Pair the exotic flair of French Polynesian culture with some of the world’s most exciting drift and reef dives for the trip of your life

Tiputa Pass, Rangiroa

Passages snipped like incisions into the Tuamotu atolls create thrilling drift diving. For sharks, sharks and more sharks, there’s no place like Tiputa Pass on Rangiroa. Hang in the blue at the entrance to watch schooling barracuda and gray sharks by the hundreds (and sometimes thousands) before a roller coaster finale into the lagoon.

Rangiroa Vineyard Excursion

On Rangiroa, take a boat to a nearby islet to try the only wine (a white) in the world made from grapes grown on a coral atoll. Of course, you have the French in French Polynesia to say merci for that. vindetahiti.com

Humpbacks of Rurutu

A snorkel kit is all you’ll need to mingle among the migrating humpbacks that pass by Rurutu in the Austral archipelago, the southernmost island group in French Polynesia. The giants arrive here to reproduce, calve and nurse their young from mid-July to late October. divediscovery.com

READ MORE: 20 Iconic Asia-Pacific Dives

Route des Ananas, Moorea

Rent a scooter to cruise through the most remarkable scenery along Moorea’s coast and the island’s interior. Along the Pineapple Route, you’ll roll past colorful old churches, desolate beaches and, as the name implies, plantations loaded with pineapples.

Aerial View of Mount Otemanu, Bora Bora

French Polynesia’s most postcard-worthy views have to be the iconic, craggy peaks of Bora Bora. Can’t afford an over-water bungalow on the island? A sightseeing flight from Tahiti to soak in the scenery is just as impressive. tahiti-helicopters.com

Opunohu Canyon, Moorea

Leave the honeymooners and their over-water bungalows behind to ogle lemon sharks at this spectacular dive site on the north side of Moorea. Even the safety stop thrills, with the chance to admire clownfish cavorting with their anemones in the sunny shallows. topdive.com

Tumakohua Pass, Fakarava

Of the two passes flooding the lagoon on Fakarava, the southern pass — Tumakohua — is the truly unforgettable one. The underwater valley here called Shark’s Hole is a magnet for the usual gray sharks as well as huge lemons and even great hammerheads.

VIDEO: Diving with Hundreds of Sharks off Fakarava

The Marado, Tahiti

Gorgeous gorgonians greet you as you glide down the reef on this favorite Tahiti wall dive, where the dominant denizens run the range from loafing Napoleon wrasse and nudibranchs to blacktip reef sharks and free-swimming eels.

The Wild Waves at Teahupo’o

Nothing gets your pulse pounding like seeing the world’s bravest riders surf one of the heaviest waves on the planet, on Tahiti’s southwest coast.

Black Pearls on Rangiroa

Tahiti’s most beloved souvenir is the black pearl. Guided tours on Rangiroa’s pearl farm are a fun and informative way to learn about the process, from grafting to harvest, before or after you shop. gauguinspearl.com

DIVERS GUIDE

Average water temp:
Low to mid-80s

What to wear:
Skin or shorty

Average viz:
100-plus feet

When to go:
Year-round

More info:
sportdiver.com/tahiti