Pacific Islands · French Polynesia
Nuku Hiva
Scalloped hammerheads off the islet guarding Taiohae Bay
Photo: Nihil7 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Nuku Hiva, the largest of the Marquesas, has no barrier reef: its diving is on the south coast, where boats from Taiohae visit drop-offs, seamounts, rocky scree and sea caves. The draw is big animals in plankton-rich water: scalloped hammerheads at La Sentinelle aux Marteaux, manta rays feeding in Contrôleur Bay, and fauna unlike the rest of French Polynesia, with endemic species of its own. Dives run from 9 to 40 m.
About diving in Nuku Hiva
Diving here is by day boat, with divers collected by car from their lodging in Taiohae. The sites lie on the south side of the island, sheltered from the prevailing wind, and boat rides to them take 10 to 30 minutes; Cap Martin is about half an hour out. Rides can be rough when the ocean swell is running. A diver can dive every day of a stay except the arrival and departure days, because 12 hours must pass after the last dive before an inter-island flight.
With no barrier reef, the terrain is drop-offs, seamounts, rocky scree and sea caves. Visibility reaches up to 30 m, but the Equatorial upwelling loads the water with plankton, which cuts it. Reef mantas and scalloped hammerheads are the headline species, and tuna and trevally cross the deeper water offshore. The fauna differs from the rest of French Polynesia, with endemics such as the dragon moray, the marbled ray and the Marquesan grouper.
The majority of sites are open to all levels, and the manta bay suits beginners, but the Marquesas ask divers to adapt to the sea conditions and to poor visibility from the plankton. The sea caves can be hectic in swell and strong current, and the hammerhead dive runs from 20 to 40 m. There are no turquoise lagoons here, so divers after calm, clear lagoon water should look elsewhere; the diving suits those who come for sharks, rays and endemic fish in open ocean.
Best time to dive Nuku Hiva
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good |
The dive centre opens every day of the year, and average sea temperatures range from 27 to 28 °C. In January and February melon-headed whales can gather in numbers off Cap Martin. The boats keep running from March to June. July and August are the rainy season and rate fair. From September to December the diving is back to good.
Dive types & marine life
Scalloped hammerheads are the signature at La Sentinelle aux Marteaux, with a 70% chance of an encounter, and manta rays come to feed regularly in Contrôleur Bay. Melon-headed whales can gather off Cap Martin in January and February. Endemic species such as the dragon moray and the Marquesan grouper live here.
- Pelagic & blue water
- Cave & cavern
- Hammerheads
- Manta rays
- Stingrays
- Groupers
- Trevally & jacks
- Tuna
Best dive sites in Nuku Hiva
- 1
La Sentinelle aux Marteaux
Islet at the mouth of Taiohae Bay with a 70% chance of meeting scalloped hammerheads.
- 2
Contrôleur Bay
Bay where manta rays come in to feed, within reach of beginner divers.
- 3
Cap Martin (Cape Tikapo)
South-eastern tip of the caldera, where melon-headed whales can gather in January and February.
- 4
Ekamako Cave
Sea cave 7 m wide, 3 m high and 8 m deep, known for stingrays and whitetip sharks.
Site guides
Scalloped hammerheads circling the islet that guards Taiohae Bay
How to get to Nuku Hiva
Air Tahiti and Air Moana fly daily from Tahiti to Nuku Hiva's single-runway airport in the island's north-west corner, about 50 km by road from Taiohae. The dive centres are in Taiohae, on the south coast.
Photos from Nuku Hiva
Debra Baker · CC BY 4.0
Dive videos
Nuku Hiva Highlights · Scags Underwater on YouTube
Hammerheaads of Nuku Hiva · Scags Underwater on YouTube
Questions divers ask
What certification is needed to dive Nuku Hiva?+
Most sites suit all levels and the manta bay is open to beginners. The hammerhead dive at La Sentinelle aux Marteaux runs from 20 to 40 m.
When is the best time to dive the Marquesas?+
Diving runs all year. January and February bring melon-headed whales to Cap Martin, while July and August are the rainy season.
Is a wetsuit needed in the Marquesas?+
Average sea temperatures range from 27 to 28 °C, warm enough that a wetsuit is not necessary.
How do divers get to Nuku Hiva?+
Air Tahiti and Air Moana fly daily from Tahiti. The airport is about 50 km by road from Taiohae, where the dive boats leave, and 12 hours must pass after the last dive before flying on.
Can divers see hammerheads at Nuku Hiva?+
Yes. La Sentinelle aux Marteaux, the islet at the entrance to Taiohae Bay, gives about a 70% chance of meeting scalloped hammerheads.
Sources
- Nuku-Dive Scuba Diving — Nuku-Dive
- Nuku-Dive — Nuku-Dive
- Nuku-Hiva — Nuku-Dive
- Nuku-Dive Official Web Site — Nuku-Dive
- Les plongée — Nuku Hiva Diving Center
- Divernet Marquesas dive feature — Divernet
- Nuku Hiva — Wikipedia
- Marquesas Islands — Wikivoyage
- La Sentinelle Aux Marteaux — Tahiti Tourisme
- Diving in the Marquesas Islands — e-Tahiti Travel
Photo credits
- A grey-olive surgeonfish with an orange spine mark, a violet shoulder patch and a pale, dark-edged tail swims over pink rock by Nihil7, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A brown, finely spotted butterflyfish with a yellow tail beside a pale coral clump on dark rock by Debra Baker, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Embed
Run a dive centre, club or blog? Embed this map of 1 dive sites near Nuku Hiva on your own page.
Similar destinations
Hooked onto the reef at Blue Corner as schools and grey reef sharks pour past
Pacific Islands
Isle of Pines
New Caledonia
Leopard sharks and gorgonian canyons in the protected waters of Gadji Bay
Manta rays glide through diver spotlights on Kona's nightly manta dive.
Hammerheads and grey reef sharks hold in Palikir Pass's blue water.