French Polynesia: Tuamotu Atolls

Duration

7 Days

Embarkation

Rangiroa (Avatoru Pass)

Disembarkation

Fakarava (Rotoava)

Best season

May – October

Total distance

200 NM

Overview

The Tuamotu Archipelago is the world's largest chain of coral atolls — 78 atolls scattered across an area the size of Western Europe. For divers, this is the holy grail — pristine passes teeming with sharks, dolphins, manta rays, and some of the most spectacular underwater scenery on the planet.

Highlights

• Rangiroa — world's second-largest atoll
• Tiputa Pass drift dive
• Fakarava South Pass — UNESCO biosphere
• Wall of sharks
• Dolphin encounters
• Pearl farms

Day by day

1. Day 1: Rangiroa — Infinite Lagoon

   Rangiroa

   Morning: Arrive at Rangiroa Airport and board your yacht at Avatoru Pass. The lagoon is so vast you cannot see the other side.

   Afternoon: Drift dive through Tiputa Pass — grey reef sharks, dolphins, and massive schools of fish in the current. The experience is exhilarating.

   Evening: Dinner aboard in the lagoon, with the Milky Way stretching from horizon to horizon.

2. Day 2: Rangiroa — Blue Lagoon

   Avatoru → Blue Lagoon · 15 nm

   Morning: Cruise across the lagoon to the Blue Lagoon, a lagoon within a lagoon — turquoise water surrounded by pink sand motus (islets).

   Afternoon: Snorkel with blacktip reef sharks in the shallows. Visit the Reef Island for a beach picnic. The water clarity is extraordinary.

   Evening: Dinner aboard featuring fresh poisson cru and Polynesian cuisine.

3. Day 3: Tikehau — Pink Sand Atoll

   Rangiroa → Tikehau · 25 nm

   Morning: Cruise to Tikehau, an atoll famous for its pink sand beaches and abundant marine life.

   Afternoon: Snorkel in the pass — manta rays are regular visitors. Visit the bird island (Île aux Oiseaux) with its colonies of red-footed boobies and frigatebirds.

   Evening: Dinner aboard in the lagoon, with the pink sand motus glowing in the sunset.

4. Day 4: Open Ocean Crossing

   Tikehau → Open Ocean · 60 nm

   Morning: Depart for the crossing towards Fakarava. Enjoy a day at sea — the open Pacific is vast and humbling.

   Afternoon: Watch for dolphins, flying fish, and seabirds. The crew may catch tuna or mahi-mahi for dinner.

   Evening: Dinner aboard featuring the day's catch, prepared sashimi-style by your chef.

5. Day 5: Fakarava — North Pass

   Open Ocean → Fakarava · 55 nm

   Morning: Arrive at Fakarava, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and one of the world's greatest dive destinations.

   Afternoon: Dive the North Pass (Garuae) — the largest pass in French Polynesia, teeming with grey reef sharks, Napoleon wrasse, and barracuda.

   Evening: Dinner aboard in the lagoon. Visit the charming village of Rotoava.

6. Day 6: Fakarava — South Pass Wall of Sharks

   Fakarava North → Fakarava South · 20 nm

   Morning: Cruise to the South Pass (Tumakohua), home to the legendary 'Wall of Sharks' — hundreds of grey reef sharks patrolling the pass.

   Afternoon: Dive the Wall of Sharks — one of the most extraordinary dive experiences on the planet. Snorkel the pristine coral gardens inside the pass.

   Evening: Beach barbecue on a deserted motu, under the most spectacular night sky you'll ever see.

7. Day 7: Fakarava Lagoon & Farewell

   Fakarava South → Rotoava · 20 nm

   Morning: Final morning dive or snorkel. Visit a black pearl farm to learn about Tahitian pearl cultivation.

   Afternoon: Return to Rotoava. Disembark and transfer to Fakarava Airport for your flight to Tahiti.

   Evening: Or extend your stay at a pension on Fakarava — the simplicity and beauty are addictive.