Dive Review of Blueway Manihi in
French Polynesia/Manihi Atoll, Tuamotus

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Blueway Manihi: "Something different in French Polynesia", Feb, 2022, by JOHN HOOVER, HI, US ( Reviewer 4 reports with 2 Helpful votes). Report 11883 has 2 Helpful votes.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	My dive buddy Dan and I just returned from a fabulous 9 days of diving with Blueway Manihi. We had been looking for a small operation in French Polynesia where we could go to different dive sites each day and wouldn't have to dive with a boatload of tourists who only want to see sharks. Blueway fit the bill perfectly. It's the only dive lodge on remote Manihi Atoll in the northern Tuamotus, and you'll probably have the boat to yourselves. Blueway is a gem, offering wonderful diving, gourmet food, and comfortable lodgings. Bernard and Martine Tora, your easy-to-be-with hosts, speak good English and can accommodate a maximum of four guests on their private motu (island) on Manihi. Although they occasionally pick up divers from other guest houses on the atoll, you and the your party will likely have the boat to yourselves much of the time. Martine is a talented cook; you will eat very well. And Bernard makes good cocktails! Most dives are on the outside of the atoll. To get there you have to go through the atoll's one pass, which is about a half hour boat ride through the lagoon from Blueway. Because of the distance, there are only two dives a day, although it is possible to make a 3rd dive in the lagoon in front of the lodge. Bernard and Martine take turns leading the dives and both are highly competent divemasters. The pass dives are always exciting for the sheer numbers of fish, many quite large. We saw sharks on most dives, usually blacktips, but there aren't huge numbers of them as on some of the other more visited atolls, such as Fakarava and Rangiroa. One exception is the exciting drift dive where you rip through the pass on the incoming tide. This dive features gray reef sharks and nurse sharks as well as the more common whitetips and blacktips. Near the end of this dive you will come upon an amazing “wall of parrotfish” – seemingly hundreds of them of different colors and sizes all apparently resting in the water column. I've never seen anything like it. Perhaps they were waiting for the current to shift so that they could resume their grazing. Inside the lagoon we also enjoyed hanging out with about half a dozen or more Napoleon wrasses of all sizes, some huge. Well, I could go on and on. While the big stuff is always impressive, I was mostly interested in photographing small fish, of which there was no shortage. If I couldn't find a species I was looking for, I would describe it to Bernard and Martine and they would often find it for me. After the morning's dives, we'd head back to the lodge for a delicious lunch, prepared by Martine, followed by a nap and going through our photos and videos, and maybe a snorkel in the lagoon. Soon it would be Happy Hour with drinks and conversation, and then a three course dinner. The main course would usually be local fish prepared in a variety of ways. Manihi is one of the less-visited atolls, but getting there is easy. From Tahiti, there are three flights per week. Flight time is less than 2 hours, usually with a short stop at nearby Ahe atoll. The planes are new and very safe. I was impressed to see fire engines always at the ready at the atoll air strips, in case of any problems during take off or landing. Connectivity? Also no problem. There is good Wi-Fi at Blueway. We were surprised to find cell phone service there too, but this is France, after all. Otherwise, Blueway is completely off the grid, with solar power and catchment water. There was never any shortage of either during our stay. Equipment? Everything is provided at no extra cost. (This is standard in French Polynesia). I brought my own prescription mask and my Scubapro split fins. Turns out Blueway had Scubapro split fins, so I could have left these heavy items at home. I wish I had brought my own dive computer--silly of me to leave it home as it weighs nothing. Bernard gave me one to use, but I was unfamiliar with its operation and it would have been better to have my own. In short, very little is lacking even though you are in a pretty remote part of the world. So, if you are looking for private diving and something a little different in French Polynesia, don't hesitate. This could it!
Websites	Blueway Manihi Blueway Manihi
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Mostly Hawaii, but all over
Closest Airport	Manihi Atoll	Getting There	3 flights per week from Tahiti
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm
Water Temp	-°F / -°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	100-150 Ft/ 30-46 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	?
Enforced diving restrictions	none
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	no
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	No specific camera room, but plenty of space and electrical connections (240 volts European plugs) in the room.

Report currently has 2 Helpful votes

Subscriber's Comments

By MICHAEL ZAGACHIN in MA, US at Apr 17, 2022 15:00 EST

Great report. Thank you. Reminds me of Mai Dive on Ono Island, Fiji. Except the diving there was not as exciting as you describe here. Did you stay in Bungalow or guest house? Wonder if you have some land pictures to share. Thanks again. Michael

By report author: JOHN HOOVER in HI, US at Apr 17, 2022 16:37 EST

I stayed in the bungalow. My dive buddy stayed in the guest room. The bungalow is away from the house and very private. The guest room is part of Bernard and Martine’s small house, though it has its own entrance. I would give the bungalow 5 stars. It’s very comfortable. I never actually went in to the guest room, so I’m not sure what to give it. I expect that it’s just as comfy as the bungalow, just not as private. I do have some land pictures. I’ll see if I can post a few here.

By report author: JOHN HOOVER in HI, US at Apr 17, 2022 16:37 EST

By MICHAEL ZAGACHIN in MA, US at Apr 17, 2022 17:05 EST

Thank you John

By report author: JOHN HOOVER in HI, US at Apr 17, 2022 19:54 EST

Here's a link to some land shots photos.app.goo.gl/87Z1mcvvLFZYkZWB6

By MICHAEL ZAGACHIN in MA, US at Apr 17, 2022 20:38 EST

Got it. Nice. Thank you again

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Dive Review of Blueway Manihi in French Polynesia/Manihi Atoll, Tuamotus

Blueway Manihi: "Something different in French Polynesia", Feb, 2022,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subscriber's Comments

Dive Review of Blueway Manihi in
French Polynesia/Manihi Atoll, Tuamotus