Lying approximately 200 miles northeast of Tahiti is Rangiroa, an island famed for its stunning beauty over the water, and for large animal encounters below it. Famous for huge currents and tides, this part of the world offers some of the most exciting scuba diving in the world. For those who yearn still for the increased element of adventure, one of the most thrilling elements of Rangiroa is that it is still relatively inexplored. Given the stunning dives that have already been located in the French Polynesia regions, it certainly wets the appetite to think what incredible dive sites may yet still be discovered in the region.
What really attracts scuba divers to the Rangiroa region though, is the opportunity to encounter some seriously big marine life, and in paricular the sharks that frequent the channels where drift diving has become popular. Throughout Rangiroa, common sightings include grey reef sharks, white tips, lemon and black tips, as well as hammerheads in some of the deeper waters.
Of all the dive sites in the region, by far the most famous is the incredible drift dive at Tiputa Pass, which utilises the incoming tide through the narrow pass between the islands. Starting off at Shark Cave in about 30 metres, the dive takes (or fly's!) you through the channel, amongst the marine life before leaving you on the other side in about 18 metres of water. Manta Rays are also a common sighting in the region.
If you would like to find out more about the opportunities for scuba diving in Rangiroa, or are just thinking about a scuba diving holiday, why not visit our main scuba diving website, where we cover all the worlds major scuba diving destinations in detail.
