Uoleva Drop-off - Ha'apai Group
Uoleva Drop-off is one of those sites we always circle back to in Ha'apai. It’s a proper wall dive, starting shallow at around ten metres and just dropping away into the blue. Our favourite way to dive it is to drift along the top, watching the bigger stuff cruise past in the deeper water. You’ll find some seriously impressive sea fans clinging to the wall, their colours muted but still vibrant against the deep blue. The current can pick up here, which is usually when you get the best show from the pelagics. We've seen schools of fusiliers so thick they almost block out the light, and always a few reef sharks patrolling the edge. Keep an eye out for the smaller residents too – we particularly love spotting the tiny Arc-eye Hawkfish perched on the corals, or a bold Orange-lined Triggerfish darting about. It’s an intermediate dive, really, best suited to those comfortable with deeper water and a bit of current.
- Location
- Ha'apai Group, Tonga, Central & South Pacific
- Coordinates
- -19.830000, -174.400000
- Type
- wall
- Maximum Depth
- 10-40m
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Marine Protected Area: Pangai Multi Use Conservation Area
Best Time to Dive in Ha'apai Group
The warmest water temperatures in Ha'apai Group occur in January, averaging 27.5°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.5°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.5°C (air: 26.9°C)
- February: 27.5°C (air: 26.8°C)
- March: 27.5°C (air: 26.8°C)
- April: 27.5°C (air: 26.5°C)
- May: 27.5°C (air: 25.5°C)
- June: 27.5°C (air: 24.5°C)
- July: 27.5°C (air: 23.9°C)
- August: 27.5°C (air: 23.3°C)
- September: 27.5°C (air: 23.8°C)
- October: 27.5°C (air: 24.2°C)
- November: 27.5°C (air: 25.3°C)
- December: 27.5°C (air: 26.3°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Ha'apai Group
- EKIAKI - 1m (wreck)
- Ha'apai Reef - 5-20m (reef)
- MESNA - 0m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Uoleva Drop-off
- Matafonua Lodge & Dive Resort - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Ha'apai Group
Home to 294 recorded species including 279 reef fish, 6 sea snails & nudibranchs, 4 sea cucumbers, 3 sharks & rays, 1 sea urchins, 1 crabs & lobsters.
Notable Species
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
- Blackspot Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-lined Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) - Reef Fish
- Dusky Parrotfish (Scarus niger) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma hardwicke) - Reef Fish
- Banded Goatfish (Parupeneus multifasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Schlegel's Parrotfish (Scarus schlegeli) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma lutescens) - Reef Fish
- Dot and dash Butterflyfish (Chaetodon pelewensis) - Reef Fish
- Coral Beauty (Centropyge bispinosa) - Reef Fish
- Bird wrasse (Gomphosus varius) - Reef Fish
- Kihikihi (Zanclus cornutus) - Reef Fish
- Rainbowfish (Halichoeres hortulanus) - Reef Fish
- Redfin Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunulatus) - Reef Fish
- Clown Tang (Naso lituratus) - Reef Fish
- Bandcheek wrasse (Oxycheilinus digramma) - Reef Fish
- Black-backed Wrasse (Anampses neoguinaicus) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) - Reef Fish
- Citron Butterfly (Chaetodon citrinellus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Uoleva Drop-off
Based on average water temperature of 27.5°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°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