Avatoru Pass
Tiputa Pass · French Polynesia
Rangiroa’s western pass, fronting Avatoru village and split into two channels by a small islet. Shallower than Tiputa and angled across the flow, it can be dived even when the tide runs outward. Grey reef sharks — the local ‘raira’ — patrol the channel mouth in squadrons, manta rays hang in the current to feed, and whitetip reef sharks rest in shallow grottos. Eagle rays and dense schools of snapper pour past before the drift releases you into the calm turquoise lagoon. Currents here are strong and shift fast.
Conditions
Depth
5 to 35 m
Advanced depths
Current
Often strong
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
25 to 40 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
26 to 29°C
Tropical wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 |
| Vis (m) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Current | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Grey reef shark
Last confirmed Apr 15, 2026 · 130 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Whitetip reef shark
Last confirmed Jun 28, 2026 · 9 records
Very likely
Most dives
Schooling barracuda
Last confirmed Mar 10, 2026 · 9 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Great hammerhead
Last confirmed Dec 22, 2024 · 2 records
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Manta ray
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Spotted eagle ray
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear