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Shallow reef of table, branching and boulder corals in clear blue water — Palolo Deep, Savai'i & Upolu

Savai'i & Upolu · Samoa · Coral garden · Lagoon

Palolo Deep

Coral garden in the Apia lagoon with a shark-patrolled outer wall

Photo: amanderson2 · CC BY 2.0

Palolo Deep is a coral garden inside the Apia lagoon on Upolu, inside the most protected marine area on the island. The reef shelf sits in shallow water before dropping to an outer wall, where grey reef sharks patrol, and the dive itself stays at about 18 m while the wall continues down to 45 m.

Also known as Palolo Deep Marine Reserve.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Palolo Deep: typical dive to 18 m (to 60 ft), deepest point 45 m (148 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit18 m45 m maxtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 60 m (197 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

13.8253° S, 171.7579° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The dive starts in the coral garden on the reef shelf, which lies at about 5 m inside the Apia lagoon. From the shelf the bottom falls away to the outer wall, where grey reef sharks patrol and encounters are common rather than occasional.

Marine life and season

  • Reef sharks
Month-by-month season rating for Palolo Deep
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairGoodGoodPrimePrimePrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodFair

Season follows Savai'i & Upolu: May–Oct is the dry season with the calmest water and humpbacks Jul–Oct; Nov–Apr brings rain and cyclone risk.

Photos from Palolo Deep

  • amanderson2 · CC BY 2.0

Sources

  1. Diving in Upolu & Savai'i — TripBase
  2. Palolo Deep (OpenStreetMap) — OpenStreetMap contributors

Photo credits

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