Motu Nui
Easter Island · Chile
The outermost of the three small islets off the southwestern tip of Rapa Nui, Motu Nui was the sacred destination of the annual Birdman ceremony and underwater it is equally dramatic. Sheer basalt walls plunge into the open Pacific, patrolled by galapagos sharks and grey reef sharks. The endemic Easter Island butterflyfish appears in small groups along the upper reef. Visibility is consistently above 40 metres — this is one of the clearest water dives in the world.
Conditions
Depth
5 to 40 m
Advanced depths
Current
Often strong
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
20 to 40 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
20 to 26°C
5mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| Vis (m) | 30 | 30 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Strong | Strong | Moderate | Moderate | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Galapagos Shark
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Grey Reef Shark
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Easter Island Butterflyfish
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Easter Island Chromis
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Easter Island Surgeonfish
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Spiny Lobster
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Pacific Creolefish
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear