Rangiroa is a low-lying island in the Tuamotu Island Group in the Islands of Tahiti. It is a 12km long, skinny stretch of land with a massive lagoon said to be the second largest in the world behind one in New Caledonia. Rangiroa is similar in layout to the Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu; which I once called the most boring country on Earth. I still stand by that but Rangiroa is not boring. In fact it’s full of things to do. Here’s what I did during my 2 days in Rangiroa.

Make no mistake; Rangiroa is most famous for its lagoon, diving, snorkeling, sea life and other water activities. Unfortunately it is also known for high winds and rough currents. This is due to the currents from the ocean and the lagoon meeting up; which is not good for snorkeling or diving.

Both days, I had water activities planned. My lagoon tour including the ‘Blue Lagoon’ was cancelled due to high winds. My drift snorkeling trip with Top Dive was altered a bit due to the currents.

However, the awesome staff got it so we were able to watch a family of dolphins for a bit and also we rearranged the snorkeling tour to the aquarium. This is a shallow, flat coral area just off a small islet with lots of fish, especially snapper, plus some sharks and rays. It was certainly worth it.

Back on island, I stayed at the fantastic Hotel Kia Ora Resort. This is by far the best option on island and I highly recommend it for 2 days in Rangiroa. It is an oasis on the island and is super pleasing to the eye. The resort features 10 overwater bungalows and several villas and beach bungalows.

I stayed in a private villa. The hotel was closed for years to renovate and recently reopened. They did a great job. My villa was super comfortable inside but even more so outside. The private pool was to die for and I spent a lot of time in it.

The room also featured an excellent outdoor tub; which I admittedly didn’t use but I certainly looked at it a lot! It also had a private outdoor shower and of course all the usual amenities inside plus a very comfortable bed.

The pool in the common area was nice with a big hot tub. This was the best place to watch sunset. There is only one restaurant at the resort and that’s where you eat both dinner and breakfast. I thought the dinner options were great but the breakfast was fairly basic although still good.

Since my lagoon tour had been cancelled I decided to rent a scooter and drive around the island to check it out. You could also rent a bicycle or walk or even run but it is quite hot! There is basically only one 12km road aside from some small side streets for villages. This was a great way to get the feel for the island. The main attraction is probably the church.

There are some dive shops down at the end of the island along with some budget style accommodation, a bar and restaurant. Most of the Islands of Tahiti do have budget accommodation but Rangiroa is the first island I’ve really noticed it on.

I thought 2 days in Rangiroa was the perfect amount of time. Obviously another day or two would have been better for me because of the uncertainty with the weather and currents but what can you do? You can’t control the weather and it’s not the first time I’ve had something cancelled. Things happen, there’s always a plan B and in the end you’re still in French Polynesia, one of the worlds great destinations.

Disclaimer: I was hosted by Tahiti Tourism for my trip to Rangiroa. Everything here was written by me based on my experience and has not been influenced in any way.

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