Opunohu Canyons

On the edge of Opunohu Bay, the reef breaks into a series of coral canyons dropping from 15 m to 35 m before meeting the outer slope. The canyon walls are among the healthiest coral formations in Moorea — thick plates of Montipora and branching Acropora colonies with minimal bleaching even in warm years. Lemon sharks rest in the sandy canyon floors and Napoleon wrasse shadow divers throughout the dive. Spinner dolphins regularly transit the bay and occasionally approach divers at the canyon mouth. The site also hosts dense populations of lionfish, nudibranchs, and cleaner shrimp stations in the crevices.