Grand Bazar - Inner Islands
Le Piton aux Gorgones on Moorea is one of those sites that just feels right from the moment you drop in. We love a good wall dive, and this one delivers, dropping down to a sandy bottom at 28 meters. The real star, though, is the coral pinnacle that rises from that depth, its base disappearing into the blue below you. We've seen it absolutely covered in gorgonians, those delicate, fan-like corals, swaying gently in whatever current is passing through. It’s an easy dive, good for anyone comfortable with depths around 25 meters, and the average 22-meter visibility means you can really appreciate the scale of that pinnacle. Look for the flashes of Red and Pink Squirrelfish darting into crevices, and keep an eye out for the stealthy Rock Cod. The descent itself, along the drop-off, is a quiet affair, and as you round the corner to see the piton, there’s this great sense of discovery. It’s a beautiful spot for a relaxed drift, just soaking in the sheer size of the coral structure.
- Location
- Inner Islands, Seychelles, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- -4.574800, 55.430800
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: North East Point Shell Reserve
Best Time to Dive in Inner Islands
The warmest water temperatures in Inner Islands occur in April, averaging 30.4°C. The coolest conditions are in August at 26.6°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.7°C
- February: 29.0°C
- March: 29.8°C
- April: 30.4°C
- May: 29.8°C
- June: 28.5°C
- July: 26.8°C
- August: 26.6°C
- September: 27.4°C
- October: 28.3°C
- November: 29.0°C
- December: 29.1°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Inner Islands
- Albatros (reef)
- Albatros (reef)
- ALDEBARAN - 26m (wreck)
- Aldebaran Wreck (wreck)
- Aldebaran Wreck (pinnacle)
- Amoujie Maman
- Anse Petit Cour (muck)
- Anse Petit Cour (reef)
- Aquarium (reef)
- Aquarium (reef)
- Aride Bank (reef)
- Aride Bank (reef)
- ATERPE-ALAI - 17m (wreck)
- Auberge Reef (reef)
- Auberge Reef (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Grand Bazar
Marine Life in Inner Islands
Home to 184 recorded species including 156 reef fish, 8 hard corals, 6 sharks & rays, 5 sea snails & nudibranchs, 4 whales & dolphins, 2 other.
Notable Species
- Stripy (Katsuwonus pelamis) - Reef Fish
- Allison's Tuna (Thunnus albacares) - Reef Fish
- Kingston (Decapterus macarellus) - Reef Fish
- Bullet Mackerel (Auxis thazard) - Reef Fish
- Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus) - Reef Fish
- Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) - Reef Fish
- Rainbowfish (Halichoeres hortulanus) - Reef Fish
- Salmon (Elagatis bipinnulata) - Reef Fish
- Blackspot Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) - Reef Fish
- Silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) - Sharks & Rays
- Armed Squirrel-fish (Neoniphon sammara) - Reef Fish
- Threadfin (Chaetodon auriga) - Reef Fish
- Great Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) - Reef Fish
- Giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis) - Reef Fish
- Banded Toby (Canthigaster valentini) - Reef Fish
- Blue Surgeonfish (Acanthurus leucosternon) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) - Reef Fish
- Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Argus Grouper (Cephalopholis argus) - Reef Fish
- Blenny (Istiblennius dussumieri) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Grand Bazar
Based on average water temperature of 28.6°C, currents 11 cm/s.
- 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