Seasonal· Rangiroa· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Rangiroa Manta and Hammerhead Season (outer reef)
14° 58.3′ S · 147° 37.7′ W · approximate
Rangiroa's big-animal calendar: great hammerheads stack up off Tiputa Pass in the austral summer while manta rays move through the passes and lagoon in the austral winter, so the two rarely overlap on one trip.
Practical
Approx: placed at the Tiputa Pass (Tahiti Tourisme pin); hammerheads are seen at the outer edge of Tiputa at about 40-50 m. Wikipedia: tiger and hammerhead sharks in summer (December-March), and large numbers of stingrays gather in Tiputa Pass in January, attracting hammerheads. Dive guides give November-March for hammerheads; mantas July-September. Dolphins are present year-round, with Tahiti Tourisme highlighting July-October for dolphin watching. Sightings are never guaranteed; book deep dives with a local operator.
Best for
Timing your season for hammerheads or mantas
Season
Hammerheads ~Dec-Mar; mantas ~Jul-Sep; dolphins year-round
Nearby
- The Aquarium Snorkel (Tiputa, Rangiroa)Right here
- Tiputa Pass Dolphin Drift Dive (Rangiroa)Right here
- Les Relais de Josephine (Tiputa Pass)0.1 NM away
- Motu Nohi Nohi Beginner Dive (Tiputa Pass)0.1 NM away
- Tiputa Pass Dolphin Watching Point (Tiputa)0.1 NM away
- Laverie Ohotu (Tiputa)0.2 NM away
- Magasin T.M.T. (Tiputa)0.2 NM away
- Ohotu et Magasin Tatie Henriette (Tiputa)0.2 NM away