Encountering the Rare with Diving in Moorea

11 miles from the island of Tahiti lies Moorea, the island inspiration which fueled James Michener to write about "Bali Hai". With jagged peaks which give the island a unique profile, the island's lagoon is just as famous as neighboring Bora Bora's.

The beauty and marvel of Moorea's grandeur extends down below its crystalline waters. A preferred diving spot among the best of divers, Moorea's dive sites showcase infinite ranges of canyons, promontories and chasms, providing divers with adventures under the sea. Common in the island's dive sites, fish feeding is quite popular, as schools of small and large marine life are inevitable for divers to encounter. Another "perk" when it comes to diving in Moorea.

Diving in Moorea is perfect for amateurs and professionals alike. Deeper dive sites attract professionals, while shallower dive sites pave the way for beginners, on their way to become pros.

Here are some of the dive sites that make diving in Moorea worth any diver's, professional or amateur, while.

The Aquarium

This particular dive site goes down 10-40 feet. The lagoon dive is perfect for first timers, as they encounter schools of small tropical fish and magnificent coral gardens. The vivid colors of coral reefs truly makes the worth when it comes to diving in Moorea, in this particular dive site.

Stingray World

Another popular dive site when it comes to diving in Moorea, Stringray World is not only suitable for scuba diving, but snorkeling as well. The lagoon dive goes down from 30-60 feet, and showcases the beauty and grace of rays. Truly a sight worth seeing.

Taotoi

Underwater reefs and valleys could be followed in this dive site. An ocean dive, Taotoi goes down from 30-70 feet underwater. If encountering jack fish, moray eels and Napoleans is what you're after, this site would make your diving in Moorea a memorable dive. 

Tiki

Another popular dive site for diving in Moorea, the Tiki dive site is also an ocean dive that goes down from 30-70 feet underwater. It is popular for the active fishes that can be encountered therein. Barracudas, black tip sharks, lemon sharks and grey sharks are commonly encountered, bidding their hellos to divers.

Canyons of Opunohu

This ocean dive site goes down from 30-70 feet underwater, and is famous for triggerfish, eels, sharks and sea turtles. It is also popular for the underwater canyons divers get to see during dive excursions.

Rose Garden

Another ocean dive, the Rose Garden dive site's main highlight would be the Montipora coral, a giant among corals. The coral resembles that of rose petals, and is truly magnificent. Going down from 70-140 feet underwater, the Rose Garden dive site has attracted professional divers all over the world.

As most travel agencies already have diving excursions part of their vacation package, one wouldn't have problems when it comes to diving in Moorea. Probably the only problem would be having to pack up and leave back home.

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Top 5 Shark Diving Adventures

French Polynesia is made up of 121 pristine atolls and islands located in the tropical South Pacific, including popular destinations such as Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea and Huahine - each one ringed with vibrant coral reefs and overflowing with exotic marine life. Visitors can explore underwater caves, caverns, lagoons and shipwrecks - while swimming alongside friendly dolphins, manta rays, eels, jellyfish, barracuda and tuna. But for those seeking the ultimate thrill, French Polynesia is also home to one of the world's highest concentrations of great hammerhead, whitetip, blacktip, silvertip and gray reef sharks. Here's our top 5 places for getting up close and personal with one of the sea's most magnificent creatures and revered predators.

1. Tahiti: When it comes to shark diving, Tahiti island is the place to get your feet wet. The area's calm waters and abundant marine-life, which includes small reef sharks, nurse sharks, friendly moray eels and countless schools of dazzlingly bright colored fish, provide a safe yet thrilling experience for beginners. Even novice divers can experience a shark feeding frenzy at the Shark Cave, explore sunken shipwrecks and seaplanes or peer into the deepest depths of the ocean from a sheer cliff located on an underwater plateau at the famed Tahiti Wall.

2. Bora Bora: Renowned worldwide for its stunning topside beauty, Bora Bora also offers some of the world's best dives. Beginners can swim easily among groups of giant Manta Rays at sites including Anau and the Teavanui Pass, be shadowed underwater by 'torpedoing' gray reef sharks at Muri Muri (The White Valley) and feed lemon sharks by hand at Tapu Dive.

3. Huahine: The island's sleepy, beach-town vibe, modest prices and authentic Polynesian style make it perfect for travelers wanting to get off the beaten track. You can find plenty of reef life surrounding Huahine including leopard rays, tortoise, big napoleons, jacks, eels and barracuda. Dive in at Avepeihi (Fitii's) Pass for one of the world's best places to witness gray sharks feeding in their natural habitat.

4. Fakarava: Perhaps the newest and least explored sport diving destination, Fakarava (a designated UNESCO reserve) is one of the world's best places for viewing big fish and large pelagic animals (tuna, shark, mantas) and for drift diving. Advanced divers can literally flow along with the current at the 2/3 mile wide Garuae Pass and see great hammerhead, whitetips, manta rays and marbled grouper. Intermediate divers can have less challenging yet equally rewarding experience at Tumakohua Pass.

5. Rangiroa: For one of the world's ultimate diving experiences, come to Rangiroa (the world's second largest atoll). With exceptionally clear visibility (commonly exceeding 100ft), exhilarating currents and and massive amounts of sharks, rays, turtles, eels, tuna, barraduca and dolphins, divers are in for the thrill of a lifetime. The Pacific Ocean connects with Rangiroa's gigantic lagoon at the Avatoru Pass and Tiputa Pass, creating an in-and-out flow that results in an unbelievably high concentration of marine life. This area is also one of the best places for spotting great hammerhead sharks and huge numbers of gray reef sharks.

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Huahine is an overlooked paradise in French Polynesia.

For one thing, the island is, arguably, the most picturesque in all of French Polynesia... With steep mountains descending into protected bays of azure blue and emerald green colors, the island is also one of the more geographically diverse of the Society Group.

Also known as "The Garden Island" due to its abundance of lush green tropical foliage and wild jungle-like scenery, Huahine is one of the more interesting of the Society Islands to explore.

Huahine itself is actually 2 islands known as Huahine-Nui and Huahine-Iti (Big Huahine and little Huahine). Interconnected by a bridge, both islands can be easily explored in a day or two, making this a travel destination you will never forget.
There are many things that make Huahine stand out among the Society islands, but perhaps the most treasured one is the much saught after idea of solitude and quietness.

Similiar to its cousins Raiatea and Tahaa, Huahine is far less touristed than Moorea, Bora bora and Tahiti! (and that's a good thing) This island is so relaxing and stress free that many people pick it as their favorite Society Island after traveling here just once.
There's also an abundance of long and beautiful white sandy beaches on Huahine... and the good news is that on this island, most of them are easily accessable for total quality beach and sun worshipping.

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Bora Bora - Travel to the World's Most Beautiful Island

Bora Bora is an island of French Polynesia in the South Pacific, under the purview of France. The claim in the title of being the world's most beautiful was made by the late novelist James Michener. Although Michener's view was before developers put their stamp of commercial clutter on the island, Bora Bora's natural beauty remains intact.

Bora Bora is packed with super luxurious options for accommodations. Several of the world's finest hotel brands are well represented, led by Four Seasons and its Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora. Opened in 2008, the resort is akin to paradise according to its guests. InterContinental, St. Regis, Hilton, Le Meridien and Sofitel operate premier properties, as do independent hoteliers.

Bora Bora's round-island road is less than 20 miles long so many visitors travel the length of the road by bicycle, scooter or car. The best place for departure is the wharf in Vaitape on the west coast, the island's main town. Along the way, spectacular views of Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu, Bora Bora's two extinct volcanoes, emerge. An option for seeing more of Bora Bora is taking a guided sightseeing tour. Otemanu Tours, conducted in an open-air le truck, expose tourists to additional sights not visible from the road.

Bora Bora's allure is enhanced by a breathtakingly-colorful lagoon, whose turquoise-blue turns a variety of shades throughout the day, and by the barrier reef that protects it. Part and parcel with the island's beauty are the activities that the water around it make possible. For people seeking a beach, Matira Beach with its secluded shores, at the island's south end, is a dazzling one.

Scuba diving in Bora Bora is just about everywhere. The major resorts all offer an opportunity to get close to numerous species of tropical fish, colorful sea crustaceans and brilliant corals. The manta rays are the stars of the show. The island's largest diving centers are TOPdive Bora Bora, Blue Nui Dive Center, DiveEasy and Bora Diving Center.

Moana Adventure Tours offers multiple options for fun on the island's emerald lagoon. Reef Discovery affords customers a chance to snorkel in the preserved coral gardens of the lagoon. Teremoana Tours provides outrigger canoes for a ride around the lagoon, including a shark feeding demonstration. And at the Lagoonarium, visitors can actually swim with the sharks...as well as the manta rays, turtles, dolphins and tropical fishes.

Complementing its first-class hotels, this paradise has a plethora of fine restaurants. La Villa Mahana in Povai Bay on the island's southeast side is thought by many to be the best, with its fabulous French food, wine and romantic ambience. Kaina Hut north of Taititi Point near the south end wins accolades as the island's best choice for seafood. Bora Bora offers an additional array of excellent restaurant options serving French and other cuisines.

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