Region
Tuamotu Islands
Add a Tuamotu atoll only if you dive and have 2 weeks; otherwise skip it and stay in the Society Islands.
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Key facts · French Polynesia
- Best months
- May, Oct–Nov
- Currency
- CFP franc
- Language
- French and Tahitian
- Plugs
- C · E · 220 V
- Time zone
- UTC−10 (Society, Tuamotu)
Rules in force · 6
- Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
- Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
- Polynesia ↗In much of Polynesia Sunday is kept for church and family: expect shops, tours and some flights to stop, and dress and behave quietly in villages.
- French Polynesia ↗Entry rules are set by France but separately from Schengen: EU citizens enter freely, other passports should check the French government's rules for French Polynesia, and an onward ticket is required.
- French Polynesia ↗Declare food, plants and animal products on arrival; moving plants and soil between islands is also restricted.
- French Polynesia ↗Drive on the right, as in France; scooters and cars can be hired on the main islands.
The Tuamotus are the world's largest chain of atolls: low coral rings, no mountains, no real beaches in the postcard sense, and lagoons that open straight into deep water. That is the whole point. Rangiroa and Fakarava have the dive sites and the pensions; the rest of the archipelago is pearl farms, copra and a few flights a week. Air Tahiti is the practical way in for almost every visitor — passenger and cargo vessels also serve the atolls but cost more than flying and take days. Seats are limited, and an atoll costs you two flights and at least three nights. Go for the passes and the sharks, not for a resort holiday.
Where to sleep
Sleep base
Plan the nights
How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags
Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags
Night sequences
- 3 nights
- Rangiroa 3 — one atoll, dives in the Tiputa pass, no inter-atoll flights
- 6 nights
- Rangiroa 3 + Fakarava 3, flying between them
- 10 nights
- Rangiroa 4 + Fakarava 4 + Tikehau 2 atoll nights, plus a night on Tahiti on the way in and out (12 nights total)
- Two flights each way plus a night on Tahiti often eats two days of a ten-day trip.
- Air Tahiti cabin baggage is weighed; a heavy camera bag can push you over the limit.
- Outer atolls have a clinic, not a hospital. Serious medical cases are flown to Tahiti.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tikehau | Rangiroa | 60 min | unknown | Short Air Tahiti hop; check whether the flight runs on your date before planning around it. |
| Blue Lagoon (Rangiroa) | Rangiroa | 90 min | unknown | Boat excursion from Avatoru, usually a full day with lunch; book a day ahead. |
Bags between cities
There is no luggage forwarding between atolls. Pack for the small-plane weight limit and leave the rest in Papeete.
When to go
Months and weather
Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rangiroa | go | ok | ok | go | ok | ok | ok | ok | ok | go | go | go |
| Fakarava | × | × | × | ok | go | go | go | go | go | go | ok | × |
| Tikehau | × | × | × | ok | go | go | go | go | go | go | ok | × |
| Manihi | ok | × | × | ok | go | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok |
| French Polynesia (country-wide) | ok | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuamotu atollsRangiroa, Fakarava, Tikehau, Manihi | wet | wet | wet | ok | best | ok | ok | ok | ok | best | best | wet |
- Tuamotu atolls
- Hot and humid all year, water around 27–29 °C (81–84 °F). The drier, cooler months are roughly May to October; November to April is the wet season and the cyclone season, and a passing system can cancel inter-island flights for a day or more.Hot and humid all year, water around 81–84 °F (27–29 °C). The drier, cooler months are roughly May to October; November to April is the wet season and the cyclone season, and a passing system can cancel inter-island flights for a day or more.
Diving is possible all year. Visibility in the passes is best in the drier months; the trade wind can make the outer lagoon choppy.
Getting in and passes
Arrival times and regional passes
Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPT (Faa'a, Tahiti) | Rangiroa (RGI) | Air Tahiti ATR | ~1 h flight | Several flights a week; the morning departures connect with international arrivals. |
| PPT (Faa'a, Tahiti) | Fakarava (FAV) | Air Tahiti ATR | ~1 h 20 flight | Fewer frequencies than Rangiroa; some services stop at an intermediate atoll. |
| PPT (Faa'a, Tahiti) | Tikehau (TIH) / Manihi (XMH) | Air Tahiti ATR | ~55 min / ~1 h 30 | Thin schedules; confirm the day of the week before booking anything else. |
| Other Tuamotu atolls | Rangiroa or Fakarava | Air Tahiti island hopper | varies | Not every atoll pair is connected; you may have to route back through Tahiti. |
Regional passes
Air Tahiti inter-island pass
checkOften cheaper than separate inter-island tickets, but not always; the pass must cover your atolls and be bought before you fly. Compare pass and separate-ticket totals for your exact route.
Cargo and passenger vessels
skipShips do serve the Tuamotus, but they cost more than flying and take days; only worth it if the voyage is the trip.
Eat and move on
Regional food and where to go next
Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Poisson cru (raw fish in coconut milk) | Pension tables d'hôtes | The standard lunch; ask the night before if you want to eat in. |
| Grilled lagoon fish and rice | Rangiroa and Fakarava pensions | Menus depend on the morning's catch; vegetarians should say so at booking. |
| Imported staples | Atoll shops | Everything arrives by ship; fresh produce is scarce and expensive. Bring what you need from Papeete. |
Go next
Tahiti and Moorea
Air Tahiti back to Papeete, then ferry to Moorea
The usual pairing: atolls for diving, then mountains and lagoon.
Bora Bora
Air Tahiti via Papeete
Resort lagoon after the atolls; the contrast is the point.
Marquesas Islands
Air Tahiti via Papeete
A separate trip; the flight is long and the islands are not atolls.
Society Islands
plannedAir Tahiti or ferry from Papeete
Where most first trips spend their nights.
Planning aids
Built from this guide's own data
Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…
Region in numbers
- Where to sleep
- 2 bases
- Day trips
- 2, 1 h to 1 h 30
- Nights suggested
- 3–10 nights
- Ways in
- 4 listed
- Best months
- May, Oct, Nov
Going in…
Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.
Pick a month.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source
Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources
Ask about Tuamotu Islands
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