Rangiroa, Fakarava and somewhere else?

[fish80]

Hello,

I will be going for 2 weeks to French Polynesia, and by reading this forum I have decided I am going to Rangiroa and Fakarava. I like pelagics and nice picture / video opportunties. I am going for scuba diving but I also really like snorkeling / freediving. Any reccomendation on where to stay? South vs North? Penions etc.

Should I also add another island t my trip? I could make it 3 weeks if there is something really great that I should not miss. I would love to go snorkeling with whales in Moorea for example, but a) I do not believe it is the season and b) do they still do it? I looks like they do not do it anymore from internet search. I hope anybody can tell me I am wrong on this.

Thanks a million!

 

[Wingy]

Have a look at tikehau on a tuomoto's three island airpass. I haven't dived there's but there are dive ops there. Marquisas seems too cliffy for diving, I'd love to check out the Australs but realistically I'd add in either Tikehau or Moorea (catch the ferry across the sea of the moon) which has ok diving but is a really nice island.

Pensions are the best way to meet Polynesian people and eat a LOT - I'd recommend Pension Teina and Marie. Have fun

 

[fish80]

Have a look at tikehau on a tuomoto's three island airpass. I haven't dived there's but there are dive ops there. Marquisas seems too cliffy for diving, I'd love to check out the Australs but realistically I'd add in either Tikehau or Moorea (catch the ferry across the sea of the moon) which has ok diving but is a really nice island.

Thanks! What about doing Faka North and Faka South? Do you know if it is worth doing both or they are pretty much the same?

 

[Wingy]

Well...thanks to an engine falling off my plane or some such ridiculous excuse from Air Tahiti - as I was heading for Fakarava.....I never got to see the passes there. From all accounts the south pass is quite a long boat ride but worth doing although the north pass is the most dived one.

 

[Cali_diver]

Thanks! What about doing Faka North and Faka South? Do you know if it is worth doing both or they are pretty much the same?

If you want to dive South pass for sure, then you should stay in the south. Just split up the trip. The north op boats won't go south if conditions aren't right. They are both awesome!

 

[Freewillow]

I have been there 2 years ago. Stayed roughly 3 weeks. Stayed in Bora Bora 2 nights in order to recover from HUGE jet lag and trip from Europe. Then Tikeahau 5 nights, Rangiroa 5 nights Fakarava Nights 4 days and FAkarava South 3 Nights.

For me it was an increase in quality of the dives. So if you want less, take away Tikeahau.

You have to stay @ Fakarava south. The dive times change everydays in function of the tides. To do it from the North is silly. They cannot adapt to the tides and sometimes the boat ride is impossible/difficult.

The boat ride takes roughly 2 good hours in a beautiful lagoon .

 

[cephalopod2]

...Tikeahau 5 nights, Rangiroa 5 nights Fakarava Nights 4 days and FAkarava South 3 Nights.

For me it was an increase in quality of the dives. So if you want less, take away Tikeahau.

Freewillow are you saying your Tikeahau dives were your best ones, or that they were not as good?

Were the Tikeahau dives very different from your dives in Rangiroa & Fakarava? I have not heard much about Tikeahau diving.

 

[Freewillow]

I meant The quality of the dives was increasing from Tikehau to Fakarava.

If you would have to chose ONLY one Island, Take Fakarava North AND South ( I insist on South ). When it comes to 2 islands, forget about Tikehau.

I went to Tikehau because I did want to spend 3 weeks. The major atrraction was the manta cleaning station in the old pearl farm. But I have read in a french speaking forum that rays were not always present anymore.

 

[Cali_diver]

We saw Mantas on Fakarava North outer reef daily

 

[Freewillow]

I have seen them too, sometimes a little deep like 60m.

I was talking about Mata in Tikehau. They could be seen every day in the past at the old farm. Not anymore: the presence is much more erratic.