Pacific Islands · Wallis and Futuna
Wallis Island (Uvea)
Schools of barracuda and trevally riding the current through Passe Avatolu
Photo: Anna Vinet · CC BY-SA 4.0
Wallis is a small French Pacific island ringed by a lagoon, with a single commercial dive centre working its passes, drop-offs and lagoon heads. The range is wide for so remote a place: barracuda and trevally schooling in the current at Passe Avatolu, a long lava tunnel, 1944 US military barges, the anchor from Captain Samuel Wallis's expedition, and soft corals on the Lepers drop-off where manta rays and bumphead parrotfish turn up.
About diving in Wallis Island (Uvea)
Boats leave from Evasion Bleue, the only commercial centre on Wallis, in the fishing village of Halalo on the south shore. On weekdays a small boat stays inside the lagoon with three divers plus the pilot; at weekends the large boat goes outside the lagoon to the passes and the best outer sites. The centre works throughout the year and is affiliated with the French federations FFESSM and ANMP.
The lagoon floor holds coral heads such as those at Potat de Caroline, between 5 and 15 m. On the west coast, Passe Avatolu threads through coral canyons and deep cracks in the reef, with strong current drawing barracuda and trevally. In the south, the Lepers drop-off carries soft corals, and bumphead parrotfish, manta rays and eagle rays are not unusual there. History lies deeper: wartime US barges well preserved on a 42 m bottom, and the anchor of Samuel Wallis's visit at the same depth.
Much of the best diving sits between 28 and 42 m, and the reef can be unpredictable, so Wallis rewards experienced divers who are content to dive with one operator. Newer divers make their first dives off St Christopher Islet, five minutes from the base. With a single centre and two flights a week, a trip here is planned around the boat's schedule rather than a choice of shops.
Best time to dive Wallis Island (Uvea)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
Diving runs all year; the sea is warmest in March and April at about 30 °C and coolest in August near 28 °C.
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
Dive types & marine life
Barracuda and trevally school in the current at Passe Avatolu, a weekend-only site, so sightings follow the trips outside the lagoon. On the southern drop-off, bumphead parrotfish, manta rays and eagle rays appear often enough not to be rare.
- Wall
- Drift
- Wreck
- Cave & cavern
- Night
- Manta rays
- Eagle rays
- Barracuda
- Trevally & jacks
Best dive sites in Wallis Island (Uvea)
- 1
Passe Avatolu
West-coast pass dropping to 20 m, where strong current draws schools of barracuda and trevally.
- 2
Islet of the Lepers (Nukuatea)
Southern drop-off with soft corals swaying in the current, reaching 35 m; suited to night dives.
- 3
US WWII barges
1944 US military barges on a 42 m bottom, cockpit dials still visible, with a pontoon at 28 m.
- 4
Lava Tunnel
A 100 m submerged cave left by the island's volcanic origins.
- 5
Anchor of Captain Samuel Wallis
The anchor from Samuel Wallis's expedition, which made first European contact, lying at 42 m.
- 6
Potat de Caroline
Shallow lagoon site of scattered coral heads at 5 to 15 m, clear when the sun is out.
Site guides
The verified anchor from Samuel Wallis's 1767 expedition
Whaling-ship anchors below a soft-coral drop-off
Cave & cavern
A 100 m lava tube from the island's volcanic origins
Drift
Barracuda and trevally circling divers in the current of the west-coast pass
Lagoon
Coral bommies that grow larger the further the route goes
Wreck
Wheelhouse dials still visible on 1944 US military barges
How to get to Wallis Island (Uvea)
Hihifo Airport on Wallis is the only way in by air, with two Aircalin flights a week from Nouméa (3 hours), one of them stopping in Nadi, Fiji. The dive centre sits on the shore at Halalo, in the south of the island.
Questions divers ask
Is there more than one dive centre on Wallis?+
No. Evasion Bleue at Halalo is the only commercial scuba operator in Wallis and Futuna, so every commercial dive is booked through it.
When do the boats go to the outer-reef sites?+
The large boat runs outside the lagoon at weekends, so a trip that wants the passes and outer sites should include a weekend.
Are the wartime barges suitable for newer divers?+
No. The barges lie at 42 m and are an advanced dive that needs compass skills to reach; first dives run off St Christopher Islet instead.
Can the drop-off be dived at night?+
Yes. The Lepers drop-off in the south is a sheltered night dive, with soft corals and the chance of bumphead parrotfish.
Sources
- Plongée sous-marine à Wallis et Futuna — Evasion Bleue
- 101 Best Things to Do in Wallis & Futuna — Wallis and Futuna Pocket Guide
- The Best Dive Shops & Operators in Wallis & Futuna — Wallis and Futuna Pocket Guide
- Wallis and Futuna — Wikivoyage
- Mata-Utu Average Sea Temperatures — seatemperature.org
Photo credits
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