Tetopa Grotto - Moorea & Tahiti
Tetopa Grotto on Moorea offers a serene cave dive. We found it a straightforward penetration, the main chamber illuminated by shafts of sunlight filtering from the surface. Look out for resting reef sharks tucked into the ledges and schools of glassfish shimmering in the darker recesses. It’s a good choice for divers wanting their first taste of overhead environments without challenging currents or complex navigation.
- Location
- Moorea & Tahiti, French Polynesia, Central & South Pacific
- Coordinates
- -17.761765, -149.332870
- Type
- cave
- Maximum Depth
- 10-25m
Marine Protected Area: Source (pointe Narii Domingo)
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)
- Grottes du Tahara (cave)
- Hydravion et Goelett (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Tetopa Grotto
- 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 Tetopa Grotto
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