 TUAMOTU |
About 200 miles North East of Tahiti lies the Tuamotu Archipelago,
composed of the largest collection of coral atolls in the world.
The Tuamotu count 78 atolls spread unevenly on 1,500km of land and 20,000 km2 of ocean.
The waters of the Tuamotus are a scuba diver’s dream. Whether you opt for shallow, ocean or drift dives, the underwater scenery is guaranteed to be some of the most spectacular you’ve ever seen.
Among the most known atolls, Rangiroa, Manihi and
the atolls of Tikehau and Fakarava are served from Papeete by Air
Tahiti with several daily one-hour flights to Rangiroa, with continuing service
of 35 minutes to Manihi.
Air Tahiti also operates several weekly flights from Bora Bora to Rangiroa and
Manihi.
With only a few miles of road, there is little need for public transportation.
To explore the islands, rent open-air cars or bicycles. To explore the lagoon
and surrounding motus, rent a motorboat, canoe or sailboat.
The
second biggest atoll in Polynesia, Fakarava resembles a 60km x 25km rectangle
with two main villages: Rotoava in the Northeast near the Ngarue pass, 1km wide
and its airdrome; and then Tetamanu, formerly the main village of the island
located near the Southern Tumakohua pass.
To Visit: A pearl farm, the sea slug ("rori") smoke house-highly prized by
Asian gourmets-, the ancient village of Tetamanu with one of the first Catholic
churches built in coral and dating from 1874.
At about 520km from Tahiti, Manihi is a small atoll located north of Rangiroa and is reknown for its extarordinary diving sites
as well as being home to Tahiti's first black pearl farm. A trip to the 2 black pearl farms on this atoll is a must.
Located
350 km North East of Tahiti and mostly called by the Tahitians "Rairoa" (Long sky), Rangiroa is the largest atoll of Polynesia or more accurately the largest lagoon of Polynesia (since the island of Tahiti could fit in it!) with a superficy of about 1000 km2 and more than 240 motus.
In
Rangiroa, to "shoot the pass" is to experience what many have called "the
world's greatest adrenaline rush!". Divers, snorkelers, or those aboard a
glass-bottom boat are carried swiftly through the pass between the open ocean
and lagoon alongside an infinite array of marine life (squadrons of eagle rays,
schools of sharks, tuna, jacks and barracuda,...)
To visit: Gauguin's Farm Pearl in Avatoru, Some of the world's best diving sites, the Reef Passes...
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Like a round swimming pool, the atoll of Tikehau and its diameter of 26 km holds an interior lagoon with the most fish compared to the rest of the atolls in Polynesia. This atoll is located 300km Northwest of Tahiti and about 12 km from Rangiroa.
Tikehau has a large pass and a series of islets, the largest of which at the
Southwest of the atoll, 900meters wide is inhabited.
The charming village of Tuherahera, swathed in flowers, is situated on the South
end of this large motu which also has two other villages: Tuheiava, an important
center for lagoon fishing and the many fish parks that supply the markets of
Tahiti; and Maiaia on the Northeast that is a traditional copra producer.
Scuba diving in the Tuheiava Pass is a must: the manta rays' dance alternates
with the parades of schools of barracuda, and tuna fish, not to mention the gray
and the white-tipped sharks.
