Location: Nuku Hiva, Marquesa Islands, French Polynesia

Nuku Hiva Diving with Sharks, Mantas, & Melonheaded Whales

Dive with scalloped hammerhead sharks, silvertips, grey reef sharks, mantas, and melon-headed whales in beautiful Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia.

Snorkeling with Melon headed whales in Nuku Hiva.
 
Diving with manta rays in Nuku Hiva
 
Diving with silvertip sharks in French Polynesia.
 
Diving with melon-headed whales in Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia.
 
Diving in Nuku Hiva, Marquesa Islands, French Polynesia.
 

Dive on the stunning reefs of Nuku Hiva in French Polynesia’s exotic Marquesa Islands. Visit scalloped hammerhead and manta cleaning stations, explore pristine reefs inhabited by silvertip sharks, grey reef sharks and oceanic blacktip sharks and then snorkel with melon-headed whales in Gauguin’s Paradise.

THE ENCOUNTER

Scuba diving with sharks and mantas and free-diving with melon-headed whales.
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NO FUTURE DATES

DATE
TBA NO SPOTS AVAILABLE

PRICE (USD)
$TBA per person single or double occupancy


LEADER
TBA

Dragon Moray Nuku Hiva
Diving with melon-headed whales

DETAILS

ACCOMMODATION
Mave Mai Guest House overlooking picturesque Taioha’e Bay on Nuku Hiva

EXPERIENCE LEVEL
Open water certification required. Expect some current and a few deeper dives.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

  • 6 night’s single occupancy accommodation
  • Breakfast
  • 5 days of 2-tank boat dives on Nuku Hiva’s beautiful reefs
  • Snorkeling with upto 300 resident melon-headed whales
  • Tanks and weights
  • All necessary diving equipment except dive computers
  • Group transfer from Nuku Hiva Airport through beautiful mountain vistas

NOT INCLUDED

  • Flights
  • Lunch and Dinner
  • Gratuities
Spy hopping melonheaded whales
 
Spy hopping melonheaded whales
Diving in Nuku Hiva, Marquesa Islands, French Polynesia.
 
Diving in Nuku Hiva, Marquesa Islands, French Polynesia.
Diving with manta rays in Nuku Hiva
 
Diving with manta rays in Nuku Hiva
Diving with melon-headed whales in Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia.
 
Diving with melon-headed whales in Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia.
Diving with melon-headed whales.
 
Diving with melon-headed whales.
blacktip shark nuku hiva
 
blacktip shark nuku hiva
scalloped hammerhead in Nuku Hiva
 
scalloped hammerhead in Nuku Hiva
Reef manta ray nuku hiva
 
Reef manta ray nuku hiva
scalloped hammerhead in Nuku Hiva
 
scalloped hammerhead in Nuku Hiva
reef manta ray Manta alfredi
 
reef manta ray Manta alfredi
melonheaded whales in Nuku Hiva
 
melonheaded whales in Nuku Hiva
melonheaded whale in Nuku Hiva
 
melonheaded whale in Nuku Hiva
Dragon Moray Nuku Hiva
 
Dragon Moray Nuku Hiva
Day Octopus in Nuku Hiva
 
Day Octopus in Nuku Hiva
blacktip sharks in Nuku Hiva
 
blacktip sharks in Nuku Hiva
melonheaded whales in Nuku Hiva
 
melonheaded whales in Nuku Hiva
Tikapo pinnacle in Nuku Hiva
 
Tikapo pinnacle in Nuku Hiva
Free-dive with Melon-headed Whales

During January and February off the coast of Nuku Hiva a very special event takes place; a super pod of melon-headed whales gather to feed, socialize and reproduce. Melonheads are generally quite difficult whales to find, making this encounter with scores of playful animals an extremely unique experience. It is estimated that up to 300 whales congregate in the area. Our experienced captain knows exactly where to find them and if the seas cooperate, we will have a very good chance of enjoying some very special encounters.

Snorkeling with melon-headed whales
Dive with Silvertip Sharks, Manta Rays and Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks

Nuku Hiva is a big animal lover’s dream destination. As well as abundant fish life and healthy corals, the island is home to schools of reef mantas, silvertip sharks and scalloped hammerheads that can often be seen visiting the cleaning stations along the coast. You’ll love the uniqueness of the diving where the only problem is deciding whether to shoot big animals or world-class macro!

scalloped hammerhead in Nuku Hiva
Explore beautiful Nuku Hiva

Legend has it that Ono, the god of creation, promised to build his wife a house in one day, so he gathered together land and created the Marquesas Islands, which are all named after parts of the house, Nuku Hiva being the roof.
Discovered more than 2000 years ago by ancient Samoans, for many centuries the islands were controlled by warring cannibalistic societies that left behind rock carvings and many tribal sculptures that line Taioh’es beaches.
After exploring Nuku Hiva’s beautiful reefs, you will have a chance to hike in the hills above Taiohe; a tropical hideaway composed of steep volcanic spires and deep valleys covered with dense rainforests.

A beautiful vista above Taioh'e Bay in Nuku Hiva

ITINERARY

Day 1 Pick up at Nuku Hiva Airport – coinciding with the morning flight from Tahiti. Transfer over spectacular mountain vistas to the beautiful village of Taioh’e. Settle into the hotel, relax or explore the area.
Day 2-6 After a delicious local breakfast, we will head out to sea for two dives on Nuku Hiva’s pristine reefs. It is very likely that you will see hammerheads, mantas, silvertips and other sharks and thousands of exotic smaller fishes.
On two of our five days of diving, we will head north to the area where the resident melon-headed whale superpod can usually be found. Once we locate them, you will have a chance to snorkel or free-dive with these playful animals.
Day 7 After breakfast and fond farewells from your island hosts, you will be taken back to Nuku Hiva Airport for your flight back to Papeete on the island of Tahiti.
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