Married couple new to diving.

[Wingy]

You got it Fish

My purely dedicated to diving trip to FP was a 7 year plan. I saw a Cousteau doco on Rangiroa specifically Tipuatu and decided...I'm going to do THAT dive. For 7 years I travelled to places more affordable to learn currents (had a few oops moments but saw amazing spots) and I watched every vid on YouTube of the pass I could until I bought a holiday to BB off EBay while looking for jeans. The holiday had been a prize someone couldn't take with accom in Tahiti, BB and Moorea with the whole OW bungalow thing but luckily not a group tour. Second thing I did was look at airline schedules to get from BB to the Tuomotos and rang my folks to tell them I was going to Rangiroa. Tahiti and Bora Bora were simply to me stepping stones annoyingly in the wrong direction. I then spent a few weeks emailing dive ops after reviewing and talking to people who had done Rangi before booking island pass and accom on Rangi. Fakarava eluded me due to plane engine falling off but it was one of the islands I visited and free dove a few decades ago as a yacht bum.
To dive where you do go under that wave, see a sailfish along with hammerheads, Dolphins and walls of snapper and finish your safety stop in the lagoon with a whale and her calf is ....worth every penny of the 20k that dive cost me....I just keep telling myself that

Have messaged a mate to ask him to change settings on his Fb so you can have a look

 

[Wingy]

You got it Fish Oops sorry double post....

 

[PatW]

Wow. Polynesia. Good for you.

 

[fish323]

Fakarava eluded me due to plane engine falling off...
I can see how a plane engine falling off can have a detrimental effect on your journey plans!
I will have to look up that doc as I haven't seen it.
Sounds an amazing dive!!!
If I book the flights by Nov/Dec this year for next year, I'm figuring £500 to get from Vietnam to NZ return, £500 return to PPT, £500 for an air pass and £550 for a book of 10 dives, bring lots of dried food and AirBNB as much as possible. Hoping to get the whole thing for around £8000 for the two of us. Currently saving, but having to fly back to the UK at least once a year does hammer the saving. Last year's trip for a month cost me £6000.
Thanks for asking your friend for me. I will have to start checking out flickr as well as youtube.

 

[Wingy]

Hey Fish you may find another route - grab a cheap air Asia etc flight to Perth from Vietnam then Perth - Auckland - Papeete then buy the inter island pass (Air TAHITI due inter island pass, air TAHITI Nui do external flights).
My recommendation would be not to buy a diving pass because of the operator offering - not a fan at all.
The best ops on Rangi are the French ops - Rangiroa Plongee specifically get my vote.
Accomodation on Rangi is best at the pensions like Tiena and Marie who get my vote every time. There are another couple around the pass and they are nowhere near as expensive as you might imagine. Tiena and Marie were $65 with breakfast and massive Polynesian size platters of lobster and fish and salad for dinner included.
I liked Tiena and Marie because I had a two minute walk along the sea wall to the dock and dive shop and the amazing lili cafe.