La Marado - Moorea & Tahiti

Naidiri Passage is a favourite of ours for a reason. It’s a bit of a boat ride, about 20 minutes from the typical Taveuni departures, but worth the effort. We love the feeling of slipping into this deep rift, a long coral corridor cutting through the main reef. It’s like entering a secret garden, the light filtering down differently here, creating these beautiful shafts through the water. You'll often see schools of fusiliers swirling past, their scales catching the sun, and if you keep an eye on the sand patches, we’ve spotted some unusual shells – those ornate pitar venus are particularly striking. There’s a swim-through around 8-10 meters that’s just pure fun, easy to navigate, and adds a nice bit of exploration to the dive. Maxing out at 18 meters, it’s a site that feels substantial without being intimidating, great for newer divers but still interesting enough for experienced folks who appreciate a good coral formation. Visibility here is usually excellent, around 28 meters, so you get these wide-open views down the passage. It’s a gentle, pretty dive, perfect for photographers or anyone who just wants to soak up the serene beauty of a Fijian reef without battling crazy currents. We always recommend an early morning dive here, before too much boat traffic stirs things up.

Location
Moorea & Tahiti, French Polynesia, Central & South Pacific
Coordinates
-17.830300, -149.302500
Type
reef

Marine Protected Area: Fenua Aihere

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

Nearest Dive Centres to La Marado

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

Recommended Packing List for La Marado

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