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French Polynesia: The Treasures of Tahiti and Her Islands
By Anita Verde, January 23, 2025 @ 08:00 AM (EST)

Protected in French Polynesia since 2006, blacktip reef sharks freely patrol the shallow lagoons of Mo’orea’s sandbar
 

For decades, French Polynesia’s beguiling islands have adorned travel brochures, alluring honeymooners with turquoise lagoons, overwater bungalows, and lush volcanic peaks. Well over 4,000 miles from its closest neighbours, and spread over five main island groups, the French territory’s real treasures are not just what you see in the splashy brochures. Get ready for untamed, wild, ocean encounters.
 

The dramatic, lush, verdant landscape of the island of Mo’orea

 

Giant Treasures

If you tuned in to 2024’s Olympic Games, you might remember it was a humpback whale that made waves and stole hearts at the women’s surfing semi-finals on the island of Tahiti. With one single breach, the humpback whale signaled to the world “we have arrived”—not even the tourism board could have executed it more perfectly! Previously the realm of adventurous ocean enthusiasts, 2024 was the year the humpback whale went mainstream.

As our boat motored through the Papeete Channel off the island of Tahiti, we scanned the water’s surface for any sign of whales. A giant tail slap and huge blow signaled we had our first whale of the season. “Get ready! We know this whale well,” proclaimed our guide Julien Anton from renowned operator Tahiti Ocean Explorer. “This is Coco. She’s big and very playful, so be cautious,” he said.

Upon entering the water, we soon realize that this would be like no other encounter we had ever experienced. This was not a resting mother and a curious, rambunctious calf. This was Coco, a three-year-old female, as big as a school bus and as mischievous and playful as the school kids on the bus!

We entered the water quietly and finned the 100 yards or so out to reach her. While we respectfully maintained our distance to Coco, she did not reciprocate! Approaching each of us one by one, she would rise from underneath, extending her large pectoral fins out like a jumbo airplane, then pulling them in and barrel-rolling past like a fighter jet. Trying to determine which way she would roll was crucial as we tried to capture her in all her glory. It was all about getting the shot quickly and getting out of her way!

Her eyes wide and beaming with life, she would glide past, staring intensely at us. Nothing quite prepares you for that moment you connect through the eyes of a whale. More than an hour passed with this sweet, beautiful whale. When she decided to finally go on her way, we were left dumbfounded as to what we had just experienced.
 

Life is more fun upside down, according to Coco!
 

There has indeed been an increase in interest in whale tourism over the past five years, and since our last visit to French Polynesia, it does seem to be busier on the islands of Tahiti and Mo’orea. After all, this is one of the few places in the world where it is still legal to get in the water with these gentle giants.

Once totally devastated by commercial whaling, whale populations globally have made a remarkable comeback, and now generate millions of tourism dollars annually. But some believe our human passion for the humpbacks has gone too far and are calling for increased protections of this sentient and majestic species. A treaty signed in March 2024 by indigenous leaders from Tahiti, Tonga, Hawaii, New Zealand and the Cook Islands now recognizes whales as legal persons with inherent rights. Those rights include the right to freedom of movement, to displaying their natural behavior, to cultural expression—which includes their language and songs—and the right to a healthy ocean. It is anticipated that this move will also help strengthen legislation for the 2025 whale swim season, to further protect the species by also making changes to how human–humpback whale interactions can take place in these waters.

French Polynesia already has some of the stricter rules in place for approaching whales. At present, boats must remain at a distance of 100 meters (330 feet) from whales, and swimmers at a distance of 30 meters (100 feet)—that’s unless the whale chooses otherwise! In contrast, swimmers in the Kingdom of Tonga can approach whales up to five metres (16 feet) and boats up to 10 metres (33 feet), distances that many believe are too close to preserve the whales’ welfare.
 

Humpback whale calves reportedly drink several hundred litres of milk per day from their mothers
 

Baptiste Le Bouil from Tahiti Ocean Explorer says: “There is no doubt that most visitors here have a huge respect for these animals, but changes to the way these interactions take place will ensure there is further respect.” While there are already strict rules for how these interactions take place, including approach distances and when to or not to get in the water, even stricter rules are likely to come into effect for the 2025 season. “We are expecting there may be changes to the number of operators overall; the number of boats that can approach a whale or whales, and potentially the number of guests that we can have in the water at any one time. But we welcome these changes, as it will be better for the whales and also provide a better guest experience,” Baptiste says.

During their reproductive season, from August to November, humpback whales gather as if by appointment in and around the warm, clear waters of the islands of Tahiti and Mo’orea. They are here for a number of reasons: to rest after their mammoth 4,000-mile journey from their feeding grounds in Antarctica, to give birth, and to nurture their young. This time is hugely important for nursing mothers and their calves. “The babies must gain weight, learn important swimming skills, and grow strong for their huge journey back to their feeding grounds in Antarctica,” Baptiste says. “It is important our activities do not impact their ability to rest and feed.”
 

Character filled Coco in the waters off the island of Tahiti. Tragically, a collision with a fast ferry took her life just days following this photograph
 

Conservation and preservation of Nature has always been central to the way of life in Polynesia. This synchrony with nature is all part of mana. Meaning “sacred or divine force,” mana connects all living things on land and sea, so continued protection of the humpbacks is a given here. But protecting the whales is not just about how interactions with humans are managed, with further concerns now being raised following a tragic fatal incident that led to the death of the whale we had gotten to know very well—Coco.

While the exact circumstances of the incident are still under investigation, just two days after our incredible interaction, Coco is believed to have been hit by a high-speed passenger ferry operating in the waters between the islands of Tahiti and Mo’orea. The excessive speed of local ferries, especially when they enter the Papeete and Mo’orea passes is now in the spotlight, and with graphic images of her injuries flooding social media, Coco is now the face of a campaign supported by Seaspiracy to slow these ferries. Many people had experienced wild and memorable encounters with Coco, and there has been an immense outpouring of grief for this sweet ocean soul.
 

A mother humpback suspends just below the surface, allowing her calf to easily rise to the surface every few minutes to breathe
 

Although the rules of engagement for us may be changing, the whales themselves usually do not comply with any rules, often approaching you on their own terms with interest and intent. Being dwarfed by a huge animal like the humpback whale is profound and life changing, a moment that lingers long after the encounter has ended. The sheer size of these animals underwater and how they approach with such gentle yet boundless curiosity is arresting. Whether it’s a 40-ton humpback and her boisterous calf or a sassy juvenile, you cannot help but be enchanted by the power of their movement, their long pectoral fins and knobby head covered with tubercles. Tail slapping, spy hopping, and breaching the surface, these magnificent animals instantly humble you, and you feel an unspoken understanding between two very different species.

If you’re lucky enough to encounter a male singer in the water, you will experience the haunting melodies humpback whale males are famous for. Previously believed to be love songs, these three-hour-long complex vocalisations are actually warrior songs that can be heard great distances underwater. It is at these very moments that you wish you could speak whale!
 

Travel Tip

Passive encounters with humpback whales in French Polynesia are permitted from August 1 through November 11 each year. While the island of Mo’orea has in the past been the go-to place for whale interactions, we prefer the island of Tahiti, with seemingly fewer operators, who work well together and place a high priority on the welfare of the whales, minimizing the impact swimmers have on the animals, while maximizing interaction opportunities for their guests.

During the whale swim season, we choose to travel with Richard Barnden from Unique Ocean Expeditions, who works with the dedicated team at Tahiti Ocean Explorer on the island of Tahiti. Employing passionate naturalist instructors and guides, Tahiti Ocean Explorer strives to protect these ocean giants and other local marine life through research and conservation projects in collaboration with cetacean protection non-profit organization Oceania and French Polynesia’s Ministry of the Environment. We find that visiting during late September to early October is a great time for memorable interactions, with calves a little bit larger and stronger, and mothers more relaxed and open to encounters.


A young humpback calf curiously approaches in the waters off the island of Mo’orea. Color variations in humpback calves are common: Many can be quite dark in color with varying degrees of white and gray

 

Lagoons of Sharks and Pancakes

While sharks are threatened in many parts of the world, diving in French Polynesia means you will be diving with sharks. Sharks and rays have been protected under an exclusive shark sanctuary since 2006, so it is no surprise the waters here are full of them. While there is a lack of data to determine exactly how successful this sanctuary has been, almost two decades on, we think the proof is in the water.

On the island of Mo’orea, shallow sandy lagoons teem with healthy populations of resident blacktip reef sharks and stingrays. Relatively small in size, these sharks glide gracefully through the gin-like waters, providing wonderful opportunities for photography.

The resident stingrays, or “pancake sharks” as we endearingly refer to them, glue themselves to the sandy bottom but will often approach you for an up-close and personal interaction. In the past, these rays had been fed to delight tourists; now, although no longer fed, they still associate people with food and will come close to inspect you. Gentle by nature, they hypnotically and gracefully appear. The minutes before and after sunrise and sunset are great times to photograph these animals in their shallow lagoons.
 

Travel Tip

To spend time with the sharks and rays on the island of Mo’orea, head to Sunset Beach where you can hire small boats, paddle boards and kayaks to visit a shallow lagoon area known as the Sandbar. To reach the Sandbar you must cross a tidal channel. The current here can often be strong, so be cautious when paddling and of other boats and jet skis operating in the area. Be sure to visit at sunrise or sunset for the best photography opportunities. 


A stingray comes in close to inspect the photographer
 

Sharks plus sunset: What more could an underwater photographer want?

 

Fakarava: The Kingdom of Sharks

Located in French Polynesia’s remote Tuamotu Archipelago you will find the world’s most thrilling dive experience: the Fakarava South Pass. Part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, it is here you will not only find rich marine biodiversity, but also a wall of sharks!

The South Pass, or Tetamanu Pass, aptly named after the local village, is a channel where the ocean flows into the lagoon during the incoming tide. This powerful movement of water fuels marine life to explode. Hundreds of gray reef sharks along with other species such as blacktip and whitetip sharks congregate, like teenagers waiting for a rave party to start.
 

Gray reef sharks congregate in the current of Fakarava’s South Pass
 

But things really start to get exciting as the sun sets, and the pass comes alive in a way that must be seen to be believed as the sharks turn from passive daytime bystanders to highly energized hunters of the night. This hunting behavior was first witnessed in 2014 by Laurent Ballesta and his team during their “Gombessa 2” expedition, and while their primary objective was to study the annual reproduction of the camouflage grouper, what they found was an unusual density of gray reef sharks – all in hunting mode.

The sharks here appear to have a coordinated hunting behavior, corralling schools of fish into tight spaces in and around the coral heads, and launching quick and calculated attacks. This chaos is heightened by the lights divers use at night, apparently making it somewhat easier for the sharks to pick off their prey. Diving here at night provides a rare and intimate look into the lives of sharks and is without doubt one of the most exhilarating night dives on our planet.

Apart from the sharks, the South Pass also boasts incredibly beautiful hard coral gardens teeming with a variety of fish species, including snappers, groupers and Napoleon wrasses. Dive conditions are usually at their best during the incoming tide when the water is clearest and the marine life is at its most active.
 

Travel Tip

The best way to dive the Fakarava South Pass is from right on its doorstep at the Tetamanu Village and Sauvage. Immersed in the natural beauty of Fakarava, this basic but charming resort with its own dive center is in a to-die-for location and offers unforgettable opportunities for diving and image-making.

Located directly on the South Pass, you begin and end your night dive with the sharks at the resort’s jetty! The resort is about 90 minutes by boat from the Fakarava airport, and is currently the only operator that will allow you to dive the South Pass with its hunting sharks at night.

If you are an animal behavior enthusiast, you will also find thousands of camouflage groupers congregating in the Fakarava South Pass each year between the months of June and July to spawn. The spawning takes place once per year and fuels the savage hunting behavior of the resident gray reef sharks. The exact date of the event changes each year and is dependent on the full moon.

As a spawning and marine life behavior specialist, Richard Barnden from Unique Ocean Expeditions curates specialist trips to this wild and remote part of the world.


Five-lined snappers cruise the crystalline waters and coral gardens of the South Pass
 

With coral reefs the world over under significant heat stress, here in Fakarava, hard coral gardens remain healthy, vibrant and beautiful

 

Friendly Finds in Rangiroa

There is another place that offers exciting wildlife encounters in the remote Tuamotu Archipelago. On the island of Rangiroa, you find the Tiputa Pass, linking the Rangiroa lagoon to the open ocean. It is here that bottlenose dolphins famously surf the foam. Observing them from the lookout is fun to witness, but encountering them on a dive is next level. “We are just going to hang in the blue for a bit and see what turns up,” says our dive guide Jimmy from The Six Passengers dive center.

The Tiputa pass is Rangiroa’s most famous dive site for good reason. Giant schools of barracudas, great hammerheads, tiger sharks, a variety of rays, turtles, and of course dolphins can all be encountered here. What you will see depends on your depth and whether the current is incoming or outgoing.
 

Bottlenose dolphins: The famous friendly residents of Rangiroa’s Tiputa Pass
 

As we suspend in the vast blue at around 100 feet, we stay vertically motionless, waiting to see what may emerge. It is not long before we hear a type of melodic clicking or whistling sound. As the sound grows louder and appears to come closer, it resembles more of a squeal of delight. A pod of bottlenose dolphins charges towards us! The encounter lasts only seconds, but it is enough time to fire off a few shots and admire the dolphin’s sleek bodies, intelligence and friendly smiles.

But, as if on cue, the dolphins split, and we are engulfed by a giant school of great barracudas. These large, fearsome-looking fish with mouths filled with prominent fang-like teeth school together displaying their flashy silver outfits.

As we finally arrive at the mouth of the Tiputa Pass, we can see by the sheer volume of water moving through it that today it has a temper! The speed of the current in the pass can vary, from a slow and chilled ride to a rampantly fast and exhilarating one. Today, it’s a fly-through!

As we race in to the pass at a depth of around 100 feet, we peer to the sandy bottom beneath to witness thousands of fish and hundreds of reef sharks. We spot eagle rays, a great hammerhead and two tiger sharks, although they are much too deep for us to photograph. In less than 30 minutes, it’s all over, and we take a nice long decompression stop exploring the shallows where butterflyfish frolic and friendly turtles find shelter.
 

A giant school of great barracudas blocks the entrance to Rangiroa’s famous Tiputa Pass
 

Travel Tip

In Rangiroa, we chose to dive with the very knowledgeable team at The Six Passengers. Operating for more than 20 years and located a stone’s throw from the famous Tiputa Pass, the dive center makes diving easy with a convenient pick-up and drop-off service from your accommodation. The team are super experienced and provide excellent briefings to prepare you for the challenges of diving the Tiputa Pass, particularly when the incoming and outgoing currents are energetic. The dive center’s relaxed and friendly atmosphere is also a great place to spend your surface interval, and their delicious lunch is not to be missed!

 

Planning Your Trip to French Polynesia

When to Go: There are two distinct seasons in French Polynesia. In Tahiti, Mo’orea and the Tuamotu Islands of Fakarava and Rangiroa, the dry and sunny season runs from April to November, while the rainy season is from November to March. And while you can visit year round, we prefer the months of September and October for the sunshine and the added opportunity to combine scuba diving with the annual humpback whale migration and the opportunity to swim with the whales. The water temperature in French Polynesia is a very comfortable 79°F to 82°F all year round and is a favorite for both scuba divers and snorkelers with its beautiful shallow lagoons, fabulous visibility, and variety of marine life to encounter and photograph.

Where to Stay: All islands have a variety of accommodation. From luxury hotels and resorts to holiday rentals and small family-run pensions, you are bound to find something to suit your budget. It is also easy to combine multiple islands during your stay with Air Tahiti’s inter-island domestic flight connections and by utilising the local ferry services that connect the islands of Tahiti and Mo’orea daily. For more information, visit the Tahiti Tourism website.
 

Both green and hawksbill turtles are common sightings on the reefs and can be found on dive sites like Mo’orea’s Turtle Wall and Rangiroa’s Tiputa Pass
 



All images in this feature were taken under authorization from French Polynesia’s Department of the Environment, DIREN No: 12545.
 


 

About the Authors: Based in Melbourne, Australia, Anita Verde and Peter Marshall have a passion for the planet’s wild places, and through their images and narratives hope to inspire better appreciation and protection of the natural world. When not underwater, you’ll find them on a mountain somewhere. To see more of their work, please visit their website, www.summitstoseasphotography.com.

 

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