French Polynesia - Best And Worst Times To Go?

[nwflyboy]

Starting to think about a trip to French Polynesia. It's still a long way out (a year or two) but I like to plan ahead.

I'm wondering what are the better/best/worse/worst times of the year to go there. I know the standard answer from the tourist industry is that ANY time you can get to French Polynesia is a good time to go, and that's probably true to some extent. Still, I'm sure there are seasons where it's relatively more or less stormy, better/worse viz, more/fewer interesting seasonal critters (not to mention "high season" costs at major tourist destination). Basically, I'm looking to minimize my chances of being there during a typhoon or other storm, and maximizing my chances of being there when dive/wildlife conditions are at their best.

Can anyone suggest the better/worse times to go, specifically for a diver?

Thanks.

 

[medic5]

We have been to French Polynesia 4 times. I would avoid the November - March time frame as that is the rainy season.

 

[Cali_diver]

Whales are there from August - mid October. Is there a specific island that you are planning to visit?

 

[Wingy]

I had a month with one rainy day which did not affect diving at all,in January..guess sometimes you get lucky.

 

[NYCNaiad]

It also depends where in French Polynesia you go. The Tuamotus are the sunniest of all the islands/

 

[nwflyboy]

Not sure which islands yet - arrival through PPT of course, probably a few days on Bora Bora (at my wife's insistence). After that, I'm thinking probably Rangiroa and/or Fakarava, but am open to other suggestions.

So far, it sounds like November - March is the rainy season - check. Whales are there August to mid-October - check.

We generally don't like to travel during our own summers, say June - early September, since the weather at home is nice then. Early October or April sound like good options then - no?

Thanks for the advise so far...

 

[Butch Fries]

One thing, although it doesn't deal with the time of the year, to anticipate is that some dive shops are CMAS/CDIP which means you do one tank a day with no restrictions on bottom time.

 

[mmmbelows]

One thing, although it doesn't deal with the time of the year, to anticipate is that some dive shops are CMAS/CDIP which means you do one tank a day with no restrictions on bottom time.

Huh?

 

[mmmbelows]

It also depends where in French Polynesia you go. The Tuamotus are the sunniest of all the islands/

Exactly. The poster needs to figure out where he wants to go and research the weather in that area. Blanketing all of FP with one weather generalization isn't really accurate. As a savvy traveler you can also get to know about the shoulder seasons of places for better deals.

 

[Wingy]

Mmm..HUH? Im Cmas certified and all the ops I dived with were CMAS and never heard this. Perhaps Bora Bora cruise ship caterer may have sprouted this nonsense but in the Tuomotos and Societies I did not hear anything at all along these lines. Bottom time never mentioned but limited to one dive a day???? I would also agree Bora Bora is good for a few days (4 was enough for me) and then hit up the Tuomotos for quality diving. Expensive hut on sticks ville does not equal the best FP has to offer underwater. JMO but I call the diving there boring boring.