Fakarava

⚠️ Timetables, opening hours, prices and access conditions may change without notice, for reasons beyond our control (season, weather, decisions by operators, venues or local authorities). Before every trip, check the information with the relevant authorities and service providers. Entry requirements and local rules (reserves, quotas) are subject to the same caveat.

Fakarava is an atoll in the Tuamotu archipelago, north-east of Tahiti, in French Polynesia. The country's second-largest atoll after Rangiroa, it forms a ring of motu some 60 km long around a lagoon of more than 1,100 km². The atoll is part of the UNESCO ‘Commune de Fakarava’ biosphere reserve. Its two passes, Garuae in the north and Tumakohua in the south, make diving the atoll's signature activity. Around Rotoava, people get around by bike between family-run guesthouses and pearl farms; the south is known for its pink-sand beaches.

A ring of motu around a vast lagoon

Fakarava lies in the Tuamotu archipelago, north-east of Tahiti. It is French Polynesia's second-largest atoll after Rangiroa: a ring of reefs and motu roughly 60 km long and 25 km wide, enclosing a lagoon of 1,153 km² with barely 16 km² of dry land. The lagoon opens to the ocean through two passes: Garuae in the north, 1,600 m wide and the widest in French Polynesia, and Tumakohua (or Tetamanu) in the south, about 200 m wide.

Life centres on Rotoava, the main village in the north-east of the atoll, home to just over 850 people according to Air Tahiti. It has the quay, the town hall, the post office (OPT), the Air Tahiti office and most services: four grocery shops, a bakery and a few snack bars. The south, around Hirifa and the former village of Tetamanu, is far more remote and mostly reached by boat; several motu there are fringed with pink-sand beaches.

From Havaiki to the coral church of Tetamanu

Fakarava was once known as Havai'i or Havaiki, a name rich in meaning in the Polynesian world, where Havaiki refers to the ancestral homeland. Like the other Tuamotu atolls, it was settled by Polynesian navigators long before Europeans arrived, and Paumotu is still spoken here alongside Tahitian and French. Today the atoll is part of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of the French Republic.

In the 19th century, Catholic missions left their mark: the church of Tetamanu, built of coral in 1874, is among the first in Polynesia and stands near the remains of the old village, beside the south pass. Rotoava also has its own Catholic church and two lighthouses, including the Topaka lighthouse, a pyramid of coral stone. Today pearl farming is one of the atoll's main sources of income, and several annual festivals celebrate pearls, local produce and the sea.

Rotoava, the south pass and pearl farms

The village of Rotoava is best explored by bike: its church, its quay and, to the west, the Topaka lighthouse, a pyramid of coral and cement some 14 m high, built in 1957. The old Taputavaka lighthouse also stands in Rotoava. Nearby you can visit a pearl farm: Havaiki, which describes itself as the oldest still operating on the atoll, demonstrates oyster grafting and the work behind the Tahitian pearl.

The atoll's big outing heads south, more than an hour by boat from Rotoava. Around the Tumakohua pass lie the coral church of Tetamanu, the remains of the old village and the motu with their pink-sand beaches. Operators in Rotoava offer day trips to the south pass as well as snorkelling outings to the Lagon Bleu (Blue Lagoon). Sea conditions depend on the weather, so check with the operators before each trip.

Passes, sharks and lagoon: diving comes first

Diving is Fakarava's signature activity, ahead of snorkelling. In the north, the Garuae pass offers drift dives in strong currents for experienced divers (level 2 minimum outside slack water); during the maraamu, from June to September, the outgoing current can reach 8 knots. In the south, the narrower and calmer Tumakohua pass is famous for its ‘wall of sharks’, where grey sharks rest during the day.

From mid-June to mid-July, the spawning of camouflage groupers draws divers from all over the world. Dive centres are spread between Rotoava and the south of the atoll, among them O2 Fakarava, Top Dive, Te Ava Nui (formerly Dive Spirit), Kaina Plongée, Enata and Tetamanu Diving. Out of the water, the lagoon lends itself to kayaking, and some guesthouses provide kayaks for their guests. As the atoll lies within a UNESCO biosphere reserve, respect the wildlife and follow your guides' instructions.

Getting to Fakarava and getting around by bike

International flights land at Tahiti-Faa'a airport, from where Air Tahiti and Air Moana fly to Fakarava (FAV) in about 1 hr 10 min; Air Moana also links Rangiroa and Fakarava in 45 minutes. Air Tahiti's Tuamotu Pass lets you combine Fakarava with Rangiroa or Tikehau before returning to Tahiti. By sea, the Aranui 5 calls at Rotoava on its cruises to the Marquesas, and schooners serve the atoll irregularly from Papeete (24 to 48 hours at sea).

The airport is about 4 km from Rotoava; there is no regular shuttle, and guesthouses arrange transfers. There are no car hire companies on the atoll: the bicycle is the recommended way to get around. You hire one from your accommodation, some guesthouses lend them free of charge, and a few offer e-bikes or quad bikes. The north pass is under 30 minutes by boat from the village, the south pass over an hour. Timetables and conditions may change independently of Dem-Tukki: check with the airlines and operators before each departure.

Dry season, grouper spawning and budget

The climate is tropical, with a dry season from May to October and a hot, humid season from November to April; temperatures generally range from 20 to 30 °C and the water stays at 27–29 °C. High season runs from June to September, peaking from mid-June to mid-July during the grouper spawning, when you need to book well in advance. From June to September, the maraamu, a southerly wind, can make the north pass and the lagoon choppy.

The currency is the CFP franc (XPF), pegged to the euro (1,000 XPF = €8.38). ATMs are few and may be out of order, and guesthouses and small shops often ask for cash, so bring enough with you. Accommodation ranges from camping to lagoon-side lodges, often on a half-board basis, and air travel to the Tuamotu is one of the main items in the budget. French nationals can travel with a valid identity card; other travellers should check which documents are required. Consult France Diplomatie and official sources before you leave.

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Nearby islands: Rangiroa, Tahiti & its Islands, Bora Bora and Moorea.

Photo : Tahitipix, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons