Swallows Cave Vavau
Vava'u, Tonga · Tonga
An enormous sea cave accessible from the boat at surface level, with sunbeams cutting through the entrance into a cathedral interior where thousands of small fish school in the filtered light. The sheer scale of the space — 30 metres wide at the mouth — makes it an extraordinary ambient-light photography subject and an unforgettable dive even without seeking out depth.
Conditions
Depth
2 to 20 m
Open water and up
Current
Usually gentle
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
20 to 30 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
22 to 29°C
3mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 26 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| Vis (m) | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 15 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Scissortail Sergeant
Last confirmed Dec 20, 2025 · 56 records
Very likely
Most dives
Blue Linckia
Last confirmed Aug 20, 2025 · 21 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Orangefin Anemonefish
Last confirmed Oct 29, 2024 · 19 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Blacktip reef shark
Last confirmed Oct 29, 2024 · 1 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Sixbar Wrasse
Last confirmed Dec 20, 2025 · 26 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Humbug Dascyllus
Last confirmed Oct 3, 2025 · 23 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Humpback whale
Last confirmed Sep 4, 2025 · 4 records
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Bigeye trevally
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear