Leeward Islands dive sites

Manta ray sightings at Anau are highly reliable from May through November, with encounter rates exceeding 80 percent during peak months. The mantas are resident to Bora Bora's lagoon and regularly visit the Anau coral garden to feed on plankton that accumulates in the shallow channels. Unlike ocean manta encounters that depend on chance, the lagoon population has predictable movement patterns. Most dive operators offer a guarantee of a second dive if mantas are not seen, though this is rarely needed during the season.

Anau is one of the most accessible manta ray dive sites in the world. The maximum depth is around 20 metres, with most manta encounters occurring between 8 and 15 metres over sand channels between coral heads. Currents inside the lagoon are minimal, visibility typically exceeds 25 metres, and the water temperature stays between 26 and 29 degrees Celsius year-round. Open Water certified divers with basic buoyancy skills can comfortably enjoy the site. Snorkelers also encounter mantas here, as the rays frequently feed near the surface.

Anau offers a fundamentally different experience from the outer passes. The lagoon site provides calm, clear, shallow water where mantas feed and cruise at a relaxed pace, ideal for photography and extended observation. The outer passes like Tapu offer current-driven diving with encounters with grey reef sharks, barracuda, and occasional hammerheads alongside mantas, but require more experience and produce shorter, more intense encounters. Most visiting divers combine both environments across multiple dive days to experience the full spectrum of Bora Bora diving.

Pain de Sucre is located on the western outskirts of Gustavia, St. Barths' charming capital. The cove is accessed via a short trail from the end of a residential road. Parking is very limited, with space for perhaps five or six cars. The trail descends to a small rocky beach from which both snorkellers and divers can enter the water. The entry is straightforward in calm conditions, stepping from the rocks into waist-deep water. Several dive centres in Gustavia offer guided shore dives at Pain de Sucre, providing equipment transport down the trail. The site is small and can feel crowded during peak tourist season from December to March, so early morning visits are recommended.

Pain de Sucre is a shallow site with a maximum useful depth of about fifteen metres. The best marine life is concentrated between three and ten metres, where the coral coverage is densest and the turtles spend most of their time feeding. The cove's sheltered nature means there is essentially no current, allowing extended dives at shallow depths without air consumption concerns. For scuba divers, the site is excellent for a relaxed single-tank dive of sixty to ninety minutes. Many experienced divers choose to snorkel here instead, as the shallow depth and exceptional clarity make surface observation almost as rewarding as diving. The bottom composition is a mix of coral-covered rock, sand patches, and seagrass beds.