Island Tour: Scuba Diving in Rangiroa (Tuamotu Islands)

RANGIROA SCUBA DIVING

Rangiroa is the largest atoll in the Southern Hemisphere and it is a diver's mecca. There are two passes in Rangiroa and both are just a short boat ride away. Rubber Zodiacs drop you in the ocean at the foot of the pass where the current sweeps you into the lagoon for a technicolor spectacle of fish. You will see caves crammed full of Red Snapper, walls of barracuda and dozens of Napoleon Fish. You'll dive with turtles, dolphins, rays and sharks. If you schedule your trip between November and February you will most likely see Hammerhead sharks. In September you will likely see Manta Rays as they migrate from within the lagoon to their final destination in Hawaii.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN RANGIROA

Just a 55-minute flight from Tahiti, Rangiroa means "long sky" and from the air you'll see that this huge atoll is appropriately named.

For me, the primary reason to visit Rangiroa is the diving. It is outstanding. But if you are interested in other activities you will find a fairly large selection of things to do. You can enjoy everything from parasailing and deep-sea fishing for marlin and mahi mahi to various excursions within the massive lagoon. I definitely recommend a trip to the Blue Lagoon. It is actually a lagoon within the lagoon and breathtaking in it's beauty. It is about an hour boat ride from the hotels.

You may also want to visit Les Sable Roses (the pink sand beach) or L'ile aux Recifs (Reef Islet). ). Here you will walk through raised coral outcrops that resemble miniature fairy castles. These outcrops have been formed during 4 million years of erosion. Both are about an hour and a half by boat.

Although snorkeling with the current through the pass is an easy activity, you also have the option of viewing the colorful underwater spectacle from the comfort of a glass-bottomed boat.

Late afternoon is the perfect time to hop on a bike and ride over to Ohutu Point overlooking Tiputa Pass where you are likely to see dolphins frolicking about.

A word of warning: The one thing you will have a hard time finding in Rangiroa are white sand beaches. They exist but they are hard to come by. Most of the beaches are actually very chunky coral.

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ACCOMMODATIONS

For a complete list of accommodations, visit the Rangiroa Accommodations page here.