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Dive Review of TOPdive in
French Polynesia/Bora-Bora andMourea

TOPdive: "Great water", Nov, 2018,

by Bernard Dubois, NH, US (Reviewer Reviewer 6 reports with 3 Helpful votes). Report 10787 has 2 Helpful votes.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations N/A Food 3 stars
Service and Attitude 4 stars Environmental Sensitivity 3 stars
Dive Operation 4 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling 4 stars
Value for $$ 1 stars
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 3 stars
Comments My wife and I went to French Polynesia that we did not know. The trip was organized by a new for us Travel Agent.
The flight to LAX was a 757-200 fully loaded. The AF was in business and great. Another flight with 2 stops to reach Bora-Bora. Reservation was made at the 4-Season which is great if you want to enjoy the sun but not appropriate for active life. You feel trapped. The bungalows are nice, the food average and the prices out of this world. After 2 nights, we moved to the Sofitel which some of it was remodeled. It needs to. These hotels on the water get a lot of beating. At 10 years old, they look 40. Out of the 14 resorts in Bora-Bora, 4 went belly up. Nice restaurant on the Island but not at the hotels unless they have a buffet.
The diving is very commercial. The water is great, warm and 300 feet of visibility. It is perfect for beginner as the baby-sitting is intense. I dive for 52 years but it was the first time in Polynesia and the first time that I did with Manta rays, black tip sharks, lemon sharks during the same dive.
After a week there we went for another week in Moorea. The economic situation of the island is better.
We stayed at the Sofitel. Same comments as above about hotel and food. The “K” restaurant was particularly bad. Plenty of nice restaurant around who picks you up and drive you back for free.
The diving is not as good as in Bora-Bora but the snorkeling is great. You see as many large fish snorkeling as diving. The coral is even better in shallow water.
The coral was in great shape and plenty of fish where the fishing is illegal.
Again, on the dive boat, the service and the baby-sitting are great but not much freedom.
We never had any real problem with the language. All the people we met were very friendly.
We were expecting to climb local mountains but there was a storm every after-noon and the ground was quite muddy and slippery.
Do not try to rent a bike!
We are living in NH, for us to go to Polynesia cost us 3 or 4 days of vacation and costs at least twice as much as in the Caribbean for the same standing.

[None]
Websites TOPdive   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving many countries in 4 continents
Closest Airport Tahiti Getting There From Boston, Delta, AF and Air Tahiti

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, windy Seas calm, choppy
Water Temp 82-°F / 28-°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 200-300 Ft/ 61-91 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile no
Enforced diving restrictions 70 feet deep
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas 1 or 2
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 2 stars Large Fish N/A
Large Pelagics 4 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 3 stars Boat Facilities 2 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 3 stars Shore Facilities 2 stars
UW Photo Comments I used the simple Sealife camera with great success while snorkeling. While diving, I used the same one with mediocre success.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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