Vallée aux Murènes
17.5922°S 149.6262°W · reef
Vallée aux Murènes (“Valley of the Moray Eels”) is a reef dive site in the waters around Moorea, French Polynesia, named for its prominent moray eel population. The site lies within Moorea’s outer reef system, where valley-like formations in the reef slope create sheltered habitat for large morays alongside the diverse shark populations for which Moorea is internationally known.
Overview
The site sits within Moorea’s outer reef, where the bottom forms a series of valleys and ridges typically at 20–30 feet (6–9 metres) depth on the ridges, descending deeper into the valley floors. Like most outer-reef sites in Moorea, Vallée aux Murènes requires calm weather conditions with an incoming current for optimal visibility and access. It is considered an exceptional dive that is not always accessible due to weather constraints. The site is suitable for certified divers with some current diving experience.
Marine Life
Large moray eels — described as impressive and resident at specific valley sections — are the defining feature of the site. Resident morays have been documented at specific mooring points within the valley system. As with all outer-reef Moorea dives, multiple shark species are encountered: blacktip reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, grey reef sharks, and lemon sharks are all regularly present. Fish populations moving between the lagoon and ocean pass through this corridor, making the marine life diverse and active.
Dive Profile
Maximum depth is approximately 25 metres at the deepest valley floors; ridge tops are shallower at 6–9 metres. The site is accessed by boat. An incoming current improves both visibility and marine life activity. Weather conditions must be calm for the dive to be conducted safely.
Site Information
- Location: Moorea, Society Islands, French Polynesia
- Entry Type: Boat dive
- Site Type: Reef
- Difficulty Level: Intermediate
- Maximum Depth: 25 meters
Additional Resources
- Last Updated: 2026-05-17
Sources: Diving Moorea – Hacking Family, Dive Discovery – Moorea Diving, DeeperBlue – Top 6 Dive Sites in Mo’orea. Last updated 2026-05-17.
Sea-surface temperature and wave height from Open-Meteo Marine (ERA5 reanalysis, monthly averages).
2016 verified species observations (327 species) logged within ~11 km of this site between 1899 and 2025, from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
- Megaptera novaeangliae · Humpback whale
- Naso unicornis
- Parupeneus multifasciatus
- Scarus psittacus
- Acanthurus xanthopterus
- Balistapus undulatus
- Centropyge flavissima
- Parupeneus barberinus
- Scarus oviceps
- Ostracion cubicum
- Chlorurus sordidus
- Lutjanus fulvus
Scientific survey records skew toward sampled taxa (molluscs, corals) and do not reflect what you are guaranteed to see on a dive.
Source: OBIS (obis.org), aggregated Darwin Core occurrence records.
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