Rangiroa

Located over 300 miles (520 kms.) northeast of the Society Islands lie the 76 atolls of the Tuamotu Archipelago. Twenty-nine of these islets are accessible by plane and charming hotels and pensions will make a delight of your stay on any of them.

Perhaps the best known and most frequented of the Tuamotus is Rangiroa. The atoll is a ring of low islets extending more than 43 miles (70 kms.) that encloses the world’s second largest lagoon. It has French Polynesia’s best scuba diving featuring sharks, rays, dolphins and moray eels, as well as snorkelling and fishing. Or you can venture to one of the many motus for a truly escapist experience.

Much of the Tahitian black pearl industry is supplied through these atolls. You can visit the pearl farms and admire the fish cages that the Paumotu, people of the sea, have used in the lagoons for millenia.

Arrival in Rangiroa is at the airstrip located on a 7 mile (11 kms) series of flat motus on which most of the hotels are located. It is equidistant from the two principal villages of Avatoru and Tiputa. Although there are car rental agencies, scooters and bicycles are the most common forms of transport. The motus are connected by small bridges that tend to make driving an adventure of its own.

The main activity aside from water-sports is lagoon excursions. Two popular spots for tourists are Lagon Bleu (Blue Lagoon) and Les Sables Rose (The Pink Sands). French Polynesia‘s only vineyard (it is French, there has to be a vineyard) is the Cave de Rangiroa which is the tasting room for Vins du Tahiti (Wines of Tahiti).

Three notable places to stay are the luxurious Hotel Kia Ora, The Kia Ora Sauvage (one of the world’s most escapist resorts) or the Novotel Rangiroa Beach Resort. Recommended restaurants are Le Kai Kai just west of the airport and the dining room of the Hotel Kia Ora.