DESTINATIONS AUSTRALASIA | TAHITI
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Audley Travel has an 11-night tailor-made French Polynesia trip with two nights on Tahiti, three on Moorea, three on Tikehau and three on Rangiroa, all with breakfast, economy flights to Papeete, inter-island flights and ferries, transfers and excursions, from £9,198 per person, based on two sharing.
audleytravel.com
ABOVE: Divers in Rangiroa may spot sharks and dolphins PICTURES: Bernard Beaussier; Tahiti Tourisme/Kim Lawson
and all the diving and snorkelling opportunities that offers. As a certified diver, I set out to the Tuheiava Pass site with Tikehau Diving around sunset, when the marine fauna is more active. Blacktip, whitetip and grey reef sharks burst from the haze while parrotfish and whitecheek tangs flickered behind the coral. The next day brought a lagoon tour and I came with only my snorkel – that’s all you need here – with huge manta rays, sometimes three at a time, gliding just a few metres below. After a barbecue lunch on a deserted island (with not a single other tourist in sight) we stopped at Motu Puarua, also known as Bird Island. From the boat, I spied nesting colonies of frigate birds, red-footed boobies, brown noddies and white and crested terns – giving wildlife enthusiasts another reason to visit Tahiti.
RANGIROA: DOLPHINS AND DIVING Rangiroa – from the phrase for ‘vast sky’ in local dialect Tuamotuan – is one of the world’s largest atolls. It’s also one of the planet’s great diving destinations, beloved for drift dives where it’s possible to see bottlenose dolphins, grey reef sharks, eagle rays and great hammerheads from November to February. I set out with Kaimana Tours to Blue Lagoon – all
azure hues and white sand, where each tour group had its own island. While a lunch of unicorn fish and coconut bread sizzled on the barbecue, guide Tunui
We headed to Tiputa Pass, the
ultimate divers’ location. Even from the boat, we saw silvery bottlenose dolphins slicing through the surf
‘Nui’ Mahuta took me out to the reef, where blacktip reef sharks swam around coral outcrops. After lunch, he demonstrated palm-weaving techniques islanders use to make their distinctive open-topped hats. “We can do anything with the palm,” said Nui, “even build a house.” We then headed to Tiputa Pass, the ultimate location for divers. While still in the boat, we saw silvery bottlenose dolphins slicing through the surf. Nui steered the vessels to calmer waters, where we were mobbed by shoals of big-eye emperor fish and scissortail sergeants. I grabbed my mask and snorkel, jumped in and swam among them. Though I had just a brief taste, I’m determined
to return and sample Rangiroa’s other delights, including the pink-sand beaches and manta ray ‘cleaning station’ at Avatoru Pass, where the magnificent creatures come to let smaller fish cleanse them of parasites hiding amid their gills. And if these four Tahitian isles are anything to go by, one could easily spend a lifetime exploring them all.
Elegant Resorts offers three nights at InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa (Overwater Bungalow Ocean View, B&B) and four nights at Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa (Overwater Bungalow, B&B), with international flights, internal flights with Air Tahiti, private transfers and UK airport lounge passes, from £6,460 per person. Based on two sharing and flights departing September 15.
elegantresorts.co.uk
Dive Worldwide sells a 12-night Tahiti Island Hopping Adventure, including Tahiti and Tikehau, from £5,465 per person, based on two sharing. Includes 12 boat dives, most meals, transfers and flights.
diveworldwide.com
Air Tahiti Nui offers flights to Tahiti from Heathrow (via Paris and Los Angeles) from £1,460 for a return economy-class fare.
airtahitinui.com
InterContinental Tahiti
TW
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9 APRIL 2026
travelweekly.co.uk
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