Tiputa Pass

Tiputa Pass is the most celebrated drift dive in French Polynesia — a narrow channel through the coral barrier of Rangiroa atoll, where the incoming ocean tide funnels through a 200-meter-wide opening at velocities that can exceed four knots, pulling divers past resident grey reef shark schools, bottlenose dolphin pods, and the full cast of Tuamotu Islands pelagic species. The pass is legendary among drift divers and ranks alongside Fakarava as the ultimate French Polynesian diving experience. The dive is always performed on the incoming tide, which carries divers from the open ocean into the lagoon over 30-40 meters depth at the pass mouth. Divers descend quickly at the outer edge, position themselves on the pass floor at 30 meters, and drift at high speed through the channel while observing the resident grey reef shark population (typically 20-50 animals), the pass's famous bottlenose dolphin pod (which often approaches divers with intense curiosity), and the procession of eagle rays, manta rays, and Napoleon wrasse that use the pass as a cleaning and feeding highway. Marine life is extraordinary. Beyond the sharks and dolphins, hammerhead schools appear seasonally (November-March), and the pass hosts resident populations of tuna, giant trevally, and barracuda schools. The pass walls host gorgonian fans, black coral bushes, and soft corals, while the coral heads scattered across the pass floor serve as cleaning stations for the larger pelagic species. Tiputa is strictly Advanced Open Water diving with mandatory drift experience — the currents are among the strongest in any regularly dived site in the world. Reached by boat from Rangiroa's dive operators (5-10 minutes). Visibility 30-50 meters, water temperatures 26-29°C year-round. Dives are scheduled exclusively around the incoming tide, with briefings covering the precise entry point, drift trajectory, and exit procedure. Dolphin encounters are most likely in morning and afternoon tides when the pods are socially active.