How to plan 6 nights in Fakarava in June for Grouper Migration

[bballnut90]

Hi all,
Planning to do 6 nights in Fakarava next June around the full moon (June 10th) so we can see the grouper migration. Couple of general questions:

-We'd like to dive both the north and south. Would you recommend staying 4 nights in the north (likely Havaiki) and 2 nights in Tetamanu? Or just stay full time in the north and plan to make a day trip (or 2) to south pass?

-Is the grouper population more prevalent in the north or south pass? We'd like to see the groupers but we do not want to do the crazy night dive where you dress in all black and watch the sharks hunt groupers in the middle of the night. We just are hoping to see large quantities of groupers/sharks cruising around rather than witness a feeding frenzy.

-Any suggestions on pensions or locations people have really enjoyed (or not enjoyed) staying at? Thanks in advance.

 

[Manuel Sam]

The grouper aggregation and spawning occurs in the South - not in the North. So that might cause you to reconsider the way you split up your days, North vs. South.

If you are happy to just see the football field of marbled groupers and the greater than normal number of sharks that they attract, then go there 3-5 days before the Full Moon for as many days as you wish and pray that they show up, because there are years when it happens in June, some years in July, and some in both.

When I did it, I stayed in the south at Tetamanu Resort, so I cannot advise you on doing it as a day trip from the North. Yes, it can be done from the North - you just need to inquire with the various North Fakarava operators. They usually require a minimum of 4 divers.

To clarify: there are actually two different dives that occur in the dark. One is the regular evening dive offered by Tetamanu Resort yearround to see the sharks hunt. It is 35 minutes of pure adrenalin, even more so during the grouper aggreagtion. And then there is the "once or twice a year" spawning event that occurs with the outgoing tide on Full Moon Day of June/July just before dawn. Since you are not interested in either, I won't elebaorate on them any further.

Havaiki is the nicest of the many accommodation options in the North. Tetamanu and Raimiti are the ones that I know of in the South.