Grottes du Tahara - Moorea & Tahiti
Grottes du Tahara isn’t about huge pelagics, it’s about the feeling of being somewhere secret. We love the way the light filters in through the cave entrances. It casts these incredible blue shafts that illuminate the ceiling. Look closely and you’ll spot Red Squirrelfish tucked into crevices. They just hang there, their big eyes reflecting your torch beam. We've seen dusky farmerfish darting in and out of the shadows and the occasional Arc-eye Hawkfish perched on a coral head, keeping a lazy watch. The current here is usually pretty mild. It makes for an easy drift into the main chamber, though we always suggest checking conditions with your local guide. It's a great spot for photographers keen on playing with light and shadow, or divers who just appreciate a more intimate, less frantic experience. Bring a good torch. It really enhances the colours inside.
- Location
- Moorea & Tahiti, French Polynesia, Central & South Pacific
- Coordinates
- -17.512163, -149.506410
- Type
- cave
Marine Protected Area: Pointe Vénus
Best Time to Dive in Moorea & Tahiti
The warmest water temperatures in Moorea & Tahiti occur in April, averaging 29.0°C. The coolest conditions are in September at 26.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.2°C
- February: 28.5°C
- March: 28.9°C
- April: 29.0°C
- May: 28.4°C
- June: 27.6°C
- July: 26.7°C
- August: 26.4°C
- September: 26.3°C
- October: 26.6°C
- November: 27.2°C
- December: 27.8°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Moorea & Tahiti
- Aquarium
- Aquarium de Cook (reef)
- Aquarium de Cook (reef)
- BYRON NO. 16 - 0m (wreck)
- Canyons - Moorea (Tahiti) (reef)
- Coral wall - 15-35m (wall)
- Dérivante aux tortues (reef)
- Edenpark
- Eden Park (reef)
- Epave Catalina (wreck)
- Faille d'Arue
- Faille St Etienne
- Fausse Passe de Paea (reef)
- Hydravion et Goelett (reef)
- KEARSAINT - 0m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Grottes du Tahara
- Activiseas - ["PADI"]
- Dive and Sea
- Ecole de plongée de Tahiti - SSI
- Eleuthera Plongée
- Fluid Plongée
- Iaora Diving - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Moorea & Tahiti
Home to 141 recorded species including 116 reef fish, 7 hard corals, 6 sea snails & nudibranchs, 5 sea cucumbers, 2 whales & dolphins, 1 clams & mussels.
Notable Species
- Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels
- Burrowing urchin (Echinometra mathaei) - Sea Urchins
- Tigerfish (Bohadschia argus) - Sea Cucumbers
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Banded Goatfish (Parupeneus multifasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Lemon Peel (Centropyge flavissima) - Reef Fish
- Orange-lined Triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus) - Reef Fish
- Argus Grouper (Cephalopholis argus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-lined Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) - Reef Fish
- Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
- Clown Butterflyfish (Chaetodon ornatissimus) - Reef Fish
- Citron Butterfly (Chaetodon citrinellus) - Reef Fish
- Blackspot Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) - Reef Fish
- Batavian Parrotfish (Scarus psittacus) - Reef Fish
- Manini (Acanthurus triostegus) - Reef Fish
- Honeycomb Grouper (Epinephelus merra) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly fish (Chaetodon vagabundus) - Reef Fish
- Spotted Toby (Canthigaster solandri) - Reef Fish
- Long-beaked Dolphin (Stenella longirostris) - Whales & Dolphins
- Silver Squirrelfish (Sargocentron microstoma) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Grottes du Tahara
Based on average water temperature of 27.6°C, currents 8 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