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Jetty over the lagoon at Rotoava, Fakarava

Fakarava & Rangiroa

Diving in French Polynesia

9 documented dive sites. Known for manta rays, hammerhead sharks and blacktip reef sharks.

Best months
Jun–Jul
Water
25–30 °C
Levels
Advanced, Experienced
Diving from
Dive resorts, Liveaboards
Nearest airport
FAV

Photo: Frédéric Jacquot (deelight@poulet.org), CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

When to go

Pick a month: the diving season, from published sources, and the typical weather.

Pick a month

  • Best
  • Good
  • Possible
  • Closed
  • Not documented yet

Fakarava & Rangiroa in October

Good season
Sea
27 °C
at the surface
Air
27 °C
25 °C at night
Rain
110 mm
average for the year
Wind
23 km/h
on average

The coolest water of the year.

Typical weather, not a forecast: averages for 2021–2025 (air, rain, wind) and 2023–2025 (sea), data from Open-Meteo (ERA5 / Copernicus, Météo-France). Covers an area of roughly 10 to 25 km around the destination.

Year-round; June–July grouper spawning in the South Pass draws hundreds of sharks. Dry season May–Oct 25–27 °C.

Source: zubludiving.com

Dive sites in Fakarava & Rangiroa

From the easiest to the most demanding. Levels with a dashed outline are estimates we are still verifying.

For Advanced divers

usual dive down to 30 m5 sites

For experienced divers

usual dive down to 40 m4 sites

Marine life

When the big encounters happen, month by month.

SpeciesJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Hammerhead sharksSource: zubludiving.com
GroupersSource: zubludiving.com
Manta raysSource: zubludiving.com
Grey reef sharksSource: zubludiving.com
Humpback whalesSource: diveadventures.com.au
DolphinsSource: zubludiving.com
Eagle raysSource: zubludiving.com
  • Peak season
  • Seen

Hammerhead sharks: Jan–Mar. Groupers: Jun–Jul. Manta rays: All year. Grey reef sharks: All year. Humpback whales: Aug–Oct. Dolphins: All year. Eagle rays: Jan–Mar

Also reported here, season not documented yet:

  • Blacktip reef sharks
  • Whitetip reef sharks
  • Turtles
  • Barracuda
  • Trevally
  • Napoleon wrasse
  • Lemon shark
  • Oceanic whitetip sharks
  • Silky sharks
  • Silvertip sharks
  • Tiger sharks
  • Tuna

Where is Fakarava & Rangiroa?

View on OpenStreetMapLocation: Fakarava (Wikipedia)Map: Natural Earth
Nearest airport
FAV
How people dive here
Dive resorts, Liveaboards

Fakarava & Rangiroa: frequently asked questions

When is the best time to dive Fakarava & Rangiroa?
The best months to dive Fakarava & Rangiroa are Jun–Jul. Year-round; June–July grouper spawning in the South Pass draws hundreds of sharks. Dry season May–Oct 25–27 °C.
Is Fakarava & Rangiroa good for beginner divers?
Not really: none of the 9 dive sites we document is rated for Open Water divers. Plan an Advanced certification and some experience first.
What is the water temperature in Fakarava & Rangiroa?
The water is usually between 25 °C and 30 °C over the year.
What marine life can you see in Fakarava & Rangiroa?
Divers regularly see hammerhead sharks (Jan–Mar), groupers (Jun–Jul), manta rays (all year), blacktip reef sharks, grey reef sharks (all year) and whitetip reef sharks.
How do you dive Fakarava & Rangiroa?
The nearest airport is FAV. Ways to dive here: dive resorts and liveaboards.

About this page

Seasons and marine life come from the sources below. Site levels and depths marked as estimated come from our original catalogue and are being checked one by one. Conditions change: always confirm with a local dive centre.

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Photo: Sarah Lee on Unsplash
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