Fakarava vs Tikehau, wife is not a diver... yet

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delmolino

Contributor
Messages
80
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Location
Miami
# of dives
200 - 499
Hello all. Have been lurking around for some months and now I will chime in for some help. I am somewhat new into diving (around 35 dives so far) but am really into it. Wife could not finish the pool training (got scarred with the gear and stuff) but last November did a discover scuba session in Fernando de Noronha/Brazil and said she liked the experience though she is still afraid of going deep.

We are planning a French Polynesia vacation Next Aug/Sep, and Bora Bora and Rangiroa for sure will be in our Itinerary. As much as I would love to go to Fakarava, I am leaning towards Tikehau for the Topside experience as I am afraid she would get bored in Fakarava. Will have 6 nights in Bora Bora, 3 in Rangiroa and 3 to 4 in either Tikehau or Fakarava. I know it is kind or rushed but it is how much I can get. Or should we just stay 6 nights at Rangi?

Additionally, does anyone know how the Kia Ora Sauvage works in terms of reservation and prices?
 
Cant comment on either tikehau or fakarava but I would suggest also looking at the pensions on rangiroa such as pension tiene et marie. Do the super lux thing in BB and experience dinner and life with local polynesian people in Rangi rather than stick at the Kia Ora unless you absolutely positively cant live without room service.
 
Funny you hesitate between Tikehau and Fakarava. I would highly recommend to go to Fakarava SOUTH. Especially for your wife. We went to Tikehau, Rangiroa and Fakarava North and south and met a couple were the wife was trying to get her OW. Well Tikehau was not the right place while Fakarava was. The reason? For all destinations with the exception of Fakarava south, you have a 30 to 45 minutes boat ride to the pass. And you may have current in the pass. In Fakarava South, the pass is right in front of Tetamanu pension and dive center. So no trip. Most dives finish in the dive center beach. This is were you can take you OW easily in calm waters. For the pension make sure you book a room on the beach and not in the Tetamanu Sauvage. Regards
 
Boiler_81: great report, and excellent recommendation regarding the certification, I am in touch with some dive shops to see if with my certification levels (Padi AOW and will take the Deep Diving specialty this weekend!) I can dive the Canyons, if not will have to work my way through it.

Wingy: We will be in Rangiroa in my wife's birthday that's why I thought about going to Kia Ora (also I was fortunate to get flights and all nights in Bora Bora on miles and points). But you made me remind that we had some memorable moments on some B&Bs, I will look into the pension you mentioned (googled and found Teina et Marie is this the correct name?), any other recommendations?

Freewillow: my hesitation is mostly because of 1) I am not sure if she will actually go for diving and 2) I will have only 3 days available and reading some reports, looks like Fakarava it is a week destination itself, probably better to explore next time (hopefully with Mrs delmolino into diving)?

Thanks all for the inputs, keep them coming!
 
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Fakarava is good for 3 days if you go either north or south. For me South is better but not easy to reach because the airport in on the North side. It takes A 90 to 120 minutes speed boat ride to go to the south. Tikeau has 600 inhabitants and there is STRICTLY NOTHING to do if you are not a diver or on honeymoon :wink:. I have seen other non divers on Rangiroa and Fakarava and they were ALL very dissapointed. These are bare islands with nothing to see above water. Of course if you are a specialist in coconuts and coconut crabs, you will be trilled. :blinking:

If you want to see what one can meet underwater, follow this link to my video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu3QEZJ0gMo
 
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Yes Delmolino that is the correct pension - different search engines bring up different spellings. I have referred many divers to Marie's Pension and all have been delighted - not Kia Ora Sauvage flash but the food and the friendly atmosphere make up for flat screen tv's. You could always let Marie know it is your wifes birthday and im sure she will whip up not 4 but 6 trays of lobster and some awesome desert. If you would like I can put you in direct contact with Marie just PM me :)
 
You guys convinced me to go to Fakarava. As we will have only 3 nights available there, probably going to Fakarava south.

PS - hoping that the EUR rate (and consequently the XPF) keeps the same trend, since it will make our trip cheaper in USDs :wink:
 
good decision delmolino :)
 

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