Le tombant Gorgognes

Le tombant Gorgognes is a wall dive site on the west coast of Tahiti, French Polynesia, notable for its dense covering of large gorgonian sea fans.

Overview

“Le tombant” means drop-off in French, and this site delivers a classic Tahitian wall experience. The reef crest sits at around 5–8 metres before the wall plunges steeply toward 25 metres and beyond, its face encrusted with large purple and orange gorgonian fans that give the site its name. Sea conditions on Tahiti’s leeward coast are generally calm, allowing good visibility of 25–35 metres in clear water averaging 27–29°C.

What to Expect

The gorgonian fans that dominate the wall face here can reach over a metre across, their branches oriented perpendicular to the prevailing current to catch plankton. Divers frequently encounter surgeonfish, moorish idols, and lionfish sheltering among the fans. Smaller crevices in the wall harbour resting white-tip reef sharks and moray eels. The top of the wall hosts a mix of hard and soft corals with schools of convict tangs and butterflyfish. There is enough ambient light on the upper sections that macro photographers find good subjects even without torches, though a torch reveals the full colour of the fans in the deeper sections.

Conditions

• Best season: April–November (dry season, calmer seas)
• Visibility: 25–35 m typical
• Current: Mild to moderate
• Water temperature: 27–29°C
• Entry: Boat dive, mooring buoy or anchor

Tips

Entry is by boat from Papeete or Punaauia-area operators. The site is suitable for Open Water divers comfortable with walls; the recommended maximum depth is 25 m. A safety stop at 5 m on the reef crest, where corals are abundant, extends bottom time productively.

Sources: Eleuthera Tahiti Diving Center, DiveOtion - Scuba Diving in Tahiti, Tahiti Tourisme. Last updated 2026-05-30.