On July 28th, we set off from Toau towards Rangiroa, one of the largest atolls in the world and certainly the largest in the Tuamotu Archipelago.
We entered at 6 a.m. on the 29th through the Tiputa Pass, which, true to its reputation, gave us a bit of excitement with breaking waves and a strong incoming current. We anchored in front of the village of Tiputa and spent part of the day visiting various centers to book a scuba dive outside the pass, where you can sometimes encounter groups of dolphins and swim with them.
The quiet bay overlooking the village of Tiputa.The anchorage in front of the village of Tiputa as seen from the Kia Ora resort.
After making our choice, setting an appointment for the following week, and stocking up on some provisions, the next day we anchored in front of Motu Faama, on the southern side of Rangiroa, where some friends had told us about the presence of fossilized coral formations. Indeed, we found ourselves walking among this “black coral,” which is found in various parts of the southern coast of Rangiroa. Motu Faama is a popular spot for charter boats due to its beauty and the occasional presence of a local family that, upon request, prepares traditional Tuamotu dishes.
The “fossil coral.”Motu FaamaZoe anchored in front of Motu Faama.
Since strong easterly winds were forecasted for the following days, we moved to the eastern tip of the island, in front of Motu Vahituri, to avoid the waves caused by the “fetch,” which is the expanse of open water over which the wind blows freely. Indeed, in atolls, wind protection is minimal, but the reef provides excellent wave protection unless there is enough fetch for waves to form.
This part of the island has very shallow waters due to extensive sandbanks, so navigating requires zigzagging between the sandbanks and the emerging coral heads. However, once anchored, you are rewarded with a beautiful view.
As the wind began to decrease, we moved again to the northern coast; we anchored in front of Motu Toaroa, where we met Gabriel, a copra collector who chose to live with his dog far from the village in almost complete isolation.
Motu Toaroa
On August 6th, we returned to the anchorage in front of the village, accompanied by a pair of dolphins that amazed us with their large size, which seemed like a good omen for the dive two days later. Unfortunately, to our great disappointment, this did not turn out to be the case.
We consoled ourselves with some great snorkeling in the area near the anchorage, known as the “Aquarium” for the abundance and variety of fish present. To explore the western part of the atoll, where the village of Avatoru is located, we rented bicycles and finally got some exercise on land!
L'”acquarium” nella baia di Tiputa
Taking advantage of two days of almost complete calm, on the afternoon of August 8th, we headed to the “Blue Lagoon,” a lagoon within the atoll, which is one of the main tourist attractions in Rangiroa. It absolutely lived up to its reputation. The walks on the lagoon’s beach gave us wonderful emotions, further enhanced by the drone, which provided us with incredible aerial footage. The stop at the “Blue Lagoon” was certainly the most exciting moment of our stay in Rangiroa.
La “laguna blu”
The following day, we set off for Tikehau, the last atoll on our itinerary in the Tuamotu Archipelago.
Rangiroa
On July 28th, we set off from Toau towards Rangiroa, one of the largest atolls in the world and certainly the largest in the Tuamotu Archipelago.
We entered at 6 a.m. on the 29th through the Tiputa Pass, which, true to its reputation, gave us a bit of excitement with breaking waves and a strong incoming current. We anchored in front of the village of Tiputa and spent part of the day visiting various centers to book a scuba dive outside the pass, where you can sometimes encounter groups of dolphins and swim with them.
After making our choice, setting an appointment for the following week, and stocking up on some provisions, the next day we anchored in front of Motu Faama, on the southern side of Rangiroa, where some friends had told us about the presence of fossilized coral formations. Indeed, we found ourselves walking among this “black coral,” which is found in various parts of the southern coast of Rangiroa. Motu Faama is a popular spot for charter boats due to its beauty and the occasional presence of a local family that, upon request, prepares traditional Tuamotu dishes.
Since strong easterly winds were forecasted for the following days, we moved to the eastern tip of the island, in front of Motu Vahituri, to avoid the waves caused by the “fetch,” which is the expanse of open water over which the wind blows freely. Indeed, in atolls, wind protection is minimal, but the reef provides excellent wave protection unless there is enough fetch for waves to form.
This part of the island has very shallow waters due to extensive sandbanks, so navigating requires zigzagging between the sandbanks and the emerging coral heads. However, once anchored, you are rewarded with a beautiful view.
As the wind began to decrease, we moved again to the northern coast; we anchored in front of Motu Toaroa, where we met Gabriel, a copra collector who chose to live with his dog far from the village in almost complete isolation.
On August 6th, we returned to the anchorage in front of the village, accompanied by a pair of dolphins that amazed us with their large size, which seemed like a good omen for the dive two days later. Unfortunately, to our great disappointment, this did not turn out to be the case.
We consoled ourselves with some great snorkeling in the area near the anchorage, known as the “Aquarium” for the abundance and variety of fish present. To explore the western part of the atoll, where the village of Avatoru is located, we rented bicycles and finally got some exercise on land!
Taking advantage of two days of almost complete calm, on the afternoon of August 8th, we headed to the “Blue Lagoon,” a lagoon within the atoll, which is one of the main tourist attractions in Rangiroa. It absolutely lived up to its reputation. The walks on the lagoon’s beach gave us wonderful emotions, further enhanced by the drone, which provided us with incredible aerial footage. The stop at the “Blue Lagoon” was certainly the most exciting moment of our stay in Rangiroa.
The following day, we set off for Tikehau, the last atoll on our itinerary in the Tuamotu Archipelago.