Dive trip Rangiroa

Stay, Diving holidays in Polynesia, in Rangiroa

Consider that in Rangiroa, in the Tuamotu, you are in the world's Top 10 in diving!
First of all, you dive in one of the 2 largest atolls in the world by the size of its lagoon, 35 meters deep, 80 km long and 32 km wide.
The coral barrier reef which distinguishes this atoll from French Polynesia, is 200 km long with a width varying in places up to 300 meters, with on one side a lagoon as immense as an inland sea, and on the other side the Pacific Ocean as far as the eye can see.

Surmounted by 240 motus (islets) bordered by white or pink sand beaches and coconut palms, only two islands are inhabited.
North of Rangiroa, the two villages, Avatoru and Tiputa, are separated by two large passes with caves, opening between the ocean and the lagoon and where most of the dives take place.
Each dive provides a discharge of adrenaline and emotions, yet each time different from the other, according to the tides, the places of launching, adapted to the technical level of the divers.

In the Tiputa Pass, from November to February, there is an extraordinary concentration of large hammerhead sharks, visible in the incoming current.
Immobile in front of the entrance of the pass, in a very strong current, about a hundred shark specimens form a wall from fifty meters down to the surface.
Eagle rays and manta rays (Manta birostris) with a very large wingspan pass by, completely indifferent, without deviating from their trajectory.

All year-round, you can observe in the passes the frolicking of sedentary dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus), the Ou'a.
We also see beaked dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), long-billed dolphins (Stenella longirostris) and bottlenose dolphins (steno bredanensis).
From Rangiroa, also plan sea trips during the whale-watching season.
Here, Rangiroa is a paradise for experienced divers. Nevertheless, to make your first bubbles in such a place is also a rare privilege for beginners divers, to whom the dive guide always finds a beautiful sheltered spot full of fish inside the lagoon!

Marine species in the area

Dive sites

A dive trip at Rangiroa, in French Polynesia, takes place in one of the 2 biggest atolls in the world. The one of Rangiroa, in the Tuamotu archipelago, is 80 km long and 32 km wide, with a maximum depth of 35 meters. There are about 240 islets along the barrier coral reef long of more than 200 km and wide of 300m. Only 2 islands are inhabited. On the Northside of Rangiroa, there are the villages of Avatoru and Tiputa, separated by 2 channels allowing the gateway of the waters from the ocean to the lagoon. Rangiroa is famous for the number of dolphins and sharks living in its water, and the whales by season.

Most of the dives take place on the channels and on the lagoon, accessible for all levels of divers, the dives are always different because of the tides. The spots Caverns, Shark cave, the Wall, L’elolienne are caves home to sharks, and schools of fish.
In the channel of Tiputa, from November to February, there is a gathering of great hammerhead sharks, seen when the current comes in. They form a wall of hundreds of stationary sharks at 50 meters on the entry of the channel, in a strong current. Divers can also encounter manta rays and eagle rays. All year-round, you can see dolphins, protected in French Polynesia.

A dive trip to Rangiroa in French Polynesia allows you to discover a wide variety of sharks such as grey sharks, black tip, white tip, lemon sharks, hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks, silky sharks, reef white tip, nurse sharks, but also eagle rays, and bump head parrotfish.
You can also explore the channel of Tiputa. Inside there is the shark cave at 35 meters. The divers hide in the cave for about 10 mins to observe the passage of the grey sharks. Then, the divers drift along the channel, where there are some little colorful caves on the wall, and finish the dive in shallow water in the lagoon.
On the Canyons, at the bottom of the channel, you can encounter hundreds of grey reef sharks mating in June.

To explore the Marche site, you enter the outside part of the channel in the middle of its mouth. During January, February, and March, the great hammerhead sharks gather at the bottom at 50 meters. There are also a lot of eagle rays, which are the prey of the sharks.
The Traversée is a dive starting in the blue- offshore, on one of the sides of the channel. You travel at the bottom from one side to another to have the chance to see the grey sharks. The ascent starts when divers get close to the shark cave and the dive finishes inside the lagoon.

The channel of Tiputa can be explored with a current going out, then the dives are done on the outside part of the channel.
L’Eolienne is a dive at 26 meters, starting on the coral wall on your left hand, home to dolphins, eagle rays, tunas, bump head parrotfish, turtles and sometimes manta rays.
It is a dive in the blue, around 300 hundred meters from the reef. The dive is made in order to encounter white tip sharks and silky sharks. The dive ends in the lagoon.
The dive spot Angle is home to snappers and barracudas, but also great hammerhead sharks, manta rays, grey sharks, and eagle rays. You start the dive at the corner of the channel.

The Avatoru channel is less deep than the one of Tiputa, and its direction is different so it’s easier to get in when the current goes out.
There are 2 underwater channels and in the middle of them, there is a little island. The dives are done on the right channel called the Small Channel where the current is stronger. You get in the water with a current entering and explore the small colorful caves, home to manta rays and white tip sharks. Divers end the dive in the lagoon.
You can also dive with the outgoing current. You start the dive on the outside part of the channel, oceanside at 150 meters from the corner of the channel. You have the chance to encounter the reef white tip and schools of jacks.
A dive trip to Rangiroa, in French Polynesia, will leave you with extraordinary memories of the exceptional encounters.

Others Activities

Rangiroa : Dive shops


Le Raie Manta Club Polynesia - Rangiroa The Raie Manta Club is located on Rangiroa atoll, less than an hour's flight from Tahiti. The Raie Manta Club, located on the Tiputa pass side, is open all year round. Every day, the departure for an exploration dive takes place around 8 am and the rehabilitation dives are organized around 10 am. The second exploration dive takes place from 1.30 pm. If you wish to do a sunset or twilight dive, this takes place in the late afternoon at around 5 pm, upon request. Transfers by 4x4 are free of charge from your guesthouse. The bilingual instructors, state-certified and sea guides, will prepare your equipment and then, after their briefing, they will guide you to discover this exceptional fauna. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced diver, you will dive in small groups of the same level on the reef or in the drift, in the passes, in an ongoing current. Customized safaris are organized on request for photographers and for film shoots. Manta rays, more numerous from July to November, are present all year round. The great hammerhead shark "Tamataroa" is attracted to the leopard ray aggregations from December to February. Tursiops bottlenose dolphins are very playful and are present all year round. Seven different species of sharks can be seen in all seasons, both outside the atoll and inside the passes and lagoon. Whether the trade winds or the maramu blow, Rangiroa offers great diving opportunities all year round. Rangiroa is the largest atoll in the South Pacific and one of the largest in the world. It is 76 km long and 24 km wide. Made up of a 300-meter wide coral strip, it surrounds the lagoon with its turquoise waters, rich in wildlife. To the north, separated by the two passes of the atoll, the villages of Avatoru and Tiputa are about 12 km apart. [+] Dolphin watching Hammerhead sharks Watching Manta Rays Watching From 15,08 € BOOK NOW
Top Dive Rangiroa Polynesia - Avatoru The TopDive dive center is located in Rangiroa, Polynesia, on Reporepo beach next to Tiputa pass. The boat takes less than 10 minutes to get to the most beautiful spots in Polynesia. Because in the largest atoll of French Polynesia and the second-largest lagoon in the world, the dives are ranked in the Top 20 in the world. The Tiputa and Avaturu passes can be explored by drifting in a very strong current. The beautiful encounters of experienced divers with dolphins, grey sharks, hammerhead sharks, white tip sharks, blacktip sharks, and manta rays remain the unforgettable moments of Rangiroa. You jump into the water in awe, not really knowing what you will discover. Small, quiet corners inside the lagoon allow you to try diving in the middle of a nursery of reef fish: surgeonfish, jacks, barracudas. The TopDive training center offers PADI, SSI, FFESSM, and CMAS training courses from the first dive to the Advanced Open Water Diver. Here, choose the specializations Drift Diving and Shark Diving, you won't regret it! TopDive offers nitrox diving to divers who are already certified. Stroll from one island to another with the Top Dive Pass to discover the underwater world with advantages: pay for 10 dives and consume 11! Rangiroa is a no man's land, far from the hustle and bustle of tourism, a diving hub for the initiated. There are several fun excursions to take, including glass-bottom boat rides and a trip to the Blue Lagoon on the island of pink reefs and sand. [+] Hammerhead sharks Watching Accomodations and diving fast boat From 37,00 € BOOK NOW
The six passengers Polynesia - Avatoru The Six Passenger dive centre is located in Rangiroa in French Polynesia, near the Kia Ora village hotel, on the beach of Ohutu Bay. Open 7 days a week, 4 trips per day are organised, 2 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon and 1 on a "Sunset" trip to optimise the beautiful encounters in the Tiputa and Avatoru passes, depending on the different currents. The Six Passenger training centre offers CMAS, FFESSM, CEDIP/ANMP, PADI level 1 course, as well as levels 2 and 3 and Advanced Open Water Diver. Children from the age of eight are accepted for diving. The premises include a Polynesian style building with a video room and a clubhouse with Internet access, for debriefing dives over a snack, facing Rangiroa lagoon, on the edge of the sandy beach. Located on the edge of an "hoa", this small natural channel is not navigable and offers a shelter for boats. The technical room is used to store and distribute equipment. A large wooden deck of 450m2 ending in a pontoon, allows divers to board the boats directly. It is possible to have food delivered to the club. Embark on one of the 4 semi-rigid boats - approved for 12 people - but with only 6 divers on board for more comfort, conviviality and safety! Explore the best spots in Polynesia: Tiputa and Avatoru pass. The Six Passenger specialises in encounters with large animals such as bottlenose dolphins, manta rays, 9 species of sharks including the famous great hammerhead, the Mokaran. Groups of up to 30 divers can be accommodated. The price of the dives includes all the diving equipment including the wetsuit. Two minibuses provide free transfers from the hotel to the club. At least one flight per day between Tahiti and Rangiroa. [+] Sharks watching Dolphin watching Eagle Rays Watching From 50,00 € BOOK NOW