Fakarava & Rangiroa (8 days enough)

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mike jj

owi
ScubaBoard Supporter
Messages
125
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Location
iowa
# of dives
1000 - 2499
I think I will plan a trip to Fakarava but only have 8 days, excluding travel time to and from. Would that be enough time to spend a couple days on Rangiroa? I know I would loose a flying day between the islands. Also is July a good time to go? Or should I consider a liveaboard?

Thanks Mike
 
Mike, with my limited experience (3 nights in each place with only just days of diving) I believe that:
1) Rangiroa has more diverse marine life: dolphins, mantas, all kinds of sharks (silver, black white tips, grey and great hammerheads) and plenty of fishes the drift dives are exhilarating! In Fakarava Sud, the pass in narrow hence you see the sharks in a very concentrated formation really beautiful
2) Fakarava has pristine corals, they are almost 100% intact, it is really beautiful
3) Rangiroa has better topside options - im IMHO - if that matters for you. Hotels and pensions are better (warm water) and restaurants as well, Fakarara is very raw (I did not have cell phone, at Tetamany Village not even scuba instructors have internet access) but some people think this is a plus
4) The boat to Fakarava Sud can be pretty rough if you get winds and tides
5) Both places are amazing and you are going to love either way
6) Looking back I would have stayed the whole period in Rangiroa (because of non diving wife) and would have planned a whole weekend at Fakarava to dive also the north pass
7) If you go to Rangiroa do the sunset dive, it is very beautiful seeing the matting activity of surgeonfishes. If you go to Fakarava do a night dive, it is amazing the amount of sharks you will be surrounded by


Regarding liveaboards, I recommend looking into Aquapolynesie (Acueil) since a couple I met in Rangiroa stayed with them in Fakarava and apparently liked a lot!

You are going to be spoiled, very spoiled after this dive trip :D

Here is my trip report (in case you did not see it): http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/the-pacific-islands/514025-french-polynesia-trip-report.html
 
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I think 8 days would be perfect - agree with everything Delmolino has said.......no where else on earth has a greater sunset than Rangi over the lagoon. Restaurants in Rangi - park yourself at Lili cafe for Mahe Mahe in Vanilla Sauce. Look into staying at a pensione - I love Teina and Marie.

Liveaboards - there isnt one Yet other than the Paul Guagin cruise ship which you can dive off in Rangi and Faka or the planned French Polynesia Master which has been spruiked and presold out for 2016 however I have heard the boat is not even built yet so that will be an interesting one to watch.
 
"spruicked"? <-- is this the word you meant and if so, may I please have the definition. TIA

(^^which my phone changed to pickle)
 
spruik
spru&#720;k/
verbAUSTRALIAN[COLOR=#878787 !important]informal[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#878787 !important]past tense: spruiked; past participle: spruiked[/COLOR]

  • speak in public, especially to advertise a show.
    [COLOR=#878787 !important]"men who spruik outside striptease joints"[/COLOR]


    • promote or publicize.
      [COLOR=#878787 !important]"the company forked out $15 million to spruik its digital revolution"[/COLOR]




 
Thanks every one, I will take it all under advisement. No cell or internet sounds great. When I go diving I turn my phone off at the first airport, & back on when I get home. As for accommodation, I'm not fussy. I doubt if non diving wife is going. She is tired of long Pacific flights.

Thanks Mike

PS; Wingy I see you are from Perth. I just got back from Galapagos and there was a lady on the liveaboard from Perth. Her name was Pippa Waterworth. I know Perth is a large city, but was wondering if you know her. I think she is quite a cave diver, and belongs to some cave diving club. If by chance you do know her tell her Mike from the Humboldt Explorer said, hi mate. She probably won't remember my name. Tell her I was the guy with the big Hammer Head tattoo on my back Thanks again Mike
 
Hi Mike - I will post in Perth divers page on FB - im sure someone will know Pippa. Will swap you a pic of a Rangiroa sunset for a pic of your hammerhead tattoo. Seriously, you should consider getting a tatt done the traditional way while you are in the birthplace of Tatu - there are only really two things in FP that are cheap - tatu and cigarettes!

Theres something very special about a tatu rather than a tattoo. I love mine.
 
wingy heres your hammerhead tat pic.
View attachment 217289

I don't know what happened, it was a picture yesterday
 
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Try to add a couple of days. That way you can cover both North and South Fakarava. July is a fine time to travel. July is also time for the grouper spawn in South Fakarava which is well worth the travel time.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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