Can you dive French Polynesia all year?

Not everywhere at once. Counting all 3 areas, 6 months of the year have somewhere at its best; the rest are workable but off peak.

How warm is the water in French Polynesia?

27 to 30 °C across the year, depending on the area and the month. Each area's page gives its own month-by-month temperatures.

What can you see diving in French Polynesia?

The headline animals are reef manta. Each area's page lists everything recorded near it, with the months it was seen.

Asia-Pacific

Best Time to Dive in French Polynesia

3 dive areas, each scored on its own. The season peaks June–July at Fakarava, July–October at Moorea / Tahiti, and July–November at Rangiroa.

The 3 dive areas in French Polynesia, compared month by month
	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Fakarava	January: Off season	February: Off season	March: Off season	April: Off season	May: Off season	June: Good	July: Good	August: Off season	September: Off season	October: Off season	November: Off season	December: Off season
Moorea / Tahiti	January: Off season	February: Off season	March: Good	April: Off season	May: Good	June: Off season	July: Good	August: Good	September: Good	October: Moderate	November: Moderate	December: Off season
Rangiroa	January: Off season	February: Off season	March: Good	April: Good	May: Good	June: Moderate	July: Good	August: Good	September: Good	October: Good	November: Good	December: Off season

Off season Good Moderate

French Polynesia compared

Side by side

The 3 dive areas in French Polynesia, compared on season, water, visibility and how they are dived
Dive area	Best time	Water	Visibility	Dived from	Suits
Fakarava	Jun–Jul	27–29 °C	25–35 m	liveaboard and day boat	Advanced Open Water
Moorea / Tahiti	Jul–Oct	27–29 °C	5–20 m	day boat	Open Water
Rangiroa	Jul–Nov	27–30 °C	25–40 m	day boat	Advanced Open Water

Water and visibility are the whole year's range at each area, coldest month to warmest. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a.

Which area to pick

Fakarava: Best from June to July. It is dived only from liveaboards and day boats and is the one for reef mantas.
Moorea / Tahiti: Best from July to October. It has the lowest visibility, 5–20 m and suits Open Water divers.
Rangiroa: Best from July to November. It has the clearest water, up to 40 m.

French Polynesia month by month

Two or more areas are good at once in March, May and July to September: the time to combine them in one trip.

Jan–Feb: Nowhere at its best.
Mar: Good at Moorea / Tahiti and Rangiroa. Off season at Fakarava.
Apr: Good at Rangiroa. Off season at Fakarava and Moorea / Tahiti.
May: Good at Moorea / Tahiti and Rangiroa. Off season at Fakarava.
Jun: Good at Fakarava. Off season at Moorea / Tahiti.
Jul: Every area is good.
Aug–Sep: Good at Moorea / Tahiti and Rangiroa. Off season at Fakarava.
Oct–Nov: Good at Rangiroa. Off season at Fakarava.
Dec: Nowhere at its best.

Fakarava

Jun–Jul

Go June to July for camouflage grouper. Conditions are easier in March, but the animals are not there then.

Fakarava conditions month by month
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
January: Off season	February: Off season	March: Off season	April: Off season	May: Off season	June: Good	July: Good	August: Off season	September: Off season	October: Off season	November: Off season	December: Off season

Off season Good

Water: 27–29 °C
Wear: 3 mm full suit
Dived from: liveaboard and day boat
Suits: Advanced Open Water

Known for Reef manta

Fakarava month by month →

Moorea / Tahiti

Jul–Oct

Aim for July to October, when the downpours ease — 2 days a month of heavy rain instead of 6. The marine life holds steady all year, so the weather picks the month.

Moorea / Tahiti conditions month by month
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
January: Off season	February: Off season	March: Good	April: Off season	May: Good	June: Off season	July: Good	August: Good	September: Good	October: Moderate	November: Moderate	December: Off season

Off season Good Moderate

Water: 27–29 °C
Wear: 3 mm full suit
Dived from: day boat
Suits: Open Water

Moorea / Tahiti month by month →

Rangiroa

Jul–Nov

Dive it July to November, when the downpours ease — 2 days a month of heavy rain instead of 4. The marine life holds steady all year, so the weather picks the month.

Rangiroa conditions month by month
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
January: Off season	February: Off season	March: Good	April: Good	May: Good	June: Moderate	July: Good	August: Good	September: Good	October: Good	November: Good	December: Off season

Off season Good Moderate

Water: 27–30 °C
Wear: 3 mm full suit
Dived from: day boat
Suits: Advanced Open Water

Rangiroa month by month →

Diving in French Polynesia: common questions

When is the best time to dive French Polynesia?: It depends which area. The season peaks June–July at Fakarava, July–October at Moorea / Tahiti, and July–November at Rangiroa.
Can you dive French Polynesia all year?: Not everywhere at once. Counting all 3 areas, 6 months of the year have somewhere at its best; the rest are workable but off peak.
How warm is the water in French Polynesia?: 27 to 30 °C across the year, depending on the area and the month. Each area's page gives its own month-by-month temperatures.
What can you see diving in French Polynesia?: The headline animals are reef manta. Each area's page lists everything recorded near it, with the months it was seen.