Exclusive Editor’s Tips:

Writer: Terry Ward

The mellow coral gardens at French Polynesia’s popular Aquarium snorkeling site are gorgeous, but for a bigger adrenaline rush, book a “drift snorkeling” excursion at Tiputa Pass, where Pacific tides enter and exit the northwest portion of Rangiroa’s lagoon. Dédé Excursion is a local, family-run operator that taps guides from the atoll to take guests on thrilling snorkel sessions through the pass. You’ll get picked up at the Ohutu pier for the short boat ride to the pass and handed a mask, snorkel, and fins along with a life jacket and personal float device called a “frite” (a French fry-shaped noodle). Then it’s into the water with your guide to let the current whisk you through the pass or along the outside wall (tide dependent) as a conveyor belt of reef fish, Napoleon wrasse, sea turtles, and usually a few reef sharks pass by.

Try your luck hooking lagoon fish with a Tahitian angler

Originally from Raivavae in French Polynesia’s Austral Islands, Emmanuel (Manu) Tehuitoa of Rairoa Fishing & Tours moved to Rangiroa in 2014, drawn by the lagoon’s myriad shades of blue and bountiful fishlife. He’s your captain — and de facto ukulele player — during half-day private fishing excursions aboard his 20-foot outboard boat, during which you’ll use longline rods and reels to snag snapper, grouper, triggerfish, and more. For guests who have solid experience spearfishing (a favorite Tahitian pastime and reliable method for putting dinner on the table), Manu can also take you to his favorite spots for reef and pelagic species. You’ll need to bring your own mask and fins for spearfishing excursions, but he provides the spear gun and weights. Half-day tours accommodate up to six guests at a time and Manu picks you up and drops you off at the cruise pier.

Take a private driving tour to learn more about Rangiroa’s history

The main road connecting Tiputa Pass and Avatoru village is about six miles each way. The most interesting way to experience it is to join Christophe Kraether, founder of C’est Reva Rairoa, for a two-hour SUV driving tour from Ohutu pier to Avatoru. Compelling stops along the way include the Avatoru Marina, where he’ll point out nurse sharks and other marine life in the shallows; a field of fragrant tiare (Tahitian gardenias, the national flower); and Saint Michel Catholic Church, the island’s main house of worship. Throughout the tour, Kraether shares his vast knowledge of Rangiroa’s history, starting in 1500 B.C. with its discovery by migrating Polynesians to the inter-atoll wars of the 15th century, the arrival of Dutch explorers in 1616, and other events that led to population flight to Tahiti and other islands. Offered three times a day, the pricing includes a snack and there are discounts if you have three to four people in your party.