Question Visibility of Tuamotu (Fakarava, Rangiroa, Thikeau, Maupiti/Makemo) in snorkeling from beach... Does worth it or is better changing destination?

[Mark1982]

I'm planning my honeymoon travel and I've always thought at French Polynesia for it in August (6 days in Fakarava, 6 days in Rangiroa, 5 days in Thikeau and 6 days in Maupiti or Makemo + some days as stop-over in Tahiti). But now I'm in doubt...

I'm an experienced diver (apneist, recreational scuba instructor and technical diver) and my future wife is good swimmer, apneist and novice diver (she is an OWD with 20 logged dives and she is thinking to upgrade at AOWD, but she has not decided about it yet). We both love snorkeling for hours and we usually do it from the beach, reaching remote place by feet or car (in Tuamotu it would done by bicycles).

I've thought to spend 2 days in diving for each islands and snorkeling for the remaining time, often from the beach alone with my wife, and sometimes with a support boat (when snorkeling near the passes).

Winds and currents in Tuamotu are usually from East in August (excepted in passes) and snorkeling activity should be done at the lagoon side... This means that if lagooon side beach entrance is east-facing (g.e. Thikeau), then there will be small waves and rough sea and it's not good for visibility during snorkeling... On the other hand, if lagoon side beach is west-facing (g.e. Fakarava), there will be no waves against the shore, but visibility could be reduced because of sands and suspension (in a way similar to what happens in Brenice, Egypt)...
This could mean that we will need a boat for all days of our holidays... quite expensive and lack of freedom in timing...

I've seen hundreds videos of dives in Tuamotu with an amazing visibility and also for videos of snorkeling in "passes", but underwater videos about snorkeling far from "passes" are more rare and they usually show a poor visibility...

So I'm thinking to change my destination, for example shifting to Maldives (2 atolls + 1 diving cruise)...

What do you think about?

 

[cetacean]

@Mark1982
Both Fakarava and Rangiroa will require AOW cert to scuba dive the passes -the dive shops will require it. There are a few other dives where it may not be required, but they are not nearly as good as the passes.

Snorkeling Tikehau will be fine - the vis inside the lagoon is good most of the time (with the added bonus of potentially seeing mantas inside the lagoon).

Rangiroa offers snorkeling trips through the pass (as a drift snorkel) - it will be fast paced and there will be a lot to see (sharks, turtles, the occasional dolphin, etc).

The snorkeling off the beach (anywhere you can get to easily) will be ok, however the best snorkeling will likely take a boat to get to for all these islands (the primary reason being that all the areas off the beaches are shallow until you get much farther into the lagoon).

The Maldives will provide closer access (from the beach) to reef drop-offs, however there aren't many dives in the Maldives like the "wall of sharks" at Fakarava, or the pass at Rangiroa.
The Maldives and the Tuamotus are both physically beautiful, however there is something about Fr. Polynesia that is very unique (culturally) and compelling.
The islands in any of the Maldivan atolls are fairly small. 2 days of snorkeing and you will have covered the entire encircling reef. The islands within an atoll don't differ drastically, with the vast majority of differences (in reef life, etc). can be seen moving from atoll to atoll (which can be time consuming for any of the outer atolls).

A number of years ago I had a similar choice to make (although our wedding was in June). We chose Fr. Polynesia (we've been back several times and have dived a number of the atolls in the Maldives over th years as well).Never regretted it...