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Dive site

Rangiroa, French Polynesia

Tiputa Pass

Typical depth

30m

Type
Drift
Typical depth
30 m
Level
Advanced
Visibility
25–40 m
Water temp
26–29 °C
Current
Strong
Access
Open access
Min cert
Advanced Open Water
  • Pass Drift
  • Strong Current
  • Tide-Dependent
  • Shark Wall
  • Dolphin Encounters

When to dive

BestAvoidOK

Tiputa Pass is one of the two passes into Rangiroa atoll — incoming tide pulls clear ocean water and pelagics into the pass at high speed. Year-round diving; austral summer (Dec–Mar) brings the most variable weather and occasional cyclones. Hammerheads visit Dec–Mar (with stingray gatherings in January drawing them); resident bottlenose dolphins seen in the pass year-round.

14.9683° S, 147.6333° W

Marine life

Rays
manta ray (seasonal), eagle ray, stingray (large gatherings in Jan, prey for hammerheads)
Sharks
grey reef shark (large school in pass), blacktip reef shark, silvertip, occasional hammerhead (Dec–Mar), occasional tiger shark
Turtles
hawksbill, green
Pelagics
giant trevally, dogtooth tuna, barracuda, wahoo
Whales & dolphins
bottlenose dolphin (resident)
Reef fish
napoleon wrasse, snapper, grouper

Dive clubs that visit this site

Sources

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