Wildlife· Nuku Hiva· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Taiohae Bay Manta Rays
8° 55.2′ S · 140° 6.2′ W · approximate
Manta rays cruise Taiohae Bay and the neighbouring bays to feed in the plankton-rich, murky water; crews regularly snorkel with them and see hammerheads while cleaning hulls.
Practical
Position approx: plotted at the main anchorage; sightings are wherever the plankton is. A 2019 crew snorkelled with mantas in the anchorage and was watched by a hammerhead while scrubbing the hull; another (2020) had mantas around the boat in Daniel's Bay, and Anaho also has frequent mantas (2017). Visibility in Taiohae is 4-5 m and near zero after rain. Locals warn about sharks; NHYS and the fire brigade knew of no incident (2017), but don't swim by the quay where fish scraps are dumped.
Best for
Snorkelling with mantas from the boat
Nearby
- Marquesas Cyclone-Season Refuge (Taiohae)Right here
- Marquesas Puddle Jump Arrival SeasonRight here
- No-No Sand Flies (Nuku Hiva Beaches)Right here
- Nuku Hiva Anchorage Quotas and Boater RulesRight here
- Southern Winter Swell (Nuku Hiva South Coast)Right here
- Taiohae Bay Anchorage (Nuku Hiva)Right here
- Keikahanui Pearl Lodge (Taiohae)0.3 NM away
- Mokai Bar Happy Hour (Le Nuku Hiva by Pearl Resorts)0.3 NM away