Hihifo Pass (Passe du Nord) - Wallis

Site Overview

Hihifo Pass, or Passe du Nord, is the narrower, less-dived channel on the north-eastern barrier reef of Wallis and one of the territory's best-kept secrets. Like Avatele to the west, it funnels the tide between the lagoon and the open Pacific, and that flow draws similar pelagic action: grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, dogtooth tuna, barracuda and big-eye trevally that stack in the current. The walls either side of the pass are coral-encrusted and littered with gorgonians, while the blue beyond holds the promise of mantas, though manta presence here remains unconfirmed and rare. Depths reach about 38 m with an average near 20 m, and visibility can stretch past 45 m in the dry season. Because the pass is visited so rarely, the reef is pristine and the fish completely unaccustomed to divers, delivering an even wilder feel than the better-known Avatele. Conditions suit advanced drift divers, and access is by private boat from Hihifo or Mata-Utu. With no dive centre and little charting, Hihifo Pass is a true exploratory site for self-supported expeditions seeking the raw edge of Wallis diving. Its rarity and near-total lack of diving pressure make every descent here feel like a genuine first exploration of the north-eastern barrier, with reef life that has never learned to fear a diver.