Anaho Bay – Nuku Hiva (Marquesas)

Site Overview

Anaho Bay is one of the few areas in the Marquesas Islands where significant coral reef development has occurred, offering divers the rare opportunity to explore coral communities in an archipelago that is predominantly characterised by dramatic volcanic rock formations with minimal reef growth. The coral patches in Anaho Bay represent an important ecological outpost where the conditions have allowed coral larvae to settle and grow, creating small but thriving reef communities that support a surprising diversity of marine life despite their isolated position far from the major coral reef systems of the Society Islands and Tuamotus. Moray eels are the most consistently encountered large animals at the site, with multiple species inhabiting the crevices and overhangs throughout the coral patches in impressive numbers. Stingrays patrol the sandy areas between the coral formations, their broad wings gliding across the substrate as they search for buried crustaceans and molluscs. The coral communities, while less diverse than those found on atoll reefs, include several hardy species that have adapted to the marginal conditions of the Marquesas, creating interesting photographic subjects that illustrate the limits of coral reef development in volcanic island environments. The remote location and limited diving pressure mean that the marine life at Anaho Bay remains naturally behaved and approachable, providing authentic encounters with wild animals in one of the most remote inhabited island groups in the South Pacific.