Experiences · Snorkeling
Masks on,
expectations up.
No certification, no schedule — just lagoons that reward anyone who can float. The craft is in choosing water and respecting it.
01 / Choosing water
Shore, boat,
or drift.
Three kinds of snorkeling cover the country. Shore sessions — wading out to coral heads from a beach — suit families and first-timers; boat trips reach gardens, ray sites, and motu; drift snorkels ride gentle currents along channels, the famous Taha'a 'coral river' being the gold standard. Match the water to the weakest swimmer in your party, not the strongest.
The wildlife arrives without effort: butterflyfish and parrotfish over every garden, blacktip reef sharks patrolling harmlessly, rays on sand flats, turtles grazing seagrass, and — with local guides — manta cleaning stations at Maupiti and Tikehau.
Reliable classics
Easy entries with honest payoffs
03 / Doing it well
Small habits,
living reefs.
01Buoyancy
Float horizontal; never stand on coral — sand patches only
One kick can erase decades02Current sense
Lagoon water drains toward passes; ask where it runs before entering
When in doubt, guided03Distance
Two metres from turtles and rays; never block a manta's station
Let animals set the terms04Sun & skin
Rash guards beat sunscreen underwater; reef-safe lotion for the rest
Midday burns fastest05Gear
Bring a mask that fits; pensions lend the rest almost everywhere
Kids' sizes are scarcer06Feeding
Skip tours that bait sharks and rays; plenty operate without
Wild behavior is the point
About those sharks
Calm fish,
calm you.
Blacktip reef sharks are lagoon furniture — curious, cautious, and uninterested in people. Meeting them calmly is a rite of passage that turns fear into fascination in about ninety seconds.
Ready for the passes? Go dive →Keep exploring