Fr. Polynesia · Fakarava
Best Time to Dive in Fakarava, French Polynesia
16.51°S 145.46°W
Go June to July for camouflage grouper. Conditions are easier in March, but the animals are not there then.
- Best time
- Jun–Jul
- Water
- 27–29 °C
- Visibility
- 25–35 m
- Dived from
- liveaboard and day boat
- Tidal range
- 0.2–0.6 m
- Species logged
- 6
Where it is
111 km across · coastline from Natural Earth 10m
Diving in Fakarava, French Polynesia — monthly breakdown
A year of scuba diving conditions at a glance. Hover a month to isolate it.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conditions | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Excellent | Excellent | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| Water temp (°C) | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 |
| Visibility (m) | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 |
| Marine life | Steady | Steady | Steady | Steady | Steady | Steady | Steady | Steady | Steady | Steady | Steady | Steady |
| Best time | Peak | Peak |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorPeak season Jun–Jul
Long-term averages, 2016–2025. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a. Water temperature is the surface mean; it is cooler at depth.
The Fakarava, French Polynesia diving season
June to July · Peak season
2 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 27–28 °C
- Visibility
- 25–35 m
- Rain
- 14 days a month
Diving conditionsThe wind is up.
August to May · Off season
10 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 27–29 °C
- Visibility
- 25–35 m
- Rain
- 17 days a month
Diving conditionsThe wind eases. It rains more.
Marine lifeReef manta (hit-or-miss) peaks at Fakarava, French Polynesia in these months.
- Water temperature is satellite sea-surface temperature, so expect it cooler below the thermocline.
- Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a.
French Polynesia water temperature and weather
268 underwater observation records · 18 surveyed years of ocean data · 10 years of sea temperature
Water & weather
Fakarava, French Polynesia water temperature by month
The dashed line is the monthly average. Eight days in ten fall inside the band.
10th to 90th percentile rangemonthly mean
3
rough days a month
Seas top 2.5 m on 9% of days. Enough to cancel a liveaboard crossing
2
blowy days a month
Gusts over 40 km/h, about where a day boat stays in port
17
wet days a month
3 of them bring heavy rain
| Month | Swell | Gusts over 40 km/h | Wet days | Heavy rain | Air | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2.0 m | 4% | 22 | 6 | 28 °C | 12.9 h |
| February | 1.9 m | 4% | 18 | 5 | 28 °C | 12.5 h |
| March | 1.8 m | 1% | 21 | 3 | 28 °C | 12.1 h |
| April | 2.4 m | 3% | 19 | 3 | 28 °C | 11.6 h |
| May | 2.8 m | 4% | 16 | 2 | 28 °C | 11.2 h |
| June | 2.7 m | 8% | 17 | 2 | 27 °C | 11.0 h |
| July | 2.7 m | 10% | 12 | 1 | 26 °C | 11.1 h |
| August | 2.6 m | 8% | 10 | 1 | 26 °C | 11.4 h |
| September | 2.5 m | 6% | 13 | 2 | 26 °C | 11.9 h |
| October | 2.4 m | 9% | 14 | 2 | 26 °C | 12.4 h |
| November | 2.3 m | 3% | 19 | 5 | 27 °C | 12.8 h |
| December | 1.8 m | 4% | 20 | 7 | 27 °C | 13.0 h |
Swell is the rough end of the month: nine days in ten come in under it. Sea temperature covers 10 years, waves 4.
Pick your week
48 weeks from the daily record. Darker is better, against this site's own year. Pick a month for the detail.
| Week 1 | January week 1: Poor | February week 1: Poor | March week 1: Poor | April week 1: Poor | May week 1: Poor | June week 1: Excellent | July week 1: Excellent | August week 1: Moderate | September week 1: Poor | October week 1: Moderate | November week 1: Poor | December week 1: Moderate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | January week 2: Moderate | February week 2: Poor | March week 2: Poor | April week 2: Poor | May week 2: Moderate | June week 2: Excellent | July week 2: Excellent | August week 2: Poor | September week 2: Poor | October week 2: Moderate | November week 2: Poor | December week 2: Moderate |
| Week 3 | January week 3: Moderate | February week 3: Poor | March week 3: Poor | April week 3: Poor | May week 3: Moderate | June week 3: Excellent | July week 3: Good | August week 3: Poor | September week 3: Poor | October week 3: Poor | November week 3: Poor | December week 3: Poor |
| Week 4 | January week 4: Poor | February week 4: Poor | March week 4: Poor | April week 4: Poor | May week 4: Poor | June week 4: Excellent | July week 4: Good | August week 4: Moderate | September week 4: Poor | October week 4: Poor | November week 4: Poor | December week 4: Poor |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorBest week to go: first of June
January, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.6 m | 25 km/h | 69% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 29 °C | 2.2 m | 27 km/h | 71% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 29 °C | 2.1 m | 29 km/h | 70% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.8 m | 29 km/h | 71% |
February, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.9 m | 28 km/h | 66% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.0 m | 27 km/h | 61% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.9 m | 26 km/h | 59% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.8 m | 25 km/h | 62% |
March, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.9 m | 24 km/h | 68% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.9 m | 24 km/h | 69% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.8 m | 25 km/h | 68% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.0 m | 25 km/h | 66% |
April, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.2 m | 25 km/h | 60% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.4 m | 25 km/h | 61% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.4 m | 25 km/h | 64% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.6 m | 25 km/h | 59% |
May, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.7 m | 26 km/h | 56% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 29 °C | 2.8 m | 27 km/h | 56% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 28 °C | 2.7 m | 28 km/h | 50% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 28 °C | 2.7 m | 28 km/h | 47% |
June, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 28 °C | 2.9 m | 28 km/h | 53% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 28 °C | 2.9 m | 29 km/h | 58% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 28 °C | 2.7 m | 30 km/h | 57% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 28 °C | 2.6 m | 32 km/h | 50% |
July, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 27 °C | 2.5 m | 33 km/h | 40% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 27 °C | 2.7 m | 30 km/h | 37% |
| Week 3 | Good | 27 °C | 2.7 m | 29 km/h | 36% |
| Week 4 | Good | 27 °C | 2.7 m | 29 km/h | 35% |
August, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 27 °C | 2.9 m | 29 km/h | 35% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 27 °C | 2.7 m | 29 km/h | 33% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 27 °C | 2.6 m | 30 km/h | 36% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 27 °C | 2.6 m | 30 km/h | 38% |
September, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 27 °C | 2.7 m | 29 km/h | 41% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 27 °C | 2.7 m | 29 km/h | 39% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 27 °C | 2.3 m | 29 km/h | 43% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 27 °C | 2.3 m | 29 km/h | 45% |
October, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 27 °C | 2.5 m | 29 km/h | 47% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 27 °C | 2.5 m | 28 km/h | 49% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 27 °C | 2.2 m | 25 km/h | 46% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 27 °C | 2.3 m | 26 km/h | 42% |
November, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 28 °C | 2.3 m | 26 km/h | 47% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 28 °C | 2.3 m | 26 km/h | 61% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 28 °C | 2.3 m | 26 km/h | 68% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 28 °C | 2.1 m | 27 km/h | 64% |
December, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 28 °C | 2.1 m | 29 km/h | 59% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 28 °C | 2.0 m | 27 km/h | 63% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.7 m | 25 km/h | 73% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.5 m | 26 km/h | 70% |
10 years of daily records, averaged into weeks.
Gear & storms
What to wear
Off the coldest water of each month, not the average — that is what the suit has to cope with.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suit | January: skin | February: skin | March: skin | April: skin | May: skin | June: skin | July: 3 mm | August: 3 mm | September: 3 mm | October: 3 mm | November: skin | December: skin |
- Nov–Junskin or 3 mm shorty
- Jul–Oct3 mm full suit
Swell through the year
The rough end of each month — nine days in ten come in under it.
Amber is over 2.5 m.
Tides
Tropical storms
1 of the last 30 Januarys saw a tropical storm pass within 250 km. Anything has been recorded Jan–Feb.
Share of the last 30 years with a storm that month.
- NOAASea surface temperature, from OISST and MUR
- ERA5Wind, waves, rain and air temperature, via Open-Meteo
- OBISMarine species records within 60 km
- IBTrACSTropical cyclone tracks, 1996 to 2025
Fakarava, French Polynesia marine life — what you'll see diving
| Species | When | Observed window | Reliability | Evidence | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blacktip reef shark | All year | Near-guaranteed | 59 | ||
| Whitetip reef shark | Feb, Sep, Nov–Dec | Likely | 32 | ||
| Napoleon wrasse | Jan, Mar, Jul, Sep | Near-guaranteed | 39 | ||
| Grey reef shark | Jul–Aug, Dec | Likely | 63 | ||
| Camouflage grouper | Jan, Mar, Jun, Nov | Likely | 43 | ||
| Reef manta | Aug–Sep, Dec | Hit-or-miss | 8 |
Peak Present No survey data
- Observed window
- Months with records. Peak is where most of them fall.
- Reliability
- Near-guaranteed in 60% of surveyed years or more
- Likely 30% to 60%
- Hit-or-miss under 30%
- Evidence
- Years it was seen, out of the years anyone surveyed.
- Records
- OBIS sightings within 60 km.
These are sightings people logged, not a full survey of the reef. A species missing from a month may just mean nobody recorded one.
Diving Fakarava, French Polynesia — common questions
- When is the best time to dive Fakarava, French Polynesia?
- Go June to July for camouflage grouper. Conditions are easier in March, but the animals are not there then.
- When is the diving season in Fakarava, French Polynesia?
- Conditions are good March, but most divers come June to July for the marine life.
- Is the diving in Fakarava, French Polynesia good for beginners?
- It is better with some experience. It suits Advanced Open Water divers or equivalent, so newer divers should ask the local operator which sites fit their level.
- How warm is the water in Fakarava, French Polynesia?
- Between 27 and 29 °C at the surface across the year, coldest in August and warmest in March. It runs cooler below the thermocline.
- What wetsuit do I need in Fakarava, French Polynesia?
- A 3 mm full suit covers the coldest water of the year. In the warmest months a skin or 3 mm shorty is enough.
- What is the visibility like in Fakarava, French Polynesia?
- Roughly 25 to 35 m depending on the month. That is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a rather than measured in the water.
- What will I see diving Fakarava, French Polynesia?
- The most consistently recorded species are Blacktip reef shark (near-guaranteed), Whitetip reef shark (likely) and Napoleon wrasse (near-guaranteed), from 268 records within 60 km.
- Does Fakarava, French Polynesia get tropical storms?
- Yes. Over 30 years of records a storm passed within 250 km in Jan–Feb, most often in January at 1 of 30 years.
- Is there current in Fakarava, French Polynesia?
- The tide rises and falls 0.6 m around the full and new moon, against 0.2 m in between. How much of that becomes current depends on the shape of the channel.
- When should I avoid Fakarava, French Polynesia?
- August–May are the weakest months for conditions.
- How do you dive Fakarava, French Polynesia?
- Mostly from liveaboards and day boats. Trips run through the season, Mar.