Dive Review of TOPdive/Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa in
French Polynesia/Rangiroa

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TOPdive/Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa: "Great drift diving and amazing resort", Nov, 2021, by Sean Brady, NY, US ( Reviewer 3 reports with 4 Helpful votes). Report 11775 has 2 Helpful votes.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Rangiroa is only a short 15 min flight from Tikehau where we begun our French Polynesian Island diving hop. Masks on "inside" the airport and on the plane. Pickup from the airport was clearly identifiable, and brisk after getting off the plane (only 4 of us were arriving from Tikehau, then the flight continued to Tahiti). Hotel Kia Ora is the largest and most upscale resort on the Island. Consisting of Over the water bungalows, Beach front bungalows and garden view bungalows. Our beach front bungalow with AC was Large, tho with limited storage space. King sized bed facing an oversized sliding glass door overlooking the beach, lagoon and out own private infinity pool. Outdoor bath tub and drying areas were also provided. Large bathroom area altho the toilet area and shower area (on either sides of the bathroom were a little cramped). Breakfast was buffet style with cooked to order eggs or omelets. Food was plentiful and filling. There were local "snacks" we attempted to frequent for lunch and dinner such as Pizzeria Moanatea, Snack Chez LiLi, Les relais de Joséphine, Cafe Rio. All were amazing, some would pick you up and return you to Kia Ora (simply arranged by the front desk at Kia Ora, very helpful with our limited grasp of the French Language.) Diving was with TOPdive, and only a 3 min walk alongside the beach from the resort. They do offer transpiration and traveling with our gear we used on the first day. Maximum group size was 5 divers per dive master. Groups were split up by certification level, briefings were divided up into language groups as well and sometimes not done completely by the diver master leading your group. After the dive master leading your group would reconfirm the dive plan so everyone was on the same page. Boat ride was less then 5 min. Entry into the water was a BackRoll. Diving was done in the Tiputa Pass and timed for Slack Tide or Incoming current. Those needing refreshers or newer divers would start at the area in the lagoon called the Aquarium (some pass dives would end here as well) and the amount of life between coral and fish correctly matched its name. Incoming dives would Start out in the deep blue, SCHOOLS of Dolphin would pass by, and even play with divers and our bubbles. Larger schools of sharks could be seen at a depth of 130' or more below us. A few rays were also able to be seen at a distance, and depth. Upon reaching the "point" where we would transition from the blue to the pass things go very interesting. As the pass got shallower and shallower we continued to pick up speed entering the pass. We encountered 2 enormous hammerhead shark, as well as a Massive awe inspiring tiger shark inside of the pass. I almost forgot how to take my next breath at the size of the tiger. There is a canyon in the middle of the pass, where we were prepared to drop into and be protected from the incoming tidal flow. Here we were surrounded by schools of fish inside of the protection form the growing tidal flow above us. Some would use a reef hook and suspend themselves above the canyon and watch the larger sharks and other fish swim on by. With TOPdive 3-4 dives a day were offered, All tanks were 15L Pressures of 3200+ and normally 35% nitrox.
Websites	TOPdive Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	Cayman, Bonaire, Turks, Tahiti, Cozumel, Saba
Closest Airport	RGI	Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	surge
Water Temp	82-84°F / 28-29°C	Wetsuit Thickness
Water Visibility	40-120 Ft/ 12-37 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Depth per least certified member of dive group (20 or 30m depending of certification)
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	1 or 2
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	Short boat ride to the dive shop where there was an area for cleaning and rinsing.

Report currently has 2 Helpful votes

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Dive Review of TOPdive/Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa in French Polynesia/Rangiroa

TOPdive/Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa: "Great drift diving and amazing resort", Nov, 2021,

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

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

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

Dive Review of TOPdive/Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa in
French Polynesia/Rangiroa