Tuamotu, our full guide!

If you’re thinking about a vacation or honeymoon in French Polynesia, chances are you’ve heard of the Tuamotu! The Tuamotu is one of the five archipelagos of the Polynesian Islands, and along with the Society Archipelago, is certainly the most visited archipelago in French Polynesia.

Most of you planning a vacation in French Polynesia will ask yourselves whether or not you should “visit the Tuamotus“. It’s a question I get asked all the time by email, especially if you only have, say, two weeks vacation. If you have more than three weeks, I don’t think it’s too much of a question and you should at least explore the Polynesian archipelago, at least one atoll for a nice trip in the heart of the Pacific Islands.

But enough chitchat, I’d like to give you the lowdown on the Tuamotus, this archipelago that is so famous – and increasingly so worldwide!

Let’s start with the basics. When you do your research for your trip to Tahiti, the first thing you’ll come across is the classic “Moorea, Bora Bora, Tahaa” and then “Raiatea, Maupiti or Huahine”. As you dig deeper, especially if you’re interested in snorkeling and diving, you’ll see the names Rangiroa, Fakarava and Tikehau. Here they are, these three paradise islands, or to be more precise, the three Tuamotu atolls that are often considered must-sees.

Simply put, the Tuamotus are a group of atolls in the Pacific Ocean. An atoll is an island with the following characteristics:

• A lagoon, a kind of inland sea. In most cases, the lagoon is very calm, with beautiful colors (turquoise), and you can swim there without worry. On the other side is the “open sea”, which is exposed to the effects of the ocean crashing against the coral reef (much more difficult to swim here),
• One or more passes, inlets that connect the lagoon to the ocean. They can vary in width, size and depth, from a few hundred meters to several kilometers. In some cases, shallow (less than 1 or 2 m) and very narrow passes are called “hoa” in Polynesian,
• Motus, white sandbars on the reef barrier, usually no more than a few meters above sea level. The vegetation on the motus is often sparse, very low, and today consists mainly of coconut palms (which, contrary to popular belief, are not the original vegetation),

The formation of atolls around the world has long been largely explained by Darwin’s theory, which has recently been challenged.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that people come to the Tuamotus to enjoy the sea and its crystal clear waters rather than the land, haha. After all, there’s no real land, no topography, and even fewer mountains. So if you’re into hiking, rainforests, lush vegetation, muddy trails and high viewpoints, you’ll have to pass! However, if you’re in the mood for gorgeous lagoons, turquoise water, crazy colors, isolated white sand islands as far as the eye can see, bird islands, and an overall cool island experience, then you’ve come to the right place!

The activities and landscapes are pretty much the same on all the Tuamotu atolls, and although you’ll be visiting more and more of them, you’ll end up finding some nice nuances between these paradise islands. However, the program will generally be based on: lagoon excursions, diving, snorkeling/whale (in season)/dolphin trips, a magnificent sunset and discovering the atoll on foot or by bike, at the gentle pace of the islands at the end of the world…

For a few days, you’ll discover what it’s like to live just a few meters above the ocean. It’s an experience you’re really not used to, because in the classic Polynesian islands, you don’t get the impression of living right on the water and being able to go from the lagoon side to the ocean side in a few minutes’ walk at most. So in my opinion, if you’re coming to Polynesia, yes, it’s definitely worth coming to explore at least one atoll.

I’m sorry to say that the answer is easy, because most of you who come to French Polynesia for two or three weeks decide to do a tour of four to six islands, depending on the length of your stay, and the three atolls I mentioned above (Fakarava, Tikehau and Rangiroa) are the closest to Tahiti, the most accessible by air, and the ones included in the famous Air Tahiti Passes. In other words, it’s much easier to get to one (or more) of these atolls than to the others.

That’s not to say that you have to focus on these three atolls, but let’s just say that when it comes to planning your islands, there’s a good chance that you’ll be “satisfied” with these atolls (in a way, they’re excellent). However, you may decide to visit other, more remote atolls, which generally require a return flight from the main island of Tahiti. I’m thinking of Mataiva, Ahé, Kauehi, Fakarava, etc.

As I said above, it’s perfectly possible to choose not to visit the classic “Faka-Rangi-Tikehau” and go on a different trip. Locals (in the sense of Tahitians or Popa’a living there) often go to other atolls, often after visiting the classics. We ourselves have been to Ahé, Mataiva, Kauehi and even other atolls on the Tuamotu cruise I took (Apataki, Toau, Aratika, etc.).

But you should be aware that you’ll generally need more time than for the classics, which can actually be linked together without too much trouble, as many tourists do, spending two or three days on each. For isolated atolls, or at least outside these three, you’ll systematically return to Tahiti, and you should also be aware that there are fewer daily flights. Some atolls have only one or two flights a week at most. So be careful. Still, the experience of spending a few days on a more remote, less touristy atoll, closer to the locals, will undoubtedly be a great one!

As you can see, visiting these atolls gives you the unique opportunity to swim in crystal clear lagoons, relax on sandy beaches and admire breathtaking, postcard-perfect scenery.

This is another question we receive several times a week by email or on social media and of course everyone has to decide for themselves. There is no right or wrong choice, and no matter which Polynesian atoll (or atolls) you choose, you’ll be amazed by the beauty of the place. Each atoll is a little piece of paradise. We know all three well, and each has its own special touch.

I’ll start with Tikehau, which I’d prefer if you’re not particularly keen on diving, although it’s possible to dive there and the dives seem to be excellent for exploring the underwater world (colorful fish, corals, manta rays, etc.). However, Tikehau is less known for its diving than Fakarava and Rangiroa, which in my opinion offer more “big” dives and more possibilities. You’ll love the charm of the main village, which you can explore on foot in an hour or two. Don’t hesitate to stroll through its warm, quiet streets! The swimming spots around the village are excellent and, in my opinion, easier to get to than the other two atolls. In general, Tikehau is quieter, smaller and more human in scale. The turquoise lagoon is great for day trips (as it is on all the atolls).

Rangiroa is becoming world famous for its diving, with well-known sites and great drift dives in the Grand Pass, for example. However, you need to be careful about your level, because when we were there we found that the clubs tended to take “fairly beginner” divers into the difficult conditions in the pass. We were (French) level 4 when we dived there, and on several occasions we found ourselves in difficult conditions against the current in 50m of water, which wasn’t exactly fun. As for the atoll itself, the two passes (Avatoru and Tiputa) are really beautiful and the water is as clear as can be. As with Tikehau, you can take several day trips to different parts of the atoll, which is really huge. You can easily plan two day trips and see a variety of sublime landscapes!

Last but not least, Fakarava, the most famous atoll in the world for scuba diving, especially for its shark wall on the south pass of the atoll. Clearly, if you love diving, this is the atoll to consider, without a doubt. To be honest, it’s the atoll I know the least about, even though I’ve been there three times. The atoll is big, very long, and you can ride your bike along its endless road in search of secret spots outside the main village (Rotoava). As with Rangiroa, you’ll have the opportunity to take at least two day trips into the turquoise lagoon to explore different areas of the atoll. Ideally, divers should consider splitting their stay in Faka’ between the north and south of the atoll. We often see two to three days in each sector to enjoy the marine life. The south pass of the atoll is also really beautiful, with its old village, its church and the beach bottoms that make you dream, right in the middle of the sharks that almost come to lick your feet, haha!

I don’t think this should necessarily influence your decision to visit, but if you’re on your honeymoon, you might want to treat yourself to a beautiful location overlooking the beach and lagoon. Generally speaking, guesthouses are in the majority throughout the Tuamotus, and you won’t find many high-end accommodations, for example. By the way, you might want to take a look at my guide to overwater bungalows in French Polynesia to consider indulging in this dream during your trip to Polynesia. I cover all the options in the region.

In Tikehau, there’s the Pearl, with its beautiful overwater bungalows. Apart from that one, you will usually stay in fairly basic but authentic guesthouses. Other than that, you’ll generally stay in simple but authentic guesthouses. But you’ll also find gems like Hakamanu Lodge and Ninamu Resort.

Rangiroa offers more upscale accommodations, including Kia Ora and Maitai, both of which offer better service than the guesthouses. We personally know the Turiroa Guesthouse very well. In fact, I’ve written a full guide to accommodation on Rangiroa. You’ll also have access to some unique accommodations, mostly isolated on motus, outside the main village. Admittedly, you’ll be dependent on the location, but the island experience, cut off from the world, lost on “your sandbank” is still first class, isn’t it?

At the moment, Fakarava doesn’t have any “top of the range” establishments, although you can find some nice places to sleep. As with Rangiroa, you’ll find plenty of secluded accommodation on the motus, including hidden gems like Raimiti in the Passe Sud area!

To help you organize your stay in the archipelago, and especially your budget, I invite you to read our full guide to accommodation in French Polynesia. It summarizes all our accommodation recommendations, although you’ll sometimes find more details in the articles dedicated to each island.

That’s a matter of taste, desire, time and budget. In general, I see a lot of people coming for two to three weeks. They want to visit at least one Tuamotu atoll. In that case, I’d recommend spending three nights there to get a good feel of the place. Divers will inevitably prefer the Tuamotus, and in this case I think five to seven days can be quite reasonable to enjoy the marine life.

As mentioned earlier in this article, chances are you’ll be flying to the Tuamotus. For the classic atolls mentioned above, and especially if you’re planning to visit multiple islands (Society Islands and classic Tuamotu combo), you’ll inevitably want to consider an Air Tahiti Pass from the airline, which will be the easiest and most economical way to go anyway. So there are really few questions to ask, other than whether you’ll be able to combine together the flights you want. But many of you choose (and I can understand why) to use a local agency to manage the organization of your trip.

For those who want to do things a little differently and not necessarily take an Air Tahiti Pass or consider different atolls, Air Tahiti remains the company that best serves the Tuamotus in general. Since the Covid 19, it’s become increasingly difficult (if not impossible) to find cargo ships for the Tuamotus. I’m going to check to see if things are moving in that direction, but I’m not sure, and it’s going to take a lot more time to get around.

I’d like to end this article on a personal note, because this is another question that comes up a lot, especially from people who have a more limited amount of time, say a fortnight on the island. The question of a two-week visit to the Tuamotus can really come up, as I often tend to recommend four days per island, which means “only” four islands in a two-week trip. We’re often asked if we should go for “such a short time”, and the (excellent) alternative often recommended is a day trip to the neighboring atoll of Tetiaroa.

You can take a catamaran from Tahiti (Papeete) for a day trip to spend a beautiful day on the atoll. A 3 to 4 hour sail will take you to this dream destination, which is certainly not the Tuamotus, but just as beautiful, if not more so, than some of the atolls I’ve seen. The swimming, the magical turquoise water, the idyllic scenery, the white sand beaches – you won’t be disappointed!

I’ll stop here for this article on the Tuamotus. I think I’ve answered all the questions we get asked, and I hope this gives you a clearer idea. Don’t hesitate if you have any Tuamotu-related questions or topics you’d like to see covered in this article – I can always update it!

In the meantime, and for those of you planning to explore more distant archipelagos, I invite you to read our complete guide to the Marquesas Archipelago.

We look forward to seeing you soon in this dream destination in the heart of the Pacific!

Written by Sylvain PONS

From 2015 to 2021, French Polynesia was our home, with Mélanie and our children. I'm happy to share my experience and advice to help you organize an unforgettable stay in French Polynesia, based on my in-depth knowledge of the territory.

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