This is Rangiroa, the best island for diving in French Polynesia

Saying that a place is the most beautiful in the world is usually too bold, since it depends a little on each person's tastes.

But we are clear that everyone who has been lucky enough to visit French Polynesia places it very high on their list of visited paradises.

We are talking about the favorite island of Polynesians, an island that has a special magic, Rangiroa.

There are not many virgin paradises left in the world with palm trees, crystal clear waters and coral reefs flooded with marine fauna like the Rangiroa Atoll, One world diving meccas.

Many lovers of wine come to this island. diving in search of some of the most impressive experiences, such as seeing hammerhead sharks or diving alongside dolphins that come up for you to pet.

But the fascinating thing about this island is that you don't have to be a diver to see hundreds of different species of fish of all colors among coral forests.

You just need to grab your swimsuit and some diving goggles and jump into the water to enjoy this authentic marine paradise.

Here's the Rangiroa video that we did on our visit, where you can see part of the content of this article in images.

Where is Rangiroa and how was it formed?

At Tuamotu Archipelago, the largest of the five that make up the French Polynesia, Is Rangiroa, just an hour's flight from Tahiti.

To understand well why Rangiroa It is so unique and special, you have to understand how it was formed.

The tuamotu are mostly coral atolls that arise from the sinking of a volcano into the sea.

It arose when the ancient volcano that gave rise to the island died, and as a result the island began to sink until the caldera, which was where the lava flowed, was submerged.

In this way an outer ring is formed that protrudes from the sea, it is a circle that forms an inner sea surrounded by ocean.

Lava is one of the best natural fertilizers that exist and makes the waters rich in iron, which favors the formation of marine life and Coral reefs.

It is a process of millions of years that, together with its isolation in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean which prevents it from suffering massive fishing, makes it a unique island due to the state of conservation of its waters.

As if that were not enough, when the coral dies, the remains reach the shore and the erosion of the sea crushes it and it becomes white sand.

You only need to grab a handful of sand from the beach to see that it is all coral and seashells, home to hermit crabs.

How to get to Rangiroa

La best way to get to Rangiroa It is by plane from Papeete airport en Tahiti, although it is true that there are other islands that also have a connection.

Being small islands, the plane almost acts as a bus service; In fact, we left from Tahiti to Rangiroa, but it was not the final destination of the flight, but after dropping off our suitcases and picking up new passengers, the trip continued to another island.

I wouldn't be surprised if he did a circular route with a final destination again in Tahiti.

As far as we know, there are several flights on the same day, or at least on the day of our flight there was one before ours, but it is true that from what we have looked at, it varies a little depending on the season.

El flight price from Tahiti airport to Rangiroa It is just under 200 euros and is always done with the company Air Tahiti , which is the only one that operates among the Polynesian islands.

They are small planes with about 60 passengers and the flight takes around an hour, a time that actually goes by very quickly since after leaving Tahiti, you see a lot of beautiful atolls through the plane window.

The seats are not numbered, so you choose them when you enter the plane, and if you have the opportunity, sit next to the window, but keep one thing in mind.

çIf you fly from Tahiti to Rangiroa from the right side of the plane you will see the island of Tahiti, but Rangiroa looks worse when you arrive, and vice versa when you return.

If you want more information, here are some articles with tips for traveling to French Polynesia, and what islands to visit in French Polynesia, like the Moorea, and don't miss the video that we have included in the article.

What activities to do in Rangiroa

Rangiroa became world famous because a family of dolphins settled in the Tiputa Pass, which is one of the two entrances from the sea to the interior of the atoll.

It is a island famous for diving, so whether you are a diver or not, it is the place to enjoy the sea and marine fauna.

How to dive in Rangiroa

We must admit that in our case we had never dived, but being in Rangiroa It seemed to us that it was the best place to do a baptism, to feel the experience of diving.

Most of the divers who go to the island are divers with an advanced level who dedicate the entire day to diving, making up to three dives a day.

Once we did our first dive we perfectly understood the reason for this addiction.

En Rangiroa can be done different types of dives depending on diving levels.

This way you have everything from a shallow water area, which is a marine reserve for the most novice, to more complex areas, even with current diving for the most experts.

Most dives are done in the Tiputa Pass, what is a area very rich in marine fauna of all kinds.

For those who are interested in knowing more in depth what it's like to dive in Rangiroa Here we leave you a more specific video of the species and types of animals that can be seen. 

There are several companies that do dives in this area but the most important one and the one we did it with is TopDive.

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Snorkeling in Rangiroa

If you have never dived and don't want to try it, you always have the option to do snorkel since on any beach there are a lot of fish and you only need to put on your diving goggles and your swimsuit.

It is even possible to do snorkel in the area of ​​the marine reserve in which the baptisms are carried out, since it is an area with little depth.

Although it is true that seeing the sea from the bottom is not the same as from above, there are so many schools of fish throughout the reserve that it is just as enjoyable to do so. snorkel than diving.

Excursion to a virgin island in Rangiroa

In addition to dive or snorkel, riding a Rangiroa There are other interesting activities you can do, such as a full-day excursion that is a unique experience.

We say unique because it is only possible to do it with the local company Pa'ati Excursions managed by León, a true Polynesian whose family owns a small island south of the atoll.

You are picked up by car at your hotel and, after an hour by boat, you arrive at the other end of the atoll, an area of ​​small islands protected by a barrier of volcanic rock.

It is an absolutely virgin area where no one lives.

This is an amazing island to do snorkel because of how transparent the water is, since there are several areas barely one meter deep and visibility of several tens of meters.

After spending the day in several natural pools formed among the volcanic rocks and before leaving the island, you eat a barbecue next to an area full of blacktip sharks that you can even touch them.

But the excursion does not end there, since upon returning it stops in two places.

The first stop is at Tiputa Pass for see the dolphins jump at a very short distance; It is impressive since they are especially large dolphins jumping in groups, so in a space of 10 minutes you see dozens of jumps.

And before ending the day, we make a stop at the marine reserve to do snorkeling between schools of fish.

The excursion ends when the guide León Pick up the guitar and sing Polynesian songs with the sunset in the background, a perfect end to a perfect day.

How the Black Pearl is produced in Rangiroa

La black pearl which gave its name to the famous ship in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean occurs in a pearl farm en Rangiroa.

And the fact is that pearls today and for just over 30 years have been manufactured in an artisanal way; is what is known as cultural pearl.

It is a technique that was invented in Japan where it was discovered that when an oyster senses that there is something in its appendage, it naturally produces a substance called mother of pearl, which is what ends up making up this highly desired jewel.

This natural process has been reproduced in pearl farms where producing a round, flawless pearl is an art, and the black pearl has become so famous for its quality, that it is the second source of income for French Polynesia after tourism.

It is possible to make a tour where they explain everything to you black pearl manufacturing process, and how they are cataloged according to categories, which are the ones that set the final price.

They are called black pearls because the variety of oysters in that area have black lips, just as in Japan the white pearl is due to the type of pearl with a white lip.

Although they are known as black pearlIn reality, its color is not pure black, but rather has shades of gray, green and pink, since this color is taken not only from the lip of the oyster, but from the colors of the shell.

To produce it, a small pearl is grafted from the mussel of the Mississippi River along with a piece of the oyster's own lip in an appendage that the oyster has.

From there the oyster itself generates mother of pearl wrapping the ball and creating a pearl

It is a manufacturing process that lasts about two years until the final pearl is obtained, a period in which every three months they are taken out of the sea, cleaned and checked to see if they are done well.

Depending on the time of year you visit Rangiroa You will see one stage or another of the manufacturing.

In our case we went when they were creating the grafts for the new oysters, but at other times you can see how they extract them once the oyster has already made the pearl.

Sunset at the dolphin viewpoint

Together with Tiputa Pass, but from the ground, there are two viewpoints in which people enjoy the sunset having a drink and watching dolphins jump.

The best is without a doubt the terrace of the hotel Le Relais des Josephine, which is actually a small family hotel of wooden cabins that has a terrace above the water.

It is not necessary to be hosted, the terrace is open to any visitor; Even if you notify in the morning, you can dine there, since at night you can see blacktip sharks on the edge of the terrace.

The other viewpoint is very close, right at the entrance of the hotel.

Polynesians go there a lot with their cars and refrigerators full of beer to spend hours watching this unique spectacle in the world.

Rangiroa bike ride

A typical day on this island usually includes excursions or diving in the morning and mid-day, and the afternoons are usually reserved to enjoy the island and the tranquility of feeling in paradise.

That is why it is the best time to take a bicycle and explore part of the island.

The bicycles are usually given to you at the hotels at no cost, and since it is a completely flat island, without any unevenness, you can take a tour seeing their houses and getting to know the way of life on the island.

You can stop by the beaches and see the hermit crabs what's on the island, or visit the resorts What about the characteristics? bungalows above the water between palm groves.

A perfect plan to get to know the island calmly and without haste, enjoying the life of paradise.