Tahiti and Tuamotus: Rangiroa – our second port of call

Rangiroa, the largest atoll in the Tuamotus chain and one of the largest in the world, had been on my radar for more than two decades. After becoming a PADI certified scuba diver in 1992, I remember reading about Rangiroa’s Tiputa Pass, often listed among the world’s best dive sites, in Scuba Diving magazine. Ever since, I had longed to travel to this far away outpost in the South Pacific.
Rangiroa NASA Aerial Map

Rangiroa NASA Aerial Map

Tentative plans to stay at the Hotel Kia Ora Resort  in Rangiroa fell through many years ago… but dreams of making it to this remote spot in the Tuamotus remained. When I saw Rangiroa listed on Windstar’s 10 day Tahiti-Tuamotus cruise itinerary, it was an influencing factor in booking the cruise and now… we had arrived.

It was the second port on our itinerary, after having spent an amazing introduction to the Tuamotus the previous day in Fakarava. (See Tahiti and Tuamotus: Fakarava – our first port of call where you can also read more about the Tuamotus and atolls.) We had booked an afternoon dive so we had the morning to explore a portion of the atoll.

Exploring Rangiroa “topside”

We first walked down the main road leading to the sea where we came to a beach filled with beautiful pieces of coral. I picked up a few pieces to keep as my souvenir of this place I’d longed to visit for so long.

Rangiroa coral beach

Rangiroa coral beach

Some of the coral I picked up on this beach in Rangiroa.

Some of the coral I picked up on this beach in Rangiroa.

Rangiroa beach filled with coral.

Rangiroa beach filled with coral.

Rangiroa hermit crab inside its shell.

Rangiroa hermit crab inside its shell.

We saw several tiny hermit crabs inside shells like this one…which reminded me of one I inadvertently brought home several years ago in a small bag of sand that traveled back with me from Fiji! It had the same little stripes on its claws. I will tell my “Hermie” story one day in another blog post.  Rangiroa hermit crab that looks like my "Hermie."As explained on the sign below (Cite des Dauphins, which translates to City of Dolphins), the passes of Rangiroa are a unique habitat for a small coastal community of about 60 bottlenose dolphins. These animals who live, hunt, rest, socialize and raise their young in these waters are particularly vulnerable to human activities. The practice of touching them is prohibited.

Cite des Dauphins sign at beach on RangiroaMore views of “island” life on the atoll of Rangiroa:

I talked with these friendly ladies at one of the small restaurants on Rangiroa.

I talked with these friendly ladies at one of the small restaurants on Rangiroa.

In search of the “coral wine”

Next, we went in search of the “coral wine.” Every evening on board the Wind Spirit, a port talk is held in the Lounge before dinner to give passengers an overview of the next day’s destination, excursion possibilities that are still available, and any special items we may want to look for while exploring on our own. One thing that piqued my interest was the mention of vineyards on the atoll of Rangiroa. The destination manager said we may be able to taste a “coral wine,” which I later learned was called Blanc de corail, Domaine Dominique Auroy. (The Vin de Tahiti wines actually come in three white varietals and a rosé.) Vines grow on the edge of a lagoon near the coral reef…

Les Relais Josephine sign...the way to the "coral wine?"While we wouldn’t be able to actually visit the vineyard, I sought out the “coral wine” at a couple of the little restaurants on the main road. When they didn’t have it, we decided to walk down a road to see what was there. We turned by a sign, Les Relais de Josephine, and soon arrived at a small seaside resort and restaurant that from all appearances was closed. {After we’d returned from our cruise, I did some research and found out that this seven bungalow French Polynesian hotel is very well regarded, as described by Lonely Planet: “The setting of this very French interpretation of the Polynesian pension, right on the mythical Tiputa Pass, is arguably the prettiest on the atoll.”)

After I had taken a few photos, a French-speaking woman approached us and asked if we wanted to order something. I told her I was looking for the Blanc de corail wine. She had it! Yes! I was excited.

She brought it out and asked if I wanted to buy the bottle. I said, no, I’d just like to buy a glass of the wine, and I asked her if I could take a photo of the bottle. “No photos,” she said, “unless you buy the bottle!” I was taken aback that she wouldn’t even allow me to photograph the bottle, but I went ahead and told her I would buy a glass of it so I could at least taste this elusive wine! I thought I may never again have the opportunity!

A glass of the elusive "coral wine" overlooking the Tiputa Pass at Les Relais de Josephine pension.

A glass of the elusive “coral wine” overlooking the Tiputa Pass at Les Relais de Josephine pension.

So…how was it? Very nice! It was a light, dry white wine that I would’ve enjoyed more at another time.

Vin de Tahiti, Blance de Corail bottleOh…and I DID get a photo of the bottle, on our last day in Tahiti in the restaurant at the Le Méridien hotel where we stayed on the first and last night of our cruise… I saw it just as we were leaving for the airport!

 

I did a little jewelry shopping…

Before boarding the tender boat back to the ship, I did a bit of shopping, visiting the craft ladies who had set up tables near by to display their handmade jewelry. I purchased this lovely necklace and earrings, made from pencil urchin spines.

Pencil Urchin Jewelry, Rangiroa © Debbra Dunning Brouillette

Here’s what a pencil sea urchin looks like underwater:

Purple pencil urchin as seen underwater.

When we were ready to go back to the ship, tender boats were waiting to transport passengers back to Windstar’s Wind Spirit.

Tender boats transported passengers to and from the atoll back to the Wind Spirit.

Exploring Rangiroa’s underwater world

I was hoping we would be able to dive the Tiputa Pass, long touted as among the world’s best dive sites for its large animal encounters (reef sharks, hammerhead sharks, manta rays and large schools of fish), but we learned we’d be diving Tiputa Channel instead….less current and better for the time of day we’d be diving. Close…not what I’d hoped for but, hey, I was diving in Rangiroa, and it turned out to be a great dive!

Rangiroa Top Dive briefingDive site briefing on the boat in Rangiroa.The most exciting part of our dive was encountering wild dolphins, not on top of the water following the wake of our boat, but underwater with us! We found out that close encounters with dolphins while diving in Rangiroa is fairly common, so even though we weren’t able to “shoot the pass” as I’d hoped, we were able to share our dive with a few bottlenose dolphins! (I’d still love to see hammerhead sharks, crazy as that may sound to some, as long as they aren’t coming toward me!)

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Here is a short VIDEO of Dolphins of Rangiroa  from our dive operator, TOPDIVE (not the dolphins we saw…)

And some of my photos from our dive – SLIDESHOW

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Our Rangiroa TOPDIVE guides

Our Rangiroa TOPDIVE guides

Would I repeat this experience to spend more time in both Fakarava and Rangiroa, the two atolls in the Tuamotus included on Windstar’s 10-day Tahitit-Tuamotus cruise? In a heartbeat! Maybe a week divided between the two. I only got to see Hotel Kia Ora Resort from a distance when we were in the dive boat, so it is still in my dreams!

 

After leaving Rangiroa, we had a day at sea aboard Windstar’s Wind Spirit before arriving at our third port — Taha’a. We toured the island on a morning excursion and came back to enjoy lunch and an afternoon on a private motu — Motu Mahaea. Ready to keep reading? Next in my series… Tahiti and Tuamotus: Taha’a and Motu Mahaea

Tahiti and Tuamotus: Huahine

Tahiti and Tuamotus: Bora Bora

Earlier posts in my Tahiti and Tuamotus cruise series:
Tahiti and Tuamotus: Fakarava – our first port of call
Tahiti and Tuamotus: On board Windstar’s Wind Spirit
Tahiti and Tuamotus: Choosing to Cruise

 

20 Comments on “Tahiti and Tuamotus: Rangiroa – our second port of call”

  1. Oh your series has made me yearn for that South Pacific cruise we did a few years back. Think it may be time to find us a cruise to somewhere. Beautiful photos! (Love the jewelry!)

  2. I’m not a diver myself but I would go to this region in a heartbeat, too. And I totally understand how when something sticks in your head, you’ll make it happen even decades later. Glad you got to do it!

    • Even those who aren’t divers can appreciate a lot about the beauty that awaits in the Tuamotus! Yes, I am so glad I made it there but now I am wishing I could go back for a longer stay! Sigh…

    • Thank you! This was our second Windstar cruise and we’re ready for another! Hope you get to do the Tahiti-Tuamotus itinerary; it is wonderful! (Can I stow away? I’d love to do it all over again…)

    • If you make it to the South Pacific, I’m sure you can find something similar! I saw them at the big public market in Tahiti, too. Hope you get to go!

  3. You’re making me want to take up diving. My husband loves it but I’ve stayed with snorkeling. I love that you went in search of the coral wine, and it looks like you ran into a tough negotiator with the picture taking. At least your afternoon ended with some handmade goodies – that pencil urchin necklace is so pretty!!

    • Lori, you should go ahead and get certified to dive! It’s the best thing I ever learned to do. And re: the coral wine, I was taken aback by her refusal of my photo request, but in the end, as you saw, I found a bottle of the elusive wine to photograph at the Tahiti hotel! Love my necklace and earrings, too; so special!

  4. I am enjoying your series. I am very impressed you are a scuba diver and were able to explore the island as well as the ocean. Your photos are so beautiful and exactly the way I would imagine Tahiti would be! Your underwater photos are especially enchanting!

    • I was so glad we were able to scuba dive off three different islands during our cruise. It’s one of my passions and diving in the Pacific is so beautiful! Glad you’re enjoying my series. More to come soon!

  5. Pingback: Tahiti and Tuamotus: Fakarava – our first port of call – Tropical Travel Girl

  6. Pingback: Tahiti and Tuamotus: Moorea – Tropical Travel Girl

  7. Pingback: Tahiti and Tuamotus: Choosing to Cruise – Tropical Travel Girl

  8. Pingback: Yes! Tahiti has its own wine! – Tropical Travel Girl

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Discover more from Tropical Travel Girl

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading