Shark & Stingray Sand Bar

@nolanomura

French Polynesia

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Mo'orea

In the shallow, turquoise waters of the Pacific Ocean lies this unassuming stretch of sand, absolutely teeming with marine life. Take a boat out to this raised sand bar for the opportunity to splash around with gentle Blacktip sharks and friendly stingrays.

Plan

Overview

Skill level

Moderate

Accessbility

Public Location

Hours

Anytime

Fee

Cost varies between boating companies. The tour I used cost about $100.

Pack

Fisheye Lens (15mm)
Water housing or GoPro
Dome port
Dive gear
Sunscreen
Water bottle

How to get there

S17° 29' 15.5616"W149° 54' 02.0952"

This photo was taken at a famous sand bar in Mo'orea Lagoon, known for being a popular spot to snorkel with sharks and stingrays. To get here, you need to take a boat out — it is too far to swim from the shore. There are multiple boat companies that offer this trip as a tour. Once in the ocean, I positioned my camera with half in and half out of the water. I framed my subjects and made sure to shoot back towards Mo'orea's mountains in the background, to add additional context to the photo.