6 curated Scuba Diving spots in French Polynesia, each with its own note and source.
Gesellschaftsinseln · Best time: May–Oct · Beginner
Anau on the east side is a cleaning station for reef mantas: coral garden at 6 m, reef slope at 17 to 20 m, a pinnacle between 19 and 24 m, 30 m maximum. Open Water is enough, though current can pick up in the narrow 8 to 12 m channel. Visibility varies a lot — the same plankton that draws the mantas clouds the water.
Sources: PADI, SUP Spirit, Manawa
Tuamotu · Best time: May–Oct · All levels
Tumakohua, the southern pass, is dived as a drift on the incoming current: shallow, soft flow, no tidal bore. No intro dives are offered here. A large concentration of grey sharks holds in the pass. It is 55 km out, 50 to 75 minutes by boat, and suitable tides occur on roughly ten days a month.
Sources: Kaina Plongée Fakarava
Windward Islands · Best time: May–Oct · Beginner
Diving happens on the outer reef off Opunohu Bay. Tiki Point reaches 23 m and is known for blacktip and grey reef sharks plus large lemon sharks; the Garden of Roses goes to 37 m and requires rescue level and decompression experience — afterwards a 24-hour surface interval before flying is mandatory.
Sources: TOPDIVE, SUP Spirit, Manawa
Tuamotu · Best time: May–Oct · All levels
Diving here means the Tiputa and Avatoru passes. The Windmill lies at 25 to 26 m and is open to all levels, with dolphins, mantas, tuna and turtles. Sharks' Cavern in Tiputa Pass at about 35 m and The Run at 46 to 55 m are for experienced divers only; hammerheads January to March.
Sources: Rangiroa Plongée
Austral Islands · Best time: Jul–Oct · All levels
Around the island lie some 50 caves and galleries plus wall dives; the base at Rurutu Lodge teaches from discover scuba up to advanced and open-water wall diving. Humpback whales are off the island from July to October — those encounters are run as snorkelling trips, not on scuba.
Sources: Dive Discovery Tahiti, Aranui Cruises, One With Whales
Tuamotu · Best time: May–Oct · All levels
Tuheiava pass sits about 14 km from the main motu and is dived as a drift into the lagoon; its steps run from 10 to 29 m and it narrows to roughly 200 m across. Beginners have dived it with a guide. Expect schooling barracuda, dogtooth tuna and manta rays.
Sources: TOPDIVE, SUP Spirit, Fafarua Private Island & Lodge Tikehau
Without a dedicated Scuba Diving note yet, listed on the country page: Maupiti.