IslaScuba.com: an independent guide to the islands divers travel to, from the Caribbean to the Coral Triangle.
The Pacific islands are scattered across an enormous area, and many of them are remote volcanic peaks or coral atolls far from any continent. That isolation is the attraction. Strong currents push through channels and passes between islands, bringing nutrients that draw sharks, rays and large schools of fish. Reefs at the western edge of the ocean, closer to the Coral Triangle, carry a huge variety of hard and soft corals.
The Pacific was also a major battleground in the Second World War, and some of its lagoons now hold sunken fleets. Wreck divers travel from all over the world to Chuuk Lagoon in Micronesia, to Vanuatu and to the Solomon Islands.
Getting there usually takes more effort than a Caribbean trip. Expect long flights, connections through hubs such as Honolulu, Guam, Nadi or Papeete, and sometimes a smaller plane or a boat at the end. Many divers combine a few islands in one trip, or join a liveaboard to reach outer reefs.
Island by island
Palau is one of the best-known dive destinations in the Pacific. Blue Corner is famous for strong currents and grey reef sharks, often watched with a reef hook. German Channel is known for manta rays. In 2009 Palau declared its waters a shark sanctuary, and the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Jellyfish Lake, a marine lake full of stingless jellyfish, is open to snorkelers only.
Also called Truk Lagoon, Chuuk holds dozens of Japanese ships and aircraft sunk by a US air attack, Operation Hailstone, in February 1944. Many wrecks still hold their cargo of trucks, aircraft parts and munitions. It is mainly a destination for experienced divers, and many dives call for wreck or deep training.
Yap is known for its resident reef manta rays, which visit cleaning stations in channels such as Mi'l Channel. Divers wait quietly on the bottom while the mantas circle overhead. The outer walls have sharks and good hard coral.
Fiji is often called the soft coral capital of the world. The Somosomo Strait between Vanua Levu and Taveuni, home to the Rainbow Reef, has rich soft coral fed by tidal currents. Beqa Lagoon near Viti Levu is known for shark dives with bull sharks and other species.
Hawaii's reefs have many fish found nowhere else. Molokini, a crescent-shaped volcanic crater off Maui, has clear water and a sheltered inner reef. On the Big Island, the night manta ray dive off the Kona coast is one of the most popular night dives anywhere. Green sea turtles are common around all the main islands.
Beyond Tahiti and Moorea, the Tuamotu atolls are the heart of the diving. Incoming tides sweep through the passes of Rangiroa and Fakarava, carrying divers past grey reef sharks, schools of fish and, at Rangiroa's Tiputa Pass, often dolphins. Fakarava's south pass is known for its large numbers of sharks.
Off Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu lies the SS President Coolidge, a former ocean liner turned troopship that sank in 1942 after striking mines. It is one of the largest wrecks that recreational divers can reach. The Solomon Islands have WWII wrecks around Guadalcanal and reefs that see few divers.
The Galápagos Marine Reserve is one of the world's great big-animal destinations. The remote northern islands of Darwin and Wolf, reached by liveaboard, are known for schools of hammerhead sharks and, in some months, whale sharks. Sea lions, marine iguanas and penguins add to the experience. The water is cooler than most tropical islands, and the currents can be strong.
The Pacific covers both hemispheres, so seasons vary a lot. In the western North Pacific, which includes Palau, Yap and Chuuk, typhoons are most likely from about June to November, although Palau sits south of the main typhoon track. In the South Pacific, including Fiji, French Polynesia and Vanuatu, the cyclone season runs roughly from November to April, and the drier months from May to October are popular with divers.
The Galápagos have two seasons. From about December to May the water is warmer and the sea calmer. From about June to November cooler currents bring more plankton, rougher seas and, at Darwin and Wolf, the best chance of whale sharks.
Remote islands may have only a few flights a week, so read our island dive trip planning guide before you book. If you prefer coral variety to big animals, compare this region with Southeast Asia island scuba diving, which sits at the center of the Coral Triangle.
Many famous Pacific dives involve current, depth or open water with no reef nearby. An Advanced Open Water course, practice with a surface marker buoy and comfort with negative entries (dropping straight down from the boat) make these trips safer and more enjoyable. Some operators set a minimum number of logged dives for sites such as Blue Corner or the Galápagos.
Questions
Yap and Palau in Micronesia and the Kona coast of Hawaii's Big Island are well-known spots. Fiji and French Polynesia also have manta sites.
A few wrecks are shallow enough for newer divers, but most of the famous ones are deep and some involve going inside. It is best enjoyed with wreck and deep training and plenty of experience.
Day trips from the inhabited islands reach some sites, but Darwin and Wolf, where the famous hammerhead schools are, can only be reached by liveaboard.
Keep exploring