Since 2006, French Polynesia has protected all shark species in its waters. The mako shark was added in 2012. This is recalled by the guide “Recognizing the rays and sharks of the fenua,” published with the Polynesian Environment Directorate.
In Bora Bora, this status changes the way you view a “shark” outing. You enter an area where every shark is protected, with written approach rules.
Our old page mixed Bora Bora with Rangiroa, Tikehau, and the Marquesas, mentioned a hammerhead shark “recently observed” without a date, and promised encounters. We redid everything with a simple grid: level, current, season, supervision, and fallback plan.
Where do we really dive in Bora Bora?
Dives in Bora Bora are divided between the lagoon, the outer reef slope, and the Teavanui pass, the island’s only pass according to SSI. Rangiroa, Tikehau, and the Marquesas belong to other archipelagos, several hours by plane. They have no place in a program announced as “Bora Bora.”
Start with the pass. Teavanui connects the lagoon to the ocean, west of the island, and water flows in or out with the tide. SSI describes it as a drift dive. A drift dive requires preparation: tight group, ready parachute, boat following the bubbles. If you have never dived in a current, our article on the dive parachute and its safe use will help you ask the right questions at the center.
The current decides more than the photo.
On the east side, Anau is cited by SSI as a cleaning station frequented by reef manta rays. Further southeast, Tupitipiti is a large outer reef. But no official page publishes depth, minimum level, or dated current readings for Anau, Tupitipiti, or the pass, even though these are the three data points that decide a dive. It is impossible to decide from here. Only the center of the day can answer you.
Which reef sharks can you encounter in Bora Bora?
The guide from the Polynesian Shark Observatory and the Environment Directorate (2025) describes four coastal sharks of the lagoons, passes, and Polynesian reefs. These are the blacktip shark, the sicklefin lemon shark, the grey reef shark, and the white-tip reef shark. Their presence on any given day remains random.
The blacktip shark lives in the lagoon and on the reef, often in shallow water. It is the one swimmers see closest to the beaches. The sicklefin lemon shark is more massive. The guide qualifies it as opportunistic and assigns it the status “endangered” on the IUCN Red List, exactly like the grey reef shark, the other large shark of the passes and reefs. The white-tip shark, recognizable by its white-edged fins, is classified as “vulnerable,” just like the blacktips.
These statuses say one simple thing.
Even in a famous lagoon, these animals are not guaranteed scenery. Yet, booking platforms still sell “with sharks” outings as if the encounter were part of the price. No one can honestly promise it to you. A serious center says so right at the briefing (if not, note it). For curiosity, our selection of the strangest sharks in the world shows how varied the family is.
Is feeding sharks and rays allowed?
No. The French Polynesian Tourism Service published on August 29, 2025, a campaign that qualifies attracting fish, sharks, or rays with food, gestures, or noises as illegal. It cites penalties of up to 17,800,000 F CFP and two years imprisonment for offenses against protected species.
The subject remains debated locally.
For years, lagoon excursions have relied on feeding, particularly around the stingray (Himantura fai). The Observatory guide presents it as the most frequently observed ray, with an important place in the ecotourism of Moorea and Bora Bora. Supporters of feeding speak of supervised practice and local income. Opponents point to behavior changes and the risk of bites when the animal associates humans with food. We searched for details of the rules of the Bora Bora Marine Spatial Management Plan (PGEM) on this point, without finding any official and dated text online. So we will not tell you what it provides.
So, remember this. If an outing announces feeding, ask which text the operator relies on. And if the answer remains vague, choose another outing. The guide also sets rules for mantas: stop the boat more than 20 meters away, enter the water quietly, do not approach closer than 5 meters, and never chase the animal. To understand why, read our article on the reasons why you should never touch marine life.
What level, season, and supervision should be planned?
The shallow lagoon is suitable for beginners and snorkeling, while the Teavanui pass requires real ease in drift diving. No authority publishes a minimum level per site. The table below separates what we know, with the source and year, from what you must ask the center before paying.
| Criterion | What we know (dated sources) | What you must ask |
|---|---|---|
| Level | No official level per site. Teavanui is described as a drift (SSI, undated) | Required certification, planned maximum depth, drift experience |
| Current | Tidal currents in the pass, no official records published | Tide time, entry time, instructions if the current strengthens |
| Season | Warm season from November to April, cyclone risk considered moderate for the Society Islands in 2019-2020 (Météo-France) | Cancellation and rescheduling policy in case of alert |
| Supervision | Protected sharks and rays, illegal feeding (Tourism Service, 2025) | Guide/diver ratio, oxygen and radio on board, position on feeding |
| Fallback plan | Hyperbaric chamber at CHPF, in Tahiti (2019 activity report) | Evacuation procedure to Tahiti, coverage by your insurance |
However, the cyclone season does not always follow the calendar.
Météo-France Polynesia presents the warm season from November to April. In its 2019-2020 press kit, the organization indicates that the previous season started with a first named system on September 26, 2018, and ended on May 12, 2019. The same forecast judged the risk higher on the Australes and Tuamotu than on the Society Islands, the Bora Bora archipelago. These figures are dated. For your trip, check the Météo-France Polynesia bulletin of the week.
In short, very clear water says nothing about the safety of a drift dive.
Formalities, chamber, and fallback plan: what to check before leaving?
French Polynesia is an overseas collectivity, thus a French territory. A French person enters with their valid identity card or passport. Non-European travelers must check their own rules, as Polynesia does not apply the Schengen regime. The high commissioner’s website remains the reference to consult.
On site, the real issue is distance. Bora Bora is an island of the Society archipelago, and the nearest hyperbaric chamber is at the French Polynesia Hospital Center, in Tahiti. Its 2019 activity report presents it as the unit where divers’ decompression accidents are treated, with 1,681 sessions that year. An evacuation therefore involves transport to Tahiti. Ask the center how it manages this case, what oxygen it keeps on board, and who it calls first.
This rescue chain has a concrete cost.
However, this cost is prepared before departure and not on the dock. Verify that your insurance covers medical evacuation and the chamber, and keep a margin before your return flight, according to your computer’s rules and your training. If you compare with other South Pacific islands, our guides for diving in Rarotonga, Cook Islands and diving in Viti Levu, Fiji follow the same framework. And if you travel with someone who does not dive, our list of best snorkeling destinations will help them find their pleasure. A buffer day before the flight, fully reading an insurance policy, and a clear question about feeding cost you a little time, and that’s all. Would you book it that way?
FAQ
Can you dive with sharks in Bora Bora without experience?
Some centers offer introductory dives in the shallow lagoon, where blacktip sharks live. No one can guarantee you an encounter. The Teavanui pass, for drift diving, is rather intended for certified divers comfortable in currents.
Are sharks protected in French Polynesia?
Yes. Since 2006, French Polynesia has protected all shark species, and the mako shark has been included since 2012, according to the guide published with the Department of Environment. Manta rays are also among the protected species.
Is feeding sharks and rays prohibited in Bora Bora?
The Polynesian Tourism Service classifies attracting animals with food as illegal, in its campaign of August 29, 2025. No official text detailing Bora Bora’s PGEM on this point was found online. Ask the operator which text they rely on.
What is the best time to dive in Bora Bora?
One can dive all year round, but Météo-France Polynesia places the hot season, favorable to cyclones, from November to April. Systems have already been observed as early as September and until May. Keep a buffer day and read the center’s cancellation policy.
Where is the nearest hyperbaric chamber?
At the French Polynesia Hospital Center, in Tahiti, according to its 2019 activity report. From Bora Bora, evacuation therefore requires transport to Tahiti. Check that your insurance covers this trip.
Sources
- Recognizing the rays and sharks of the fenua (Shark Observatory of Polynesia and Department of Environment of French Polynesia, 2025)
- Opening of the 2019-2020 hot season in French Polynesia, press kit (Météo-France Polynesia, 2019)
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