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Fakarava offers a unique blend of serenity and adventure. Pristine beaches and turquoise waters define this Polynesian paradise, home to the welcoming Havaiki Pearl Guest House. Below the waves, its vibrant coral reefs teem with marine life, providing spectacular diving opportunities. From shark-filled passes to peaceful coral gardens, each dive is a new discovery. As evening falls, the island’s rhythm slows, offering tranquil nights under the stars, enriched occasionally by local music and dance. Fakarava is more than a destination—it’s an unforgettable encounter with nature’s wonders.
Imagine an atoll with pristine white sandy beaches, swaying palms overlooking a stunning turquoise sea, with just a handful of bungalows and utter tranquility that lets you hear the ocean’s whispers at any hour—welcome to Fakarava. This almost wild atoll enjoys a delightful climate, consistently hovering around 30°C, only occasionally interrupted by brief but intense showers.
A mere 70-minute flight from Papeete whisks you to Fakarava, the second-largest atoll in Polynesia, stretching 60 km in length and about 25 km in width, although the habitable zone is confined to a 20 km strip featuring a smattering of family-run guesthouses and a more touristy bungalow residence.
We spent a week at the Havaiki Pearl Guest House, a charming if slightly quirky small lodge run by Joachim, his wife, and their staff. The family atmosphere made us feel at home right from the start, and the owners’ kindness was not just evident in their welcoming smiles but also in the little joys of hosting, evidenced by our frequent trips to the kitchen to thank the chefs after indulging in their superb seafood dinners—raw, cooked, grilled tuna in all sauces, and yes, even pizza and spaghetti.
Fakarava’s two villages, Rotoava and Tetamanu—if four wooden houses can be called a village—ooze charm. Tetamanu is notable for its coral-built Catholic church erected in 1874. The island also hosts a tiny airport, an infirmary, a post office with sluggish internet, and a few other amenities.
The pearl lottery
Inside his lodge, Joachim established the island’s first black pearl farm in 1989, now one of its main attractions. Guests can participate in a ‘pearl lottery‘ twice a week, where for about €20, they pick an oyster and keep the pearl inside, whether it’s a high-value class A gem or a lesser quality pearl—always a treasured memento from this slice of paradise. Black pearls, a Polynesian hallmark marketed worldwide as luxury jewelry, vary in color, shape, and quality, with only about 2% of the harvest being top-grade. Despite their name, these pearls aren’t actually black but display an array of colors and hues.
Beneath Fakarava: diving into Paradise
The true gem of Fakarava, however, is its sea—azure, calm, and warm near the shore, and more wild just beyond the passes. Diving is primarily organized to the north and south, with facilities offering excellent services. The northern pass, about 1.6 km wide, teems with sharks, swordfish, dolphins, manta rays, sea eagles, and tunas, providing an exhilarating backdrop for both novice and seasoned divers.
Dives usually happen in the morning and afternoon, never at night, allowing divers to descend into the deep blue or enjoy the rich coral-covered seabed closer to the reef. Each dive, whether chasing a school of sharks or floating alongside a gliding manta ray, remains a vivid memory, often heightened by the sight of dolphins playing in the sunset-lit waves.
Local life starts early, around 5 AM, and winds down soon after dinner. Nightlife is limited to occasional events that draw both tourists and locals to the Snack Bar for Polynesian dances or small Tahitian music concerts. Those seeking a bustling nightlife might find that Fakarava, with its tranquil charm and friendly 600 or so residents, offers a different kind of treasure—one of serenity and breathtaking underwater adventures. In the Havaiki’s lounge, guest books filled with multilingual testimonies tell of travelers, heartbroken to leave but thrilled to have experienced such a unique destination.
