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Rangiroa

A huge atoll, two passes and a lagoon: where every dive is decided.

Two passes and a lagoon

In the Tiputa and Avatoru passes, the waters of the lagoon and the ocean flow in and out with the tides. The club dives about ten named sites there: the Sharks' Cavern, the Canyons, the Step, the Crossing, the Windmill, the Half-Windmill, the Blue, the Angle, the small pass and the Aquarium.

The Avatoru and Tiputa passes seen from space
The channel between the motu
A manta ray
A great hammerhead shark

The wildlife

Bottlenose dolphins, grey reef sharks, tiger sharks, great hammerhead sharks, spotted eagle rays, manta rays and humphead wrasses, not to mention all the life of the reef.

A hawksbill turtle
Spotted eagle rays
A humphead wrasse, head-on

The atoll

French Polynesia is a scattered territory, with 3,673 km² of land in the heart of the South Pacific Ocean. One hundred and eighteen islands, grouped into five archipelagos, are spread over an area as large as Europe. Rangiroa belongs to the Tuamotu archipelago, made up of 78 low islands, or atolls.

The inner lagoon provides most of the livelihood of the two thousand people who live in Rangiroa on the main motu (a strip of land cut by two passes). Black pearl farms and fish parks are the main activities. With at least one flight a day linking the atoll to Tahiti, getting there has become easy. Visitors mainly enjoy water sports, lagoon excursions and big-game fishing.

The shallow lagoon of Rangiroa
The club and the lagoon seen from the air

Find out more

Two bottlenose dolphins

The Tiputa pass

The pass of the dolphins, the grey sharks and the great drift dives.
A reef shark

The Avatoru pass

The small pass, its caves and its colours.
A coral head and butterflyfish

The lagoon and the Aquarium

In the lagoon, sheltered from the currents: the site for introductory dives, training and the start of snorkeling.
A school of fish below the surface

Understanding the current

Incoming or outgoing: why the site is chosen in the morning.
Grey reef sharks

When to see what

The wildlife calendar of Rangiroa.

Frequently asked questions

Why dive in Rangiroa?

For its two passes, Tiputa and Avatoru, where the lagoon and ocean waters exchange with the tides, and for its huge lagoon. Dives there change with the current, the tide and the moon.

Which dives can I do with my level?

The club dives about ten named sites: the Shark Cave, the Canyons, la Marche, la Traversée, le Moulin, le Demi-Moulin, le Bleu, l'Angle, the small pass and the Aquarium. Level 1 divers can access several of them, guided and depth-limited; the most demanding sites call for more experience.

Which species can you meet?

Bottlenose dolphins, grey reef sharks, tiger sharks, great hammerheads, spotted eagle rays, manta rays and Napoleon wrasse, not to mention all the reef life.

Can you see lemon sharks in Rangiroa?

No, Rangiroa is not a place for lemon sharks. Here, it is grey reef sharks, hammerheads and tiger sharks that people come to see.

Do you dive outside the passes?

Yes: the club dives in both passes and in the lagoon. The Aquarium, a calm lagoon site away from the passes, is used for introductory dives and the start of snorkelling trips.

Book

Tell us your dates, the number of people, your levels and the date of your last dive: we will reply with availability.

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