The Pigeon Islands offer a compact but varied dive roster centred on reef diving, with walls, drop-offs, drift sites and even a cave system at Grottes de Ferry rounding out the mix. Most sites are accessible only by boat. The water stays warm year-round, peaking in late summer, and the best diving conditions fall broadly from spring into early summer. Signature encounters include the Green Sea Turtle, Spotted Drum, French Angelfish and the Indian Lionfish, which appears across almost every site.
Monthly water temperature across Pigeon Islands (Réserve Cousteau)'s sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Water temperature stays comfortably warm across all months, rising to its peak in September and October and dipping only slightly in the cooler months from January to March. The best-months data points to spring and early summer as the prime window, with conditions softening somewhat in autumn. Variable currents at sites such as Machette and the drift potential at Pointe Malendure mean exposure varies by site, so reading conditions before each dive is worthwhile.
39 operators
16 more sites to explore
Water temperature around Pigeon Islands (Réserve Cousteau) ranges from about 27°C in January to 30°C in September, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
With water around 27–30°C, a rash guard or 3mm shorty works in Pigeon Islands (Réserve Cousteau) year-round.
Fin maps 28 sites in Pigeon Islands (Réserve Cousteau) (23 scuba diving sites and 4 snorkelling spots, with some suited to both).
The Green Sea Turtle is a signature species here, alongside the Spotted Drum, French Angelfish and Spotted Moray. Indian Lionfish and Redband Parrotfish appear across the vast majority of sites, while Great Barracuda, Smooth Trunkfish, Peacock Flounder and Purple Sea Fan are also consistently recorded. Nudibranch hunters will find both the Lettuce Sea Slug and the Fringe-back Nudibranch on the reefs.
A good proportion of the sites are rated for beginners, including Grottes de Ferry, La Caye, La Piscine and Paul Thomas. These offer shallower reef profiles that introduce divers to the area comfortably. Intermediate-rated sites such as Bouée Anticyclonique and Machette involve walls, deeper drop-offs and variable currents, so more experienced divers will also find plenty of challenge.
All sites listed at the Pigeon Islands require boat access; there are no shore-entry dives in the data. With over forty operators in the area, including Gwadive, Eden Plongee, Les Baillantes Tortues and Tropicalsub Diving among others, arranging a boat trip is straightforward. Operators depart from the Bouillante area on the mainland.
Sources d'eau chaude is notable for geothermal activity, with hot springs that bubble directly from the seabed as divers explore the reef and wall topography. It is an intermediate-rated site, reaching considerable depth. The combination of geological interest and solid reef structure makes it one of the more unusual dives in the area.
