Palolo Deep Marine Reserve - Upolu
Palolo Deep isn't just a dive; it’s an event. You start with this easy snorkel over a shallow flat, maybe 5 meters deep, full of sun-dappled staghorn coral. Then, bam. It just drops away. A vertical wall plunges to 30 meters, revealing the ‘deep’ part of the name. It’s wild to hang there, looking down into that deep blue. We love the feeling of floating over the void. This dramatic drop-off means you get two very different dives in one. The shallow reef is where we’ve spotted Horned Bannerfish doing their thing and even a shy Alligator Pipefish tucked into the coral. Down deeper, along the wall itself, keep an eye out for Poss' Scorpionfish. They blend in so well. Visibility here is usually great, often 20 meters plus, which really lets you appreciate the scale of that drop. We’d suggest going in the morning; the light hitting the shallower reef is just something else. It's a spot that suits intermediate divers who appreciate dramatic topography and don't mind a bit of a current, which can pick up at times, especially near the entrance channel.
- Location
- Upolu, Samoa, Central & South Pacific
- Coordinates
- -13.830000, -171.750000
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 5-30m
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Marine Protected Area: Palolo Deep
Best Time to Dive in Upolu
The warmest water temperatures in Upolu occur in January, averaging 29.4°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 29.4°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 29.4°C (air: 26.7°C)
- February: 29.4°C (air: 26.4°C)
- March: 29.4°C (air: 27.1°C)
- April: 29.4°C (air: 27.0°C)
- May: 29.4°C (air: 26.8°C)
- June: 29.4°C (air: 26.2°C)
- July: 29.4°C (air: 25.8°C)
- August: 29.4°C (air: 25.6°C)
- September: 29.4°C (air: 25.9°C)
- October: 29.4°C (air: 26.1°C)
- November: 29.4°C (air: 26.4°C)
- December: 29.4°C (air: 26.4°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Upolu
- Amuula Rock (reef)
- Apia Harbour Wreck - 10-20m (wreck)
- KWANG MYUNG NO 65 - 0m (wreck)
- Nāfanua Bank (reef)
- NAM HAE NO.255 - 0m (wreck)
- Namua Island - 3-15m (reef)
- Tāemā Bank (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Palolo Deep Marine Reserve
Marine Life in Upolu
Home to 461 recorded species including 339 reef fish, 70 hard corals, 16 sea snails & nudibranchs, 8 sea cucumbers, 7 whales & dolphins, 6 sharks & rays.
Notable Species
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Black Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigricans) - Reef Fish
- Blackspot Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma quinquevittatum) - Reef Fish
- Lemon Peel (Centropyge flavissima) - Reef Fish
- Orange-lined Triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus) - Reef Fish
- Banded-tail Coral-cod (Cephalopholis urodeta) - Reef Fish
- Black Butterflyfish (Chaetodon reticulatus) - Reef Fish
- Pinktail triggerfish (Melichthys vidua) - Reef Fish
- Rainbowfish (Halichoeres hortulanus) - Reef Fish
- Arc-eye Hawkfish (Paracirrhites arcatus) - Reef Fish
- Corrugated coral (Pavona varians) - Hard Corals
- Banded Goatfish (Parupeneus multifasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Japanese Parrotfish (Chlorurus japanensis) - Reef Fish
- Clown Tang (Naso lituratus) - Reef Fish
- Bird wrasse (Gomphosus varius) - Reef Fish
- Charcoal damsel (Pomacentrus brachialis) - Reef Fish
- Angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-lined Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) - Reef Fish
- Blue-lined Surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Palolo Deep Marine Reserve
Based on average water temperature of 29.4°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°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