Tahiti and Islands. Only 2 definite days to dive... But where?

[www.freedomfilm.com]

Going to Tahiti for work in Jan. Maybe 16 days in total. 10 of those days will be spent working on a Science/Travel TV show. Jan 4-20 or so.

I "may" have 5 days off on Moorea (not sure where I'll be stationed/hoteled) which I'll want recommendations for while "the boss" is busy on a cruise there, I might be able to dive those days.

But I "will" have 2 days in Fakarava, maybe a day at Gump Station, and 2 days in Bora Bora. Out of that time, I think I want to drill out 2 mornings for dives. This will be hard time to get off, so I want to make sure I hit the best spots. Might try to encourage another day at Fakarava

Suggestions?

Dive both days on Fakarava?

If Im "stuck" (lol) poor me on Tahiti at the Hilton, can I get some good dives there, Or should I ensure I get to Moorea or??? I figure I could dive in the mornings, and film all afternoon/evening.

 

[TSandM]

Of the places you mentioned, I'd say focus on trying to dive on Fakarava. Although I have not been there, I have been to Rangiroa, and it was some of the best diving I've done anywhere in the world.

Moorea has a lot of dead coral, as do Bora Bora and Tahiti, and all the operators in those places seem to do shark feeding dives in order to ensure you see at least a few fish. But if you are stuck in the Hilton, ask TopDive if you can do something other than a shark-feeding dive. When we did, they took us to a nice little wall and two wrecks, and we had a very pleasant time.

 

[mcliffy2]

Definitely focus on Fakarava....it is by far my favorite place I've dived (over Palau and Sipadan). An incredible amount of sharks and truly pristine reefs. Rangiroa was also good, but I liked Fakarava better. To give you a feel, pictures from my trip are here (most are from the Fakarava and a couple from Rangi): http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/pacific-islands/417322-pictures-rangiroa-fakarava-dec-2011-a.html

Also, definitely try to dive with Serge and Karen at Fakarava Diving Centre, they are great. However, they only take 4-6 divers a day, so make sure to contact them well ahead of time.

 

[www.freedomfilm.com]

Definitely focus on Fakarava....it is by far my favorite place I've dived (over Palau and Sipadan). An incredible amount of sharks and truly pristine reefs. Rangiroa was also good, but I liked Fakarava better. To give you a feel, pictures from my trip are here (most are from the Fakarava and a couple from Rangi): http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/pacific-islands/417322-pictures-rangiroa-fakarava-dec-2011-a.html

Also, definitely try to dive with Serge and Karen at Fakarava Diving Centre, they are great. However, they only take 4-6 divers a day, so make sure to contact them well ahead of time.

Thanks for the photos. Amazing.

 

[www.freedomfilm.com]

Well... looks like we will be stuck for work in MOorea from Mar 10-19...

 

[clownfishsydney]

Dived Moorea near Club Med (not sure if still there - NW corner of island) about 26 years ago. Was quite good from memory.

 

[DjDiverDan]

Some of my earliest ocean dives were with Club Med on Moorea, january 1990, and I enjoyed them a lot -- but maybe that's because I was pretty much a Newbie. There was not a lot of live coral, and the dives were pretty shallow (no deeper than 55 feet, per my old log book), and the landscape was not terribly exciting - nothing like the awe-inspiring walls and coral formations that you see on many dives in Cozumel - but there was still a lot to see in the bigger sea life. We didn't have a single dive where we didn't see several Black Tip Reef Sharks in the 3-4 foot range, and while they didn't come up among the divers, they would come to within 25-30 feet. And LOTS of big green morays and trigger fish - both of which were in their breeding season, so they could get a little aggressive if you got too close to their home holes. I had one green moray come out and bite the tip of one of my fins -- he let go promptly as soon as I moved away from his hidey-hole. We did do one shark-feeding dive, and that was exciting, but the highlight of the trip was watching the huge Manta Rays swim right over our heads. I haven't been back to the South Pacific since, but it's on my list.