Rangiroa

Pros: Beautiful, relaxed, very Polynesian. When I think of Tahiti, I think of Rangiroa
Cons: Why does paradise have to be a so far away?

Rangiroa is a small island of French Polynesia. Just a 55 minute plane ride north of Tahiti, this tiny atoll is located among the Tuamotus. An atoll is formed when coral begins to grow around the base of a volcano. As the volcano begins to...

Pros: great diving, BLUE LAGOON excursion on Rangiroa, South Pacific paradise
Cons: long trip from USA East Coast, no nightlife, expensive

12 day honeymoon in French Polynesia (FP)

Sept 2002

islands: Moorea, Bora Bora, and Rangiroa

hotels: Sheraton Moorea, Hotel Bora Bora, and Kia Ora Village Rangiroa

travel agent: Lucien Schmidlin, TOPDive...

Pros: Remote South Pacific island, small town feel, water is like an aquarium
Cons: Limited hotel selection compared to more touristed islands

"Tahiti really appeals to all of your senses - the warm tropical breezes, the colorful and scented flowers, the sweet juicy fruits, the warm sun, the ocean sounds, the colors of the lagoon, dramatic mountains, motus (small islands) covered in palm trees,...

Pros: diving, diving, and more diving, seclusion, mind and body at peace
Cons: takes 16+ hours and at least 3 flights to get there

How can I describe in words the wild beauty of Rangiroa, one of my favorite places on earth? We spent four days on a tiny strip of land 10 kilometers long, and a few hundred meters across. It rises to a whopping 2 meters above sea level at its highest...

Pros: unbelievable diving, very relaxing, great/friendly people, and "non-touristy"
Cons: out of the way (maybe a pro), if not a diver, may get bored...

This is a rather long, but comprehensive, travelogue of my wife’s and my trip to the South Pacific in the summer of 2004. We spent 3 weeks on 7 islands (Bora Bora, Moorea, Rangiroa, Aitutaki, Rarotonga, and Fiji). The review for each set of islands are ...

Pros: Snorkeling, Diving, Food, and Isolation
Cons: Cost and distance

People would say Bora Bora is the most beautiful place in the world. We beg to differ. We thought it was too commercialized & littered.

We flew to Rangiroa (sit on the right side of the plane, also when leaving Rangi) after visiting Moorea....

Pros: Classic remote Polynesian Islands
Cons: May be a bit isolated for some. No nightlife. Nuclear testing.

Affectionately known as Rangi, Rangiroa is a classic example of the island type Atoll, the second of classic Polynesian Island beauties. Palm shaded white sand beaches impossibly long and not a soul in sight. The reaction is disbelief. A giant necklace...

Pros: Fell in love with Bora Bora, but left my heart in Rangiroa
Cons: Beach could be better

I'd like to preface this opinion by giving you my background (and my wife's also). We have stayed at very luxurious places in Europe, the Caribbean, and the US. We are sun worshippers, and scuba divers. We really appreciate very good, well prepared food....

Pros: Absolutely beautiful and relaxing. High culinary standard for such a remote place.
Cons: VERY expensive, long trip to get there. Dead at night.

My wife and I went to Tahiti in October of 2003. Our first week was spent on the Pacific Princess cruising the usual suspects, Bora Bora, Huahine, etc. (reviewed elsewhere). The places that took our breath away, though, were the atolls. Atolls are ...

Pros: Snorkeling Tiputa Pass, biking from Avatoru to Tiputa, resting on the beach, seclusion
Cons: Few places to eat other than the hotel and roadside stands

My wife and I stayed at Kia Ora Village in a beach front bungalow for 3 nights. The bungalow was very nice and quite spacious The food at the hotel was quite good. It is expensive, but not any more than you would pay at any other resort. The best thing about Kia Ora and Rangiroa is the isolation of the place. The hotel has only about 55 bungalows, though it offers free snorkeling, outrigger canoes, and tennis. In addition, you can rent bikes, scooters, and cars to explore the island or schedule day trips for snorkeling scuba diving, etc. Exploring the island will take about an 1.5 hours as there is really not much to see in the towns of Avatoru and Tuputa. It is neat to walk from the peaceful lagoon side of the island to the crashing waves of the ocean side in just a few minutes. A must for anyone visiting Rangiroa is drift snorkeling through the Tiputa pass. The collection of sea life is absolutely amazing. Ask to go with Cosetta and Pascale, you can book directly with them at the Kia Ora activities desk.