Looking to scuba dive in Tahiti but don’t know the sites and shops to go for? Let this post be your guide!

When we plan our trip to Tahiti, the first thing that pops into our heads is the beautiful blue waters. It makes us want to dive in and explore what’s underwater.

Snorkeling and scuba diving are popular activities in Tahiti. If you love adventure and want to dive deep in the ocean and see the marine life up close, scuba diving is the way to go.

There are many dive sites in Tahiti, most of them are on the west side of the island, situated both inside and outside the lagoon. Not all of the sites have great diving and you’d need a local expert who knows best diving on the island and can take you there.

Best spots to dive in Tahiti

The White Valley (Vallée Blanche)

The white valley is one of the top dive spots in Tahiti famous for its diverse marine life – especially sharks. It’s located in the northwest of Tahiti right in front of the airport. It takes about a 10-minute boat ride to get here.

This dive site goes down about 160 feet. If you’re an experienced diver and want to explore more of this place, you can go deep up to 130 feet.

There’re so many fish to see here, like triggerfish, barracudas, myriad fish, parrotfish, jackfish, and many other tropical fish that have swarmed the area. Sharks also like this place and they often come around. You’ll see many of them and of different kinds like white tip, black tip, lemon, grey, and even tiger sharks.

Another thing that makes this site more interesting is the opportunity to drift dive. The current here is just right for it. The spot’s fine for beginners, but you’ll need a bit of diving experience to really enjoy the drift dive.

Scuba dive at white valley in Tahiti and lots colorful fish swimming

Aquarium

If you’re looking for a beginner-friendly dive spot, Aquarium is the one to go for. It’s a wreck dive located on the west coast of Tahiti. This site is max 40 feet deep and usually has good visibility around 40-60 feet.

What makes this spot great is that it’s inside the lagoon and usually has little to no current. Many dive centers in Tahiti use this spot for training dives due to the shallow waters and easy accessibility.

Although this is a beginner friendly spot, it’s recommended for all level divers because there’s so much to see underwater. Around 23 feet down, there’s a sunken Cessna plane that was placed there after it crashed in 1945 near Tahiti airport. Most of the plane is still intact and you can easily check out the cockpit and other parts from the outside and even inside.

Along with the plane, you’ll find two small boats lying on the sandy bottom about 45 feet down. You’ll also see some nice coral formations around the wrecks.

There are a variety of tropical fish that you can spot around the wrecks and corals – like parrot fish, butterfly fish, angelfish, damselfish, and tons of other colorful fish.

The 3 Wrecks (Les 3 Epaves)

The 3 Wrecks is a popular dive site in northwest Tahiti, right inside the lagoon across from the airport. Here you can explore three fascinating wrecks – a Catalina seaplane, a Goelette ship, and a smaller boat.

You’ll also find reefs and plenty of fish here, but the Catalina and Goelette wrecks steal the show and make this dive truly worth it.

The Catalina seaplane sunk in 1962 and now laying about 70 feet down on a sandy slope. It’s not in good condition, but not bad either. You can swim through the whole wreck and see how big it is. If you’re a strong swimmer, you can enter through the hatch near the tail and exit through the cockpit.

The Goelette schooner is just a few meters from the plane, at a depth around 90 feet. This wreck is in very bad condition with much of its structure falling apart. But the good thing is that it serves as an artificial reef and has become home to plenty of fish. You can see schools of goldfish, parrotfish, surgeonfish and many others swimming around here.

What’s great about this spot is there’s no strong current, so you can easily check out the wrecks, and even use the current to move around. Visibility is about 40-50 feet (10-15 meters), which is plenty for a good dive.

Catalina plane wreck at Les 3 Epaves site

St. Etienne Drop-Off

If you’re looking for an open-ocean dive, St. Etienne Drop-Off is the perfect spot. It’s not too far out in the ocean and is just past the barrier reef. It’s right on the west side of Tahiti in front of Etienne Church, and it’s only about a 10-minute boat ride.

It’s actually a wall dive with vertical reef walls dropping down about 200 feet (60 meters). This site is teeming with fish and other reef species living in coral walls. At around 60 feet at top of the drop-off, you can see turtles, eel, parrotfish, butterflyfish, dartfish, etc.

There’s usually gentle current which allows drift diving. But when the wind picks up, it can be very difficult to dive here. This site isn’t completely beginner friendly and is better suited for divers with some experience.

The Spring (La Source)

The Spring also called La Source is a popular dive site known for its turtles and the freshwater spring gushing out under the water. It’s on the west side of Tahiti and just a 5-minute boat ride away.

This site is perfect if you want to see lots of sea turtles and colorful coral reefs. Most of the dive is in shallow waters around 40 feet and there’s no such current to worry about, so it’s great for beginners too. This place is also great if you want to freedive or snorkel in Tahiti.

This place is teeming with various kinds of fish, like clownfish, butterflyfish, angelfish, parrotfish, triggerfish, etc. Besides them, you’ll see sea anemones, sea turtles, and can spot occasional whitetip sharks.

The reefs here like small pinnacles or seamounts. You can dive down to the bottom and then back up to see all the incredible biodiversity here. If you’re a beginner, though, I wouldn’t recommend going all the way to the bottom.

Green sea turtle in the corals at the La Source Tahiti

Papa Whisky

Papa Whisky is one of the amazing dive sites for pelagic observations. It’s located on the seaside in the west of Tahiti.

The site forms a unique U-shape and is quite big in size with an abundance of corals and multiple depths to explore. It reaches max depths around 160 feet. At about 65 feet, you’ll find plenty of lively reefs and fish. It’s perfect for level 1 divers.

If you’re an advanced diver, you can go even deeper to about 130 feet depth where you can watch more marine life in action.

You can see sharks, turtles, and schools of fish like jackfish, bluestripe snapper, angelfish, etc.

The Arue Fault (La Faille d Arue)

The Arue Fault in northern Tahiti invites divers to glide along a stunning coral wall. The wall begins at about 15 feet below the surface and slopes down to depths of 130 to 160 feet.

Most of the diving happens between 50 and 80 feet, but you can go even deeper if you have level 3 certification – just make sure a divemaster is with you to be on safer side.

The good thing is that the ocean here is usually calm and the current is minimal. This makes this site great for beginners and intermediate divers.

The top of the site looks like a coral garden with corals shaped like tables and flowers. Around 80 feet down, there’s a coral cave or fault that gave this site its name. You can swim through and find turtles, eels, anemones, clownfish, lionfish, and lots of other reef fish hiding in the corals.

It takes around 30 minutes to get here by boat from Papeete port. The trip’s totally worth it once you dive in and start exploring.

Tons of small fish at the Arue Fault Tahiti

How to get to Tahiti dive spots?

Most dive sites in Tahiti are offshore, so you’ll need a boat to reach them. The easiest way to get to theses dives sites is by booking a tour. This removes all the hassle of you renting a boat, figuring out a dive site and sailing there. You just have to make your way to your dive company or have them pick you up, and they will take you straight to the site.

If you’re a pro diver and want to go by on your own, you can rent a boat and sail to your dive site. You can check out places like Samboat, Tahiti Yacht Charter and Sail Tahiti for boat renting in Tahiti. You will also find shops near Papeete port where you can rent a boat for quick dives or a yacht if you’re thinking about liveaboard diving.

Tahiti dive shops

There are many dive shops in Tahiti, these five are more popular:

  • Eleuthera Tahiti Diving Center
  • Mokarran Diving Tahiti
  • Topdive
  • ScubaTek Tahiti Dive Center
  • Dive and Sea Tahiti

Most dive shops are on the north and west sides of the island, close to the airport and ferry port. If you’re in Tahiti Iti or the southern part of Tahiti Nui, Morkarran is the top place to book your dive trip.

These shops provide all the diving gear you need including wetsuits, tanks, regulators, etc. You can bring your own as well but don’t expect any discount for using your own equipment.

On our way for a dive in Tahiti on boat

Where to stay in Tahiti for scuba diving?

Te Moana Tahiti Resort

If you’re into diving, Te Moan Tahiti Resort is one of the best places in Tahiti to stay. It’s on the west side of the island, right in front of many dive sites. The lagoon at property has good diving with corals and rays, sharks, and fish to see.

They have nice standard rooms for couples to ocean view suites for families. They have an activities desk where you can rent out kayaks, snorkeling and scuba diving gear.

They’ve got everything from cozy standard rooms for couples to ocean-view suites for families. There’s also an activities desk where you can rent kayaks, snorkeling gear, and scuba equipment.

InterContinental Resort Tahiti

InterContinental Tahiti is a 5-star hotel located on the island’s northwest coast. It’s in close proximity to many diving sites and also has its own lagoon you can dive in. Big plus for divers is that there is an on-site dive shop. You can dive in the lagoon at InterContinental or head out into the open ocean.

The resort has all types of accommodations from regular rooms to fancy bungalows. They’ve also got a full-service spa, a few restaurants right on site, and Tahitian night shows for guests.

InterContinental Resort Tahiti lagoon view with overwater bungalows at distant

How is diving in Tahiti?

Diving in Tahiti is underrated! There are many amazing dive spots that are perfect for both beginners and advanced divers. You’ll find a variety of dives in Tahiti – lagoon dives, open ocean dives, cave dives, wreck dives, and deep dives. It’s true that good spots are limited here but there’s more than enough to keep most divers happy.

Almost all the diving happens on the west and northwest side of Tahiti due to white sandy bottoms and rich marine environment. The water here is clear and warm with visibility around 60 to 100 feet and temperatures usually between 79 and 84°F all year. Sometimes it gets up to 89°F or down to 75°F, but it’s always comfortable for swimming and diving.

Is diving better in Tahiti or Moorea?

Diving experience in Tahiti and Moorea is quite the same. This couldn’t be said a few years back when Moorea was seen as the better spot, but after the coral bleaching events primarily affecting Moorea, it’s lost some of its appeal. Recent studies show the corals are recovering, though they’re still not as healthy as they once were.

Another thing, diving is more popular in Moorea, so you’ll find more people at the dive sites there than in Tahiti.

Is diving better in Tahiti or Fakarava?

If you’re traveling French Polynesia for scuba diving, choose Fakarava over Tahiti. This remote atoll has crystal clear waters, healthy reefs, and tons of marine life that makes this island one of the best places in the world for diving.

Fakarava and other Tuamotus islands are older and are far from touristy islands like Bora Bora, Moorea and Tahiti, which is why diving here is so amazing. Fakarava is not complete beginner friendly, because the passes and currents here call for good swimming and diving skills.

Is diving better in Tahiti or Bora Bora?

Tahiti and Bora Bora both offer great diving, it just comes down to what you like. Bora Bora has crystal clear waters, a variety of marine life, and more beginner friendly spots. Plus, you can find several lagoon dives in Bora Bora while Tahiti has boat dives.

However, Bora Bora doesn’t have as many dive sites as Tahiti, and Tahiti offers far more coral reefs to explore.

Tiger shark at white valley Tahiti
Tiger shark at White Valley

Which time is best for scuba diving in Tahiti?

May to October is the best time to dive in Tahiti. Most days are sunny with gentle to moderate trade winds that keep temperatures comfortable and seas calm, this help in clear waters that make for great visibility and ideal diving conditions for most divers.

That doesn’t mean you can’t dive at other times – it’s a year-round activity. It’s just this time is more suitable not only because of good weather but also because you can see humpback whales which are only here during these months.

How much does it cost?

A diving trip to Tahiti normally costs around $100 (10,000 XPF) per person for a single dive. If you’re planning multiple dives or a multi-day trip, you can get some discount as many dive shops offer package deals, like a two-tank dive can be around 15,000 XPF and a 10-dive package around 90,000 XPF.

Keep in mind that prices can vary depending on the dive shop, dive site and the dive type you choose.

Things to know

In French Polynesia, you can do a maximum of three dives per day. Some companies might limit it to just two if you’re a complete beginner.

For island flights, you need to wait at least 12 hours after your last dive before you can take the flight. For international flights, the wait time increases to 24 hours.

The minimum age requirement for scuba diving in French Polynesia is 8 years. And the maximum is 80 years as long as you have a medical certificate clearing you to dive.

Answers to the questions you might have

Is diving safe in Tahiti?

Yes, it’s safe to dive in Tahiti as long as you follow the proper precautions, and have a guide along if you’re a beginner. Because at the end of the day, you’re out in the ocean and there’s always a little risk involved.

What are the best dive sites for beginners in Tahiti?

Best dive sites for beginners in Tahiti are The Source and Aquarium.

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