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Last updated on April 6, 2024
Tapu is a famous diving and snorkeling spot in Bora Bora and one of the few located outside the lagoon. The site attracts many visitors thanks to its abundant blacktip and occasional lemon sharks. The important depth at this location makes it less suitable for children and beginners than the neighboring Toopua’s Shark Sandbank.
The Tapu shark-watching site is located along Bora Bora’s outer reef, about 0.6 mile/1 kilometer south of Passe Teavanui, the only pass in the island’s lagoon. It’s one of Bora Bora’s most popular snorkeling spots.
You can visit Tapu on day trips, which often include this location in their itinerary. Prices generally range from 15,000 to 18,000 francs per person (125 to 150 euros), including lunch. Check with the tour operator to make sure this spot is included in the itinerary.
This spot is located in a relatively deep area. You will enter the water from your boat.
Tapu snorkeling site is located on the outer reef of Bora Bora, some 120 meters from the barrier. The depth in this zone ranges between 33 and 50 feet/10 to 15 meters.
As soon as you arrive at the location, you’ll see the Blacktip sharks patrolling around the boats. These sharks are larger than those usually found in the shallow lagoons.
If you want to see them up close, it’s best to remain static and let them come towards you. If you try to follow them, they usually move away within seconds.
While Blacktip sharks are unmissable in Tapu, you may also be lucky enough to encounter Lemon sharks. Far more impressive in size (they often measure over 10 feet/3 meters in length, compared with a maximum of 3.3 feet/1.60 meters for blacktips), they are also much rarer.
Few other marine species can be seen in Tapu, apart from the dozens of Redtoothed triggerfish and Black triggerfish swimming in the open water.
This spot is located in the open sea. Day trips usually include lunch.
These spots are accessible to anyone with basic snorkeling skills, and feeling comfortable in the water and with his snorkeling gear. You will enter the water from the shore (beach, pontoon, ladder, rocks) or from a boat. The water height in the sea entrance area is reasonable, but you will not necessarily be within your depth. Moderate currents can occur in the area, even when the sea conditions are good. The distance to swim to reach the most interesting snorkeling areas of the spot does not exceed 200 meters. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
