South Pass (Tumakohua)

Tetamanu · Tuamotu Archipelago · French Polynesia

Fakarava's South Pass, known locally as Tumakohua, harbours what scientists have confirmed as the highest density of grey reef sharks on the planet. This narrow 200-metre-wide channel at the southern tip of Fakarava atoll has been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2006, and the protection has allowed an estimated 700 grey reef sharks to thrive in numbers that leave every visiting diver speechless. The dive begins with a descent to the channel floor at around 20-28 metres, where divers settle on the sand or behind rocky outcrops and wait. Within moments, the wall of sharks appears. Hundreds of grey reef sharks patrol the entrance to the pass in a dense, undulating mass that stretches from the sandy bottom to the surface. They swim in hypnotic figure-eight patterns, their sleek grey bodies catching the tropical light as they glide past at arm's length. This is not a baited encounter or a seasonal phenomenon: the sharks are here every single day of the year. Beyond the legendary shark wall, Tumakohua Pass offers some of the healthiest coral in French Polynesia. Vibrant gardens of Acropora, Pocillopora, and massive Porites colonies line the channel walls, providing habitat for uncountable Napoleon wrasses, groupers, surgeonfish, and moray eels. At a cave located at 28 metres on the right flank of the pass, additional sharks congregate in the shadows, creating a secondary spectacle. Manta rays visit seasonally, and eagle rays are commonly spotted gliding through the channel. The relatively mild currents and moderate depths make Tumakohua more accessible than many other world-class Pacific passes, suitable for confident intermediate divers. The night dive at South Pass is equally extraordinary: as darkness falls, the grey reef sharks switch from their languid daytime cruising to aggressive hunting behaviour, creating an electrifying atmosphere. The remote location near Tetamanu village at the southern end of the atoll means small dive groups and an uncrowded experience that matches the pristine environment.