - including humpback whales, sperm whales, spinner dolphins and pufferfish. Water ranges 26-29°C, warmest February, March, April.
Moorea and Tahiti offer two distinct flavours of French Polynesian diving, and we love them both for different reasons. Moorea, for us, is all about the big stuff, particularly during humpback season from July to November. Hearing their songs vibrate through your chest on a safety stop is a truly humbling experience. Even outside of whale season, the lemon shark dives here are a consistent thrill. You’re often surrounded by dozens of them, sleek grey bodies gliding with an unnerving grace. Tahiti, on the other hand, is where we head for something a bit different. The wrecks, especially the Catalina flying boat and the *Yukon*, are fantastic for penetration dives if you’re qualified, or just exploring the growth on their exteriors. We’ve spotted robust hexagon groupers lurking in the shadows and schools of blue-lined surgeonfish swirling around the masts. Current can be a factor on some drift dives, but it’s often what brings in the action. Visibility typically hovers around 20-30 metres, giving you plenty of scope to take it all in. Our favourite pick for a relaxed afternoon dive has to be a drift along the outer reef, letting the current do the work as you spot parrotfish crunching on coral.
Moorea & Tahiti Dive Site Map
Dive sites and dive centres in Moorea & Tahiti
Moorea & Tahiti Dive Sites
74 dive sites in Moorea & Tahiti
Aquarium
Aquarium is one of those sites we always recommend to newer divers in Moorea. It’s got a lovely, gentle drift, usually, and it’s pretty shallow, which means you can really take your time. We love drifting over the sandy patches, spotting Isabel’s Hermit Crabs scuttling about, or watching Dusky Wrasses dart between the coral heads. Visibility here is often fantastic, with the sun just cutting through the water, making the Corrugated and Staghorn corals shimmer. You'll see plenty of the usual reef suspects too – Manini everywhere, groups of Blue-lined Surgeonfish, and sometimes a gang of Big-eye Trevally circling. It’s a great spot to practice buoyancy and just soak it all in. We'd suggest going in the morning; the light is often best then, and it's generally quieter before the afternoon boats arrive. It’s a genuinely relaxing dive, perfect for getting comfortable in the water or just enjoying a calm swim.
Aquarium de Cook
Aquarium de Cook is right up our alley for a warm-up dive or to just enjoy some shallow water without too much fuss. It's a quick boat ride from the dive shops and, as the name suggests, feels a bit like peering into a massive, natural fish tank. We’re talking about a sandy bottom dotted with big coral heads, perfect little islands for fish to hang out in. You’ll spend most of your time at about 10 meters, so there's no pressure on deco, just pure observation. The visibility hovers around 14 meters, which is good enough to spot the resident schools of blue triggerfish that cruise past, often in such numbers they seem to shimmer. Look closer into the coral, and you’ll find plenty of clownfish peeking out from their anemones. We’ve also seen juvenile hawkbill turtles here, just lazily gliding over the sand, and the occasional stingray buried with only its eyes showing. It’s a gentle spot, no current to speak of, so it’s ideal for new divers getting comfortable or for photographers who want to spend some time composing shots without fighting the flow. It’s not about big pelagics here; it's about the intricate details and the sheer density of everyday reef life.
Aquarium de Cook
Chorizo is a solid, straightforward dive just a short boat ride from the Bahia Principe Hotel. We’re talking a maximum depth of 13 meters, so it’s a relaxed drift over a sandy bottom peppered with healthy corals, especially those lovely sea fans. Visibility usually hits around 16 meters, giving you a decent look at barracuda cruising by and lobsters tucked into the nooks. It's a comfortable spot, easy for newer divers to find their fins, but still pleasant enough for those of us who just want a chill hour in the water without too much fuss.
BYRON NO. 16
The Byron No. 16 wreck off Moorea is a proper dive, one we always enjoy for its sheer size. This 97-meter fishing vessel went down in '88, and it’s been settling into the sand ever since. The stern section is the most intact, rising impressively from the seabed, and it’s a blast to explore the open holds. We’ve found barracuda often hang around the deeper parts, schooling lazily, and the exterior hull is covered in sponges and anemones. Our favourite part is the penetration into the massive engine room, if you're comfortable with overhead environments. Light filters in from various openings, illuminating the machinery within. It's a surreal experience, feeling the cooler water inside and imagining the ship in its working days. Watch for the resident moray eels that have made the darker crevices their home. This site is best for experienced wreck divers who appreciate a substantial structure with plenty of character. If you're new to wrecks, it’s still worth a look from the outside; the scale alone is impressive.
Canyons - Moorea (Tahiti)
Fish Den is one of those sites we always recommend, especially if you’ve got a good eye for the smaller stuff. The mooring sits right on a coral pillar, almost like a natural monument, at about 7 meters. From there, it’s a gentle drop into a square-shaped cut in the main reef wall, winding down to around 18 meters before rejoining the wall proper. It’s a great spot for an easy, meandering dive, perfect for photographers or anyone who likes to take their time. We love poking around the sponges and sea fans, really getting into the nooks and crannies. You’re almost guaranteed to spot a mottled conger moray peeking out from a crevice, or if you’re lucky, a yellowhead jawfish hovering near its burrow. Keep an eye out for the blennies, especially the banded and dusky varieties, they’re masters of camouflage here. The schooling fish add a nice dynamic, too, often swirling around the pillar. We've found the best light is usually mid-morning, really bringing out the corals' colours.
Coral wall
The Coral Wall in Moorea offers a straightforward dive, great for those looking for an easy drift. You'll glide along a gentle slope, mostly hard corals and some smaller reef fish. It's a reliable option if you're after a relaxed dive without strong currents, perfect for newer divers or a chill afternoon. Expect common reef inhabitants, nothing overly dramatic, but consistently pleasant.
Dérivante aux tortues
Ibel D’Orange, just a five-minute boat ride from Tinabo Besar, is a standout pinnacle dive, a real favourite of ours in Flores. We drop in at about 18 metres, descending onto a vibrant reef that slopes down to 23 metres. This site really hums with activity, especially in the mornings. We love the soft corals here; they carpet the pinnacle in purples and oranges, swaying gently in the mild current. Keep an eye out for the white tip and black tip reef sharks, usually cruising the deeper sections. We’ve had incredible luck spotting marble rays gliding past, their spots almost iridescent against the blue. Schools of tuna often zip by, a silver flash in the periphery. For the macro enthusiasts, the nudibranchs here are surprisingly diverse, and we often find peacock-tail anemone shrimp tucked into their host anemones. It’s a fairly easy dive, perfect for advanced open water divers looking for a relaxing drift with plenty to see. The average 15-metre visibility is good enough to appreciate the larger pelagics and the intricate coral formations. We’d suggest going early; the light hitting the pinnacle around 8 AM really makes the colours pop.
Edenpark
Edenpark, just off Moorea, offers a drift dive often starting around 15 metres. We usually see white-tip reef sharks patrolling the outer reef, sometimes black-tips too. The currents can pick up here, making it better suited for divers comfortable with a bit of a push. It's a solid choice for those looking for pelagics without going too deep.
Eden Park
Jemeluk Bay is one of those places that sticks with you, especially if you’re staying in Amed. We love it for an easy shore dive, perfect when you don't feel like a boat trip. Drop in, and you’re immediately greeted by a sloping reef, then it gently rolls into a wall. It’s not a dramatic drop, more of a soft descent, but it’s loaded with texture. Look closely at the table corals and staghorn patches; you’ll often spot a rosy frogfish just sitting there, pretending to be a sponge. The real draw here, for us, is how vibrant the hard corals remain, especially around the corner towards Bunutan. The light filters through the shallow water, making the branch corals glow. We’ve had some cracking encounters with hawksbill turtles here, just cruising past, completely unbothered. It's a fantastic spot for macro, too – keep an eye out for those tiny brown-blotched okenias or the elusive Shimada’s pygmygobies tucked away. A steady current often drifts through, so it’s a nice lazy drift for a good portion of the dive. Perfect for a relaxed afternoon.
Epave Catalina
The Epave Catalina dive, just off Moorea, is one of our favourite wreck dives in French Polynesia. It’s not a huge wreck, but there's a real intimacy to it that we find captivating. Dropping down, the Catalina flying boat appears almost ghostly, settled upright in about 25 metres, its wings largely intact. The cockpit is often home to schools of glasseye snapper, their big eyes reflecting our torch beams, and we've seen honeycomb groupers tucked into crevices. Explore the fuselage and you’ll find plenty of smaller things – the way the light filters through the portholes, illuminating a lone Celebes longfin eel, is a moment we always appreciate. This isn’t a drift dive; it’s a site for leisurely exploration, perfect for photographers wanting to capture both the wreck’s history and the life that now calls it home. We’d suggest going in the morning; the water can be calmer, and the light better for photographs.
Faille d'Arue
There’s something about a good swim-through that just feels right, and Faille d’Arue delivers. It’s a crack in the reef, a deep cut that you can navigate, feeling the cool water swirl around you as you pass through. We love that slight squeeze, the way the light filters in from either end, making the water inside glow a fantastic blue. It’s not just a hole in the wall, either. Keep an eye out for the smaller inhabitants here. We’ve seen Lettered Mitres tucked into crevices and Porous Cowries clinging to the rock. Humphead Unicornfish and Blue-lined Surgeonfish often cruise by the entrances, catching the slight current. It’s a perfect spot if you appreciate the architecture of the reef as much as the fish life. The dive is fairly straightforward, making it a good choice for newer divers looking for that thrill of passing through a natural tunnel. Go early in the morning for the best light.
Faille St Etienne
Faille St Etienne on Moorea is one of those dives we always recommend for a solid, reliable experience. It’s not flashy, but it consistently delivers. We love drifting along the reef wall, eyes peeled for the resident humphead unicornfish patrolling the shallower sections – their long noses are unmistakable. The wall itself is a tapestry of stony and Pavona corals, punctuated by the striking blues and golds of fusiliers that school so densely they sometimes obscure the light. This site really shines for its smaller inhabitants, too. We’ve spent many minutes watching atoll butterflyfish flitting between coral heads, and the playful dance of yellowtail dascyllus and bicolor chromis near their anemone homes. If you’re a macro fan, keep an eye out for the delicate Savigny's brittle stars tucked into crevices. The current here is usually gentle, making for a relaxed drift, perfect for photographers or anyone who just wants to soak it all in without fighting the water. It’s a fantastic site for getting comfortable with drift diving, and a top pick for an easy afternoon dive.
Moorea & Tahiti Dive Centres
15 dive shops and operators in Moorea & Tahiti
Activiseas
Dive and Sea
Ecole de plongée de Tahiti
Eleuthera Plongée
Fluid Plongée
Iaora Diving
Mobydick Tahiti
Moorea Blue Diving
Ocean Wildlife in Moorea & Tahiti
135 species recorded in Moorea & Tahiti
Moorea & Tahiti Daylight & Sunrise/Sunset
Sunrise and sunset times for Moorea & Tahiti, calculated from coordinates
Today - Monday 24 August
Sunrise
06:13
Sunset
17:51
Daylight
11h 38m
Golden Hour
17:22
First light (dawn) at 05:51 · Last light (dusk) at 18:13
Monthly Averages
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 05:36 | 18:40 | 13h 4m |
| Feb | 05:53 | 18:34 | 12h 41m |
| Mar | 06:02 | 18:15 | 12h 13m |
| Apr | 06:08 | 17:51 | 11h 43m |
| May | 06:17 | 17:35 | 11h 18m |
| JunShortest | 06:27 | 17:32 | 11h 5m |
| Jul | 06:30 | 17:40 | 11h 10m |
| AugNow | 06:19 | 17:49 | 11h 30m |
| Sep | 05:56 | 17:54 | 11h 59m |
| Oct | 05:31 | 17:59 | 12h 28m |
| Nov | 05:16 | 18:12 | 12h 55m |
| DecLongest | 05:19 | 18:29 | 13h 10m |
Times are approximate local times based on longitude. Actual times may vary slightly depending on the exact timezone observed in Moorea & Tahiti.
Where to Stay near Moorea & Tahiti
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Marine Protected Areas near Moorea & Tahiti
5 protected areas near Moorea & Tahiti - please respect local regulations when diving
Pari
Fenua Aihere
Grottes de Maraa
Pointe Vénus
Source (pointe Narii Domingo)
Getting to Moorea & Tahiti
Papeete
Moorea-Maiao
Fare
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