Conditions referenceSeason, water and visibilityBest Jun–Sep · Strong current · 26–29°C (coldest Jun, warmest Jan)
- Current
- Strong
- Water temperature
- 26–29°C (coldest Jun, warmest Jan)
- Visibility
- 20–45m: Commonly 30-40m in the dry season (June-September), occasionally exceeding 45m on calm days.
- Experience
- Advanced Open Water with drift experience is the practical minimum.
01 · Marine life
What you may see
Sightings are never guaranteed. The bars show typical likelihood by month.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | peak season |
| July | peak season |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
The headline species.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | peak season |
| July | peak season |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Present on Fakarava's reefs year-round but seen singly outside the spawn.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Napoleon wrasse are resident along both passes and the drop-offs, large and curious.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Common in the shallows, on reef flats and along the lagoon edge, including the Tetamanu coral garden.
02 · Dive sites
Dive sites worth knowing
A starting point, not a ranking. Conditions decide what works on the day.
Ali Baba (North Pass canyon)
A canyon set to the side of the North Pass drift where the current eases and fish pack in.
12–25m · Moderate current
Garuae (North Pass)
A fast drift through the widest pass in the country, dived only on the incoming tide so you are carried into the lagoon rather than out to sea.
15–40m · Strong current
Shark's Hole / Shark Wall (Tetamanu)
A notch in the wall of the South Pass where sharks gather out of the current.
12–30m · Mild current
See all 5 dive sites
03 · LogisticsGetting there and costsModerate. Fly to FAV. Typical trip $$–$$$.
Route overview
Moderate
Reachable but with some friction: 1 domestic flight.
Airport options
FAV
Fakarava Airport
About a 1h10 Air Tahiti flight from Papeete (PPT) on Tahiti; roughly one flight a day, no flights some weekdays. Papeete is the international hub, reached via Los Angeles, Auckland, Paris and others.
PPT
Faaa International Airport (Papeete, Tahiti)
International arrival point for French Polynesia; connect onward to Fakarava on Air Tahiti's Tuamotu circuit (Tahiti-Tikehau-Rangiroa-Fakarava).
Typical trip cost
$$–$$$
$2,000–4,000 to over $4,000
Per person, excluding international flights.
- French Polynesia is expensive.
- Air Tahiti Papeete-Fakarava runs roughly $250 each way.
- Single/two-tank dives at the North Pass with shops like O2 Fakarava or TOPDIVE are premium by global standards, and a full-day trip from Rotoava down to the South Pass (Tetamanu), including lunch, is commonly around $200.
- Pensions and dive lodges add materially to the total; a week easily lands in the $$$ tier once flights, lodging and diving are combined.