If there is one island that summons up all the romance of the South Pacific as a tropical paradise, it is Tahiti. Discover its many charms in these photos from French Polynesia!
Paradise ... Above & Below the Waves
Tanya G. BurnettYou'll find beauty wherever you look in this French Polynesian paradise.
Crystal-Blue Persuasion
Tanya G. BurnettBlue chromis over an acropora.
Choose Tahiti for Romance ...
Tanya G. BurnettOver-water bungalows at Kia Ora.
... and For Scuba Diving
Tanya G. BurnettSchooling goatfish off Motu Tetamanu.
One Fish, Two Fish
Tanya G. BurnettCrescent-tail bigeye.
A Little Manta Magic
Tanya G. BurnettManta ray off Toau.
Easy Diving
Tanya G. BurnettShallow safety stop on Tiputa Pass.
For the Love of Sharks
Tanya G. BurnettSilvertip shark at Avatoru Pass.
Friendly People
Tanya G. BurnettKids pack up snorkeling gear.
Pretty as a Pearl
Tanya G. BurnettTahitian black pearls farmed in Fakarava.
Safety in Numbers
Tanya G. BurnettA coral ledge affords protection to big-scale soldierfish.
DIVE CONDITIONS
• Average Water Temperature: 79 degrees F in the winter and 84 F in the summer
• What to Wear: 2 or 3 mm full wetsuit
• Average Viz: 100-plus feet
• When to Go: Year-round, but high season (May to October) brings higher prices. Best conditions are April through November.
MAIN ATTRACTIONS
• Tumakohua Pass Like a swimming pool, the gin-clear waters of this Fakarava site are filled with fish and sharks.
• Garuae Pass Shooting through the hard-coral canyons creates a ride like no other; ripping currents move you past schools of fish and walls of sharks.
• Tiputa Pass A natural canyon in the middle of this Rangiroa pass provides refuge to fish and divers from the current, and is a great spot for sighting mantas and sharks.
• Avatoru Pass A coral plateau at 65 feet reaches into the pass at the edge of a drop-off, creating a platform to watch silvertip sharks.
LIVE IT
• Topdive Fakarava Offers a full-service PADI Five Star Dive Center on the north end, and a satellite operation in the south to service the north and south passes. There are six dive boats, free nitrox and pick-up service by car or boat. topdive.com
• Topdive RangIroa Offers two full-service PADI Five Star Dive centers: one is situated in the heart of the Kia Ora Resort & Spa and the other a few yards away in Avatoru. They boast four fast semirigid boats for small groups, free nitrox, and pick-up service by car or boat. topdive.com
• PADI Drift Diver Learn to safely enjoy the “coolest magic carpet ride” on the planet. Go to padi.com for more.
Want more? An Inside Look at Diving in Tahiti | Tahiti Destination Guide!
