I must start this post by saying that this is our third trip to Polynesia, so it is not the first time that we do an excursion and see a beautiful place in French Polynesia. But I must also say that this time the spot left me speechless and with no words to describe it. Of all the experiences we have had in Polynesia, the excursion to the Blue Lagoon of Rangiroa has been one of the best. It’s undoubtedly a great experience.
for organizing this tour, we consulted several companies, and thanks to the guesthouse where we stayed, we reached Rairoa Fishing & Tours. It is important to choose the right company because they will take you to the motu of their property, and not all of them are well located. The people at Rairoa have by far the best motu in the area. Located between the Blue Lagoon and a bank of pink sands, you’ll have an unique and super complete experience.
We booked the excursion online through the Rairoa website and paid in cash directly at the end of the excursion.
The adventure begins in the small port relatively close to the Tiputa pass. They picked us up at the pension that was not far away. Our guide, called Manu, explained to all that the navigation would last 1 hour and that when we passed in front of a small islet we would be halfway there. For me, a person who doesn’t love a lot a boat and sailing, the outward trip was calm and I was able to get along well.
The boat stops just before entering the lagoon blue to allow snorkeling and swimming with sharks, in fact, a large lemon shark scared me by passing right under my feet when we were going to get into the water.
Arriving to The Lagoon Blue of Rangiroa
The boat does not arrive exactly inside the lagoon because the water is very shallow, in fact, the guide showed a great ability to dodge the corals and reach the point where it is not possible to go any further. From there you have to do the rest on foot (just about 10 minutes) in ankle-deep water, which is far from unpleasant but also makes you do a bit of fitness.
The vision you have when you get to the motu is stunning, the blue lagoon right in front of an unreal electric blue color in the background, behind you, a kind of desert island full of palm trees and birds that don’t stop singing. Everything is simply heavenly.
Upon arrival, our guide Manu rewards us with a welcome punch, and explains the program on the motu.
We had a short conversation and took some photos while we were already enjoying the motu, and the water, you do not know where to look, everything is so beautiful that is almost unreal. Manu explained to us that we would go to the other side of the motu passing through the center through the vegetation and palm trees, making us see several of the bird species that inhabit the islet.
After about half an hour we began our visit to the islet, enjoying a large number of birds and their flight between the sea and the dense vegetation of the motu. On the way, we met several coconut crabs.
Manu knows birds very well and explains their different names, how they nest, and their customs. Personally, I greatly admired a large number of White Terns (Gygis alba); their white plumage reflects the blue of the lagoon when they fly over the water and let you enjoy a beautiful image.
The Pink Sand of Rairoa Tours
After a short walk admiring the birds and the luxurious vegetation; another extraordinary vision appear in front of our eyes; magnificent sandbanks; with grains of sand that go from white tones through several pinks. With the heat accumulated after the walk on the motu; and in front of this vision you cannot fight against the desire to get into the water right away; to roll, to walk; to run; whatever: And fill your eyes with that paradise on earth.
I have to clarify that these are not the pink sands of the tour called Sables Roses, those of the specific tour are located at the other end of Rangiroa, you have to navigate around 2 hours and with a high probability, you can find the sandbanks underwater, depending on the weather. As you can see in the photos below, the sandbanks are very thin tongues of land and it is enough for the tidal to rise a little and they will be underwater.
The Rairoa Fishing & Tours motu has the advantage of being enough big, and being in the middle of the blue lagoon and an extensive area of shallow water where these pink sand islets produce a natural spectacle.
Rangiroa Aquarium
After practically spending the day on the motu enjoying a palette of blues that changes with the daylight, we say goodbye to cross the Rangiroa lagoon by boat again and head to an exceptional snorkeling area called the Aquarium.
This is a deep area with an incredible amount of fish, to which they take people who want to start scuba diving.
The current is not very strong, however, the only ‘but’, if I have to find one, is that it is a pity to see it at the end of the afternoon when the light is less intense; We arrived here around 4:30 in the afternoon and stayed for about 20 minutes. The area is deep and very interesting; It would deserve to be more time to enjoy all it offers.
Also, unfortunately, the tour did not offer us fins and we did not have them, which limits your movement in the water. The ideal, and almost necessary, is to have fins to make it easier for you to swim and manage the currents.
The Tiputa Pass
After the aquarium the tour ended at Pass de Tiputa (the entering of the oceanic current on the lagoon of Rangiroa), watching the dolphins play with the waves formed by the exiting current. An excellent way to close this impressive day.
I must say that it was not the part that I enjoyed the most, because the boat sails against the current to go after the dolphins and it moved a lot, and I am quite sensitive to this. But I wouldn’t change the experience I had for anything in this world.
