Taotoi - Moorea & Tahiti

West End is one of those sites we always make time for when we're in Roatán, especially if the wind’s kicking up from the southeast. Tucked just around the corner on the north side, it’s a lovely gentle wall dive that starts shallow and slopes down to about 22m. Visibility averages a comfortable 18m, often more, and currents are usually non-existent, making it a genuinely relaxing dive. We love the vibrant soft corals here, they really pop against the deeper blues. Keep your eyes peeled for the unusual stuff: we’ve had some fantastic encounters with Mushroom Scorpionfish tucked into crevices and spotted Pygmy Filefish swaying in the gorgonians. There are plenty of the usual suspects like grunts and wrasse, but we also see more than our fair share of green morays and often a sleepy nurse shark under a ledge. We once watched a Great Barracuda eyeball us for a good five minutes, just hanging there in the blue. It’s an easygoing site, perfect for shaking off travel fatigue or for newer divers getting comfortable with wall diving, but with enough small, interesting critters to keep even the most seasoned macro lover happy.

Location: Moorea & Tahiti, French Polynesia, Central & South Pacific
Coordinates: -17.481800, -149.890800
Type: reef

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

Nearest Dive Centres to Taotoi

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 Taotoi

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