Dive· Ua Pou· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Vaiehu West Point Scuba (Ua Pou)
9° 23.2′ S · 140° 7.9′ W · approximate
Ua Pou has no dive centre, but the rocky western point of Vaiehu Bay is where cruisers report 'great snorkeling and diving' straight from their own boats, among volcanic boulders and the sea caves of the west coast.
Practical
Coordinate approximate: the western side of Vaiehu Bay, offset west of Migration's anchorage waypoint (09°23.185'S / 140°07.701'W, 50 ft). Migration (Mar 2024): great snorkelling and diving to the west, sea caves to the east. Noonsite lists snorkelling and diving along Ua Pou's western coast. No dive operator or air fill is documented on Ua Pou; the nearest dive centres listed by Tahiti Tourisme are in Taiohae (Nuku Hiva) and on Hiva Oa. Bring your own gear and full tanks. Visibility collapses when a big swell arrives (Nakia 2009), and swell surges into the caves, so dive only on calm days and leave someone on the boat. See the Vaiehu Bay entry for anchoring and the hard rocky landing.
Best for
Self-guided scuba from your own boat
Season
Calm days only; murky after swell
Nearby
Place data includes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).