Whether you are a novice diver or a seasoned veteran, the waters of French Polynesia will provide you with a wide variety of diving adventures.
Do not forget your diving certificates book, which, when requested, will help you obtain good service. All international diving systems are accepted. They include PADI, CMAS, etc...Most of the diving centers offer CMAS and PADI instruction courses.
No medical certificate is needed if you do not do any instruction courses. A specific insurance covering diving risks is recommended.
Tahiti has an outstanding inter-island medical evacuation system enhanced by specially chartered planes and a multiple place decompression chamber. There are medical teams specially trained in hyperbaric medicine under French standards on duty 24 hrs a day.
For those bringing their own gear, Air Tahiti -the regularly scheduled domestic airline for Tahiti & Her Islands- allows divers 5kg (approx 11 lbs) in additional baggage for divers. You will have to show your diving certificate and passport upon check-in.

TAHITI

Tahiti is not well known for diving but Tahiti calm lagoons are ideal for beginners divers.
For more advanced divers, Tahiti Iti (the peninsula) boasts the most spectacular wall diving in French Polynesia outside of the Marquesas archipelago. You can see humpback whales from June to October, and bottlenose dolphins inhabit the area year-round.

• 1-The Aquarium:
  In the lagoon, from 9 ft. to maximum depth of 33 ft. Tahiti’s most popular site and perfect for beginners. Snorkeling too above the site.

• 2-The wrecks (the Goelette & the Catalina):
  In the lagoon, just offshore from the runway at Tahiti Faaa airport. The Goélette, a 100-ft. cargo ship, lies in 75-40ft. of water. Kicking distance away is the remains of a Catalina flying boat, scuttled in 1964. The Catalina lies at between 60 ft. and 30 ft. of water. The ship is a non-penetration dive, but you can swim through the plane from the cargo door to the cockpit and out through the hatch in the top. Maximum depth of 78 ft.
  3-For more advanced divers, across  from the Papa Whiskey  (actually a call sign for the tiny manmade island offshore from the Faaa airport),  outside of the reef is the amphitheatre-shaped dive site that bears the same name. Between 35 and 80 feet you can see lots of blue-striped snapper, damselfish and butterfly fish. Sea fans appear at a depth of about 150 feet. There is a shallow shelf from about 15 to 30 feet which drops off sharply (called also "walls").

• 4-The St. Etienne drop-off:
  Ocean, outside the reef, 30ft. to a maximum depth of 180 ft. Ideal for deep dive.

• 5- The Spring:
  Ocean. Maximum depth of 54 ft. Explore underwater springs bubbling up from the ocean floor. For your first visit at least, choose a calm day as the emission is the most visible on the surface.

• 6-Arue Slope:
  Ocean, in the Matavai Bay, maximum depth of 90ft. Large various corals, drop off covered with coral,…

• 7- The Abyss:
  Ocean. Maximum depth of 180 ft. This dive is deep and is only for experienced divers who have already descended into the blue.

• 8- Gorgonia:
  In Pass. From 15 ft. to a maximum depth of 120 ft. The dive owns its name to a cave and its roof covered by fantastic gorgonia corals.

• 9-The Fare Miti Split:
  Ocean. Maximum depth of 120 ft. Vertical split where you can see hump head wrasse, pelagic fish, white tip reef sharks,...

• 10- The Mea Spit Drop Off:
  Ocean dive. Maximum depth of 90 ft. Black corals, anemones, and numerous pelagic fish…

• 11- Papara:
  Ocean. Maximum depth of 135 ft. Very beautiful sheer drop off where white tip reef sharks live.

• 12-The Lagoon Hole:
  In the lagoon, from 30 ft. to maximum depth of 81 ft with a sandy bottom. Good for all levels, you can see eagle rays, sting rays, scorpion fish and larger fish like tuna , reef sharks and grouper.

• 13- The Marado:
  Ocean, from 60 ft to maximum depth of 150 ft. Gorgonian walls for more experienced divers.

• 14- Gorgonia:
  Ocean. Maximum depth of 165 ft. Giant wrasses, sharks, moray eels on vertiginous overhangs.

• 15- The Tetopa Grotto:
  Ocean, from 10 ft. to a maximum depth of 24 ft. Perfect for beginners, this cave is full of lobsters and crabs.

Tahiti Dive Centers

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MOOREA

Several sites on Moorea are suitable for novice divers, but the fish life is varied and exciting enough to thrill the most experienced divers. Unlike Tahiti's reefs, with their sheer drop-offs, Moorea's underwater topography is characterized by gently sloping reefs and generally shallower dives. Impressive shark feeding.
 

• 1- The Aquarium:
  Lagoon dive. Maximum depth of 36 ft. A ring of corals, ideal for first dives. Fish feeding with hundreds of tropical colored fish...

• 2- Taotoi:
  Ocean dive. Maximum depth of 60 ft. Across from the InterContinental, follow the reef into valleys and ravines while jack fish, Napoleans, and moray eels await your arrival.

• 3- The Tiki:
  Ocean dive, depth of maximum 60-90 ft. Safe for beginners. Divers of all levels can witness a shark feeding. The Tiki gets it name from the tiki statue that rests at the bottom of the sea--put there by a far-sighted dive center operator. On a calm day the visibility can exceed 200 ft.

• 4- The Opunohu Canyons:
  Ocean, depth 54-90ft. These canyons radiate outward from the reef at 30-70 ft. and create great diving conditions when there is no swell. Expect to see black tip sharks, moray eels, large triggerfish, and occasional sea turtles and Napoleon wrasses.

• 5-The Roses Garden:
  Ocean dive , maximum depth 70-120ft. For experienced divers with very good buoyancy control. This huge field of Montipora coral resembling layers of rose petals is one of the most photographed underwater features in French Polynesia.

• 6- Aito:
  Ocean dive , from 9 ft. to a maximum depth 102ft. Drift dive. Barracudas, turtles, lemon sharks, greay sharks…

• 7- The Rays corridor:
  Lagoon dive. Perfect for beginners or refresher dives. The depth ranges from 3 to 60 ft., and the calm lagoon waters are alive with beautiful corals, reef fishes, eagle rays and white tip sharks.. Great for snorkeling too.

Moorea Dive Centers

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BORA BORA

The calm, sheltered lagoon of Bora Bora is a great place for the beginner, the rusty diver, and children. Experienced divers can venture outside the reef for more action. The biggest attraction to Bora Bora is undoubtedly the large population of giant manta rays.

• 1-Toopua:
  Lagoon. For divers of all levels. Depth 9-110 ft. Coral walls with giant clams small caves, swim-through, and
  legions of eagle rays. Snorkeling is also enjoyed above the site.

• 2- Tapu:
  Ocean.  Depth 30-130 ft. More suited to certified divers due to surface currents and a coral-covered bottom. A classic shark dive with black tip reef and lemon sharks joined by the giant wrasse, rainbow jack fish, and moray eel.

• 3-Teavanui Pass:
  Dive in the Pass, depth 15-130ft. The entrance to the lagoon is framed with purple coral walls, where sharks, eels, and giant wrasses await.

• 4- Tupitipiti:
  Ocean, depth 30-200ft. For advanced divers. It has a steep drop-off and currents that become strong enough to necessitate a drift dive. Purple coral and colorful sponges mark this part of the reef, just southeast of Motu Piti Aau. The bottom profile is such that it allows for dives of up to 200 feet, although you'll have to be checked out thoroughly by an instructor to be permitted to dive much below the standard recreational dive limit of 130 feet. A steep drop-off with walls of blue and red branching coral plus green and orange sponges, caves, tunnels, corridors, and dramatic swim-throughs. Larger fish are attracted to Tupitipiti--sharks, rays, groupers, Napoleons and large parrotfish, to name a few.

• 5- Muri Muri "Shark Point"/"White Valley":
  Ocean, depth 70-130 ft. For advanced divers, due to strong currents and large shark populations. The sharks in French Polynesia are not aggressive, but like all sharks they are attracted to figures on the surface, so the ability to make a quick descent is important.

• 6- Anau (Fafa piti):
   In the lagoon, depth 9-110 ft. Ideal for snorkeling and for beginners. A classic manta ray "swarm site." Also called “Manta Ray Channel” or "Manta Ballroom" for its regular encounters with these gentle giants. Snorkeling is also enjoyed above the site.

Bora Bora Dive Centers

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HUAHINE

The gentle and lush islands of Huahine have a reputation for variety and comfortable diving conditions. The underwater landscape is pristine with a mildly sloping reef that offers dives for all levels including excellent snorkeling conditions. Fish are dense along the reef with regular encounters with stingrays, unicorn fish, butterfly fish, wrasse, travallies, grey reef sharks, and eagle rays puffer fish, Moorish idols and moray eels.

• 1- Avapeihi Pass:
  Dive in the Pass. Depth 10 to 100 ft. Schools of fish (eagle rays, barracudas, sea pike, jack fish, perches), and also grey sharks and tunas. Drift dive or departure from the reef.
• 2- Fa'a Miti:
  Ocean dive. Depth 10 to 90 ft. 3 kind of sharks on this spot (grey, black tip and white tip), big density of fish for a cool tour. End the dive in the canyons on the top of the reef.
• 3- Coral City:
  Ocean dive. Depth 40 to 80 ft. A coral city where you will find a lot of moray eels, napoleon fishes and friendly sharks.
• 4- The Yellow Valley:
  Ocean dive. Depth 30 to 120 ft. A wild dive at the very west point of the island where you can encounter everything : sharks, tunas, barracudas, turtles, …in clear water with a lot of different corals.
• 5- The Roses:
  Ocean dive. Depth maximum 150 ft. A magical dive for high level divers above a field of coral roses. End the dive at "the Coral City".
• 6- The Aquarium:
  Lagoon dive. Depth 6 to 65 ft. A lagoon dive with hundreds of colorful fish around you. Easy dive for all levels.

Huahine Dive Centers

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RAIATEA-TAHA'A

The two islands share the same lagoon, a special aquatic space recommended for its diversity. There are nine passes from the ocean through the coral reef into the lagoon. There’s a practically unlimited number of diving sites to choose from. Those sites are found both inside and outside the coral reef.
There’s something for everyone in these waters. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced diver, you'll discover a cosmopolitan fauna in a changing universe as you drift dive in the reef passes. There also are coral gardens, grottos and the famous three-masted ship “Norby” that sank in 1900.

Raiatea-Taha'a Dive Centers

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Maps  courtesy of GIE PLONGEE de Tahiti et ses Iles