Liveaboard Diving in Polynesia, Atoll passes, shark action and crystal-clear South Pacific water

Tuamotu highlights like Rangiroa and Fakarava, blue-water pelagics, strong-current drifts and powder-sand islands

Why choose Polynesia for a liveaboard

• Big-animal encounters. Blacktip, grey reef, silvertip, silky, tiger and hammerhead sharks, plus manta rays and dolphins.
• Premier atoll diving. Channel drifts and outer-reef rides with clear water and huge fish biomass.
• UNESCO-listed reserve. Fakarava’s Biosphere Reserve protects world-class shark aggregations and manta cleaning stations.
• Remote, relaxed islands. Half the 118 islands are uninhabited, so you get quiet lagoons and empty horizons between dives.
• Comfort at sea. Multi-deck motor yachts with beach stops, so non-divers can enjoy the islands too.

Where you will dive

• Rangiroa, Tuamotu Archipelago. One of the world’s largest atolls. Tiputa Pass is the star, with incoming-tide drifts that can deliver big schools of grey reef sharks, occasional tiger and hammerhead sharks, mantas, Napoleon wrasse and passing bottlenose dolphins.
• Fakarava, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Many itineraries focus here. Garaue Pass (north) is famed for a “shark wall” of grey reefs and frequent visits from larger species. Expect multiple manta cleaning stations and healthy hard-coral shallows. Currents are powerful, so dives are planned for slack tide.

• Apataki, Tikehau and Kauehi.

1. Tikehau. The Shark Hole is a vertical chasm with an anemone-trimmed arch, plus an old pearl farm that draws mantas.
2. Kauehi. Outer Wall hosts huge hard corals and sponges and an underwater cliff reported to drop to about 1,500 m.
3. Apataki. Pakaka Pass offers pristine coral and schooling fish.

• Marquesas (select itineraries). A more rugged, blue-water feel for advanced crews and photographers.

A typical liveaboard plan

• Itineraries. About 7 or 10 nights, either Rangiroa–Fakarava traverses or in-depth Fakarava explorations.
• Daily rhythm. Two to three dives most days, timed around tides, with beach walks and lagoon time between dives.
• Non-diver fun. Snorkelling, island strolls and sand-spit picnics are common.

Who this suits

• Confident divers with drift experience. Fast passes and open-ocean conditions are routine on the best sites.
• Advanced and up. Many boats require Advanced Open Water and often 50+ logged dives. Reef hooks are sometimes used. Local rules often cap dives at 30 m, with deeper limits reserved for higher certifications, such as Rescue Diver.
• Photographers. Schooling sharks, manta rays, Napoleon wrasse, spawning marbled grouper in June–July, plus silky blue water for wide-angle.

Conditions and when to go

• Year-round diving.

1. Jan–Mar. Warmest, most humid, water around 28 °C.
2. Jul–Nov. Drier, water around 24 °C, often clearer.

• Seasonal stars. Humpback whales in the cooler season, marbled grouper spawning in June–July.
• Currents. Can be very strong in channels. Most signature dives are planned for slack or manageable flows.

Getting there and departures

• Fly to Tahiti (Papeete). Fa’a’a International Airport is the only international gateway.
• Domestic hops. Short flights reach Rangiroa and Fakarava for common embarkations, roughly an hour from Tahiti.
• Ports. Departures from Papeete, Rangiroa or Fakarava depending on itinerary.

Practical tips

• Money. Currency is the French Pacific Franc. Exchange in Papeete before flying onward. ATMs are rare on remote atolls.
• Visas. Many nationalities receive visa-free stays up to about 90 days. Ensure your passport has 3–6 months validity beyond entry.
• Power. 110/220 V, 50–60 Hz, plug types A, B, E.
• Training and gas. Nitrox usually carries a fee, and pre-trip certification is wise. Confirm experience requirements and any local depth rules with your operator before booking.
• Kit. Bring a reef hook, SMB and spool, and a torch for crevices and night dives.

Why a Polynesia liveaboard is worth it

• You ride the passes at their best. Tide-timed drifts put you in front of shark walls, mantas and dense baitfish.
• You see the South Pacific classics in one go. Rangiroa, Fakarava and outer atolls without repacking bags.
• You get clear water and empty horizons. Quiet, protected reserves, bright reefs and that deep-blue, big-animal magic.

If you want high-energy drifts, shark-rich passes and manta moments in clear South Pacific water, Polynesia liveaboards deliver. You will dive more, time the tides right and come home with a very happy logbook.