Fakarava and Rangiroa for April 2026

[guillm]

Greetings, I was fortunate enough to visit French Polynesia this year (Moorea and Bora Bora). I really enjoyed the diving in Moorea with healthy coral, sharks, etc.

Next year I want to return to dive Fakarava and Rangiroa. I'm thinking 4 days on each island. I'm considering the Havaiki Lodge on Fakarava and the Kia Sofitel on Rangiroa. Probably will go to Fakarava first and then catch flight to Rangiroa. I always like to lodge at better hotel on end of trip. Few Questions:
a. For Fakarava, we'll lodge at the Havaiki Lodge. I would like to dive the North Pass and South Pass. How far is the boat ride to most North Pass sites from Havaiki? How far is the boat ride to the South Pass?
b. We're usually good with just two dives a day. I'm assuming any trip to the South Pass is a full day trip before you get back to North side lodging. What about dives to North Pass though? With 2 dives, what time are you usually back at lodging. Of course, I know this weather dependent.
c. Has anyone lodged at the Havaiki Lodge at Fakarava recently? What are your thoughts? A/C adequate? Food ok?
d. What about Kia Sofitel on Rangiroa? Did you use the dive shop at the hotel? If so, were you pleased with operation?

Thanks is advance for your help.

 

[Manuel Sam]

Something to be aware of: on an itinerary of Papeete - Fakarava - Rangiroa - Papeete, and unless Air Tahiti changes their schedules, it is only on Mondays that they have direct flights from Fakarava to Rangiroa. On all other days, it probably entails flying back to Papeete and possibly overnighting there before flying to Rangiroa the following day.

Your item a. I am not aware that Havaiki has an in-house dive operation, but that could have changed. Assuming that they don't and that you have inquired with one of dive operations and they have agreed to pick you up at the Havaiki dock, then it is probably about 20 minutes to the North dive sites, provided it is not really choppy. If they are not picking you up at the Havaiki dock, then it is likely that they will pick you up by car and bring you to the dive shop, and from there to the North dive sites might be 20-25 minutes, depending on how much further south they are from Havaiki , and again, sea conditions. The boat ride to the South is 1 1/2 to 2 hrs.

Your item b. Yes, any trip to the South is a full day, 2-tank trip. As for dives in the North, I always dive with Kaina, and usually it is a morning dive and an afternoon dive. On some occasions, it might be two morning dives if the tides are right and they can squeeze two dives with an incoming tide. The time back is variable because of the tides, which means that the start time might be different from day to day. Regardless, at least with Kaina, it is always 2 dives a day. I dont know if any of the others - O2, Dive Spirit or Top Dive - offer a third dive.

Can't help you with your items c or d. But on my most recent trip this past December, I stayed at Kaipolanie Gardens and their AC worked just fine. The issue with them is that they only have two bungalows and they book very fast. They are cheaper than Havaiki, but you better like fish, whereas at Havaiki, the menu is more varied.

 

[pintodog]

I was just there this week (Fakarava and Havaiki):
A. Havaiki does not have an onsite dive operation. Dive shops will pick you up by car from the lodge. Dive shops are relatively close by (5 minute drive). I dove the North with O2 Fakarava, which is just a little to the south of Havaiki. Trip to the pass took about 15 minutes or so. I took Top Dive (a little north of Havaiki) to the South Pass. It takes a bit under 1 hour and 30 minutes.
B. Correct. Trip to the South is all day. We left at 9 am and returned at 4 pm. Two dives with an awesome 2 hour surface interval with fresh lunch at pink sand beach. In the North, we only did two dives a day. The time of the trip depends on the tides. They want to time it with an incoming tide so that you get the best visibility and best shark action. This means that your start time depends on the tide. I did 3 days in the north and my pickup times at Havaiki were 12 noon, 11 am, and 7 am. They will tell you a few days before hand when the pickup times are.
C. Stayed at Havaiki in a Garden Fare this week. It is a beautiful place with a beautiful beach. The staff takes really good care of the place and there are lots of things you can do. Breakfast was a solid European style continental. Dinner was a set menu. Both were good. Lunch is not included but the onsite beach cafe has good food. The room had no AC (did have a fan) and there are mosquitos. Sunsets are glorious here. There is a reason this place books up so far in advance. It is great.
D. Cannot help you with this one. I dove only Rangiroa 4 years ago. The consistent point I heard was that Fakarava was better diving so I didn’t do both this trip. Having now dived both…I agree. Rangiroa has the potential to see dolphins but I enjoyed the diving in Fakarava so much more.
Good luck with your trip!

 

[David Martel]

I'll offer my thoughts having just returned from five days diving Rangiroa and six days diving Fakarava during August 2025. The diving in both locations was very high caliber. Rangiroa featured more variety. Meaning up until diving Fakarava the following week, Rangiroa more sharks than anywhere I had been in the previous ~425 dives. Dolphins regularly appeared during dives, including a mother with a 3-month-old baby, tiger shark, hammerhead shark in the deep below, mantas, eagle rays, and large schools of barracuda. These would be considered fantastic dives in nearly any location in the world, and I am glad I did multiple dives. We are experienced divers, I am rescue, deep, nox. Some of the currents rivalled Komodo's dive site The Cauldron (Shotgun). I will note that less experienced dive groups were not seeing what we did as the guides could not trust that they would be safe. If you are Open water only you can't expect to see much of what is actually there. Same goes for Fakarava. You can dive though your experience will limit what you see.

Routinely was seeing 30 meters on air and fighting with NDL as Rangiroa Dive Center does not offer Nox yet. Owner still thinking about it . The other competitor, Top Dive Rangiora (free nitrox) has ceased operations mid-summer 2025. Top Dive is having difficulties in all of its locations.

And then there is Fakarava, which somehow managed to edge out Rangiora in its sheer colossal shark presence and density of fish. Even in the north, experienced divers will find an uncountable display of sharks, especially in the south. Yet the north, every day on the first dive we dropped into the blue and descended to the slope to witness an uncountable array of sharks, followed by a great drift to more sharks and thousands of fish. Sharks are always in the mix. In the week I dived North Fakarava, we had multiple mantas over several days.

O2 Dive Center (free nox) will pick you up and return you to your place every day at no charge. They are well well-staffed with many excellent, experienced dive guides. Though you'd best show up as competent, experienced divers, as there isn't much empathy for screw ups and pretenders. Most of my dives were in the North Pass. The South Pass has a very significant extra charge, namely $145 PER PERSON in addition to the $176, for a total north of $310 for two dives. This is absurd and the most expensive two land-based dives of my 15 years of diving. Thinking about a Zodiac with eight divers, that's a mind-bending $1,160 in the pocket of the dive shop. Do south once, and done. Know you just got wacked because they can.

If I could only dive one place, it would be Fakarava. That said, Rangoria should not be dismissed if you have the time, as it offers some excellent dives that hold up to some of the best anywhere. My prior diving includes Komodo, Red Sea, extensive Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia and Maldives.

Accommodations are exceedingly expensive and very basic. This is an island of scarcity and shortages, lack of choice, only a handful of restaurants and and a grocery store in the center of town. Grocery stores sell out of basics, such as pasta, eggs, and dinner items trend limited selections of frozen meat such as chicken and that sells out too. Zero nightlife, no bars, nothing to do. If you arrive late Saturday afternoon or early evening at your typical Airbnb you find that grocery stores require a taxi ($15 minimum one way) and are likely closed. They reopen on Monday. The vast majority of "restaurants" are closed on Sunday. I am not picky about things at all, but this was just a bridge too far. A car is $100 a day, a 50cc motorbike $60. Getting around isn't much fun. Value for your $ here is horrific. Glad I went, but likely will not return for those reasons.

Links to some of my videos. Unlisted YouTube links

Rangiroa Mantas

Rangiroa Sharks sample

Rangiroa Dolphins. something like happened in several dives, my fav:


Fakarava
South:
North

North Pass Fakarava, Goat Fish and Sharks 8-15-25

North Pass Fakarava Great Yellow Fin Goat Fish and Sharks

youtu.be

Sharks on Fish Patrol

North Pass Fakarava, Goat Fish and Sharks 8-15-25