#69053 - 01/05/08 07:13 PM
Snorkeling on Rangiroa
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rborland
Junior Member
Registered: 01/05/08
Posts: 4
Loc: canada
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My girlfriend and I are going to Rangiroa(hotel Kia Ora) at the end of february, primarily for scuba and relaxation. However, we also really enjoy snorkeling on our non-dive days. Is there any "cant miss" snorkeling areas(that are free?)...our do the great areas require boat travel to reach? Is there good/great snorkeling off the beach near the hotel? Can one walk to the public park and snorkel at Tiputa Pass at slack tide?...or is this not recommended even for strong swimmers? Thanks for any input at all.
Any recommended areas at Manihi Pearl Beach Resort?
Thanks and happy travels.
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#69062 - 01/06/08 08:05 AM
Re: Snorkeling on Rangiroa
[Re: rborland]
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Jake
Member
Registered: 08/29/03
Posts: 311
Loc: Phoenix AZ
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We were there 2 years ago and the coral near the resort looked to be slowly recovering from severe die off some years earlier. At the time we were there we did see some fish but the snorkeling near the resorts on Manihi and Tikehau was much better. Its about 5km to the pass at Tiputa; fair walk, easy bike ride. The wind and seas were such that our intended drift snorkel was cancelled. We did see 2 locals in the pass but the sea was running very strong and they had lifelines tied to one of the marker buoys.
At Manihi Pearl the snorkeling right around the owb's was very good.
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#69076 - 01/06/08 12:00 PM
Re: Snorkeling on Rangiroa
[Re: Jake]
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rborland
Junior Member
Registered: 01/05/08
Posts: 4
Loc: canada
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Thanks for both your replies Jake.
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#69077 - 01/06/08 12:07 PM
Re: Snorkeling on Rangiroa
[Re: rborland]
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Zoe
Senior Advisor
Registered: 12/14/03
Posts: 801
Loc: Walnut Creek, CA
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We were there about three years ago and found the snorkeling off the hotel to be fabulous. It was some of the best shore snorkeling from a hotel in FP that we've found. We did do the drift snorkel through Tiputa Pass and I would NOT recommend trying that on your own. The current was very, very swift and I don't know how you would get yourself out (the boat swung around to catch us).
At the Manihi Pearl Beach, you can snorkel anywhere along the overwaters for great snorkeling. They have a ladder/dock you can use for easy access if you're not staying in an overwater. For about 2500 cfp/person, the resort will also take you outside the pass and the snorkelling there is outstanding.
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#69080 - 01/06/08 02:56 PM
Re: Snorkeling on Rangiroa
[Re: Zoe]
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tambir9
Member
Registered: 12/18/06
Posts: 210
Loc: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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We were there just this past November and stayed in a Deluxe beach bungalow. My husband would just walk into the water in front of the hotel and be gone for hours. From our deck and from the deck of the bar we saw, sting rays, eagle rays, eels, a turtle, and lots and lots of fish.
I should also mention lots of beautiful coral, use your scuba boots, or water shoes for entering the water at the beach at HKO.
Generally speaking, while we were there, the pass was pretty choppy, so I would think you are best to use a dive group/snorkel group for snorkelling near the pass.
Who do you plan to dive with while there?
Edited by tambir9 (01/06/08 03:01 PM)
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#69089 - 01/06/08 07:19 PM
Re: Snorkeling on Rangiroa
[Re: tambir9]
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rborland
Junior Member
Registered: 01/05/08
Posts: 4
Loc: canada
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We were thinking of Topdive. We'll be there for Mar01/08. My girlfriend and I are intermediate divers(Advanced and OpenWater respectively)...going on 2-3 dive vacations per year(maybe 6-8 dives per trip). I've heard that Tiputa Pass is very deep and can be challenging for novices to the sport. What can we expect for depth and duration? I've heard numerous dive outfits push the limits of the recreational dive tables in FP(although we normally dive with computers)...have u found this to be true?
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#69101 - 01/07/08 06:33 AM
Re: Snorkeling on Rangiroa
[Re: rborland]
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tambir9
Member
Registered: 12/18/06
Posts: 210
Loc: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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My husband dove with Raie Manta and truly loved it. They are very knowledgeable about the currents, and on days when Top Dive and the dive group at the hotel missed the current, Raie Manta was able to dive it. They also seemed to stagger their dive times, so that when you jump in the water you aren't seeing "schools of divers" if you know what I mean. They are very safety conscious, and try to really understand your dive abilities when they plan the dive. Tiputa Pass is deep, but with the right group it is amazing.
While there we saw Top Dive boats leave with full boats - 8-10+ divers, the most my husband had with Raie Manta, was 5 divers and the dive master, so 6 in the water. Most days it was 2-3 divers and dive master. So it depends on what you prefer.
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#69173 - 01/09/08 09:53 AM
Re: Snorkeling on Rangiroa
[Re: tambir9]
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YosemiteGirl2
Member
Registered: 09/17/07
Posts: 373
Loc: California
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I can't say enough good things about the Raie Manta Club on Rangiroa. What Tambir said is totally true -- don't worry about your level of diving, just be honest with them about it and they'll take care of you. We took our second trip to Rangiroa this September and used them, although we did try the hotel's outfit one more time just to compare. There is no comparison. Raie Manta really knows what they are doing in terms of local events (we timed a dive perfectly to view the most amazing surgeon fish spawning ever, also great great timing for Tiputa pass). They just know more about the ocean and what lives in it and are real pros.
The only thing I'd say about Raie Manta is that if you are bringing your own wetsuits, I'd bring them back to the hotel with you at night to rinse out. They make "packets" of all your equipment after each dive (you bundle up everything inside your BC), and the bundles can get musty because the suits don't have a chance to drain. We also brought our regulators back with us just because...well, we just bought them and were feeling protective.
As for snorkeling, maybe we haven't done enough of it on Rangiroa because my impression is that it isn't very good. But then again, we were snorkeling from our bungalow, we didn't do the Tiputa pass excursion or venture from the resort (Kia Ora Village). That's because we were just so busy diving every possible slot. The diving is superb -- you get to go where the coral is in much much better shape and you get to see so much life. Especially the dolphins in Tiputa pass. This last trip we saw them every single day except one day -- often they come within feet of you. It's insane. Totally, wonderfully insane. Remember, they'll stay around longer if you are doing something they find interesting (as opposed to my general MO which is to stare at them in wonder).
Maybe Tambir can give more specifics of where the good snorkel sites were. I know that the hotels do excursions to the pink sands beach and the blue lagoon, which we have never done (again, too busy diving diving diving).
What we saw on Rangiroa was _very_ slow recovery. We were there just a few years ago when it was really a tragic situation by the resort -- mostly dead coral covered in algea. There is more life now, and we always see fish when we go out, especially if we bring bread. It's just that we're used to really abundant life in Tahiti and there was as sharp contrast. I'm not saying there's nothing out there. It's just that the lagoon really got hit very hard by the el Nino.
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#69174 - 01/09/08 10:05 AM
Re: Snorkeling on Rangiroa
[Re: YosemiteGirl2]
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YosemiteGirl2
Member
Registered: 09/17/07
Posts: 373
Loc: California
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Quick note:
If you are at all worried about the current when doing the pass, mention it. Raphael (one of the English speaking guys at Raie Manta) will make a special effort to teach you techniques that will help you. He is very kind (don't be fooled by his macho act, he is a teddy bear), so if you want him to make a signal to you or something in the water so you know what's coming up, he'll definitely do that. He wants a fun, safe dive for everyone. He also wants to teach everyone how to SAFELY get 60 minutes or more out of their tank, but that's another story. LOL.
I say that because there might be (depending on the day) brief periods where you have to kick like hell. I expected strong current, but the first time was really taken aback by when it occurred, and how hard I had to work. Raphael is such an efficient guy in the water, I had to kick three kicks for one of his kicks. I am not a super strong swimmer and I was just fine, and I'm confident you will be fine too as long as you have a basic level of fitness. I just wanted to give you the heads-up. It would be a shame to miss the pass.
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#69175 - 01/09/08 10:37 AM
Re: Snorkeling on Rangiroa
[Re: YosemiteGirl2]
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islandboyatheart
Expert Advisor
Registered: 07/19/05
Posts: 1376
Loc: Florida
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I agree with Yosemite Girl about the snorkeling from the hotel. I was there last April and found that much of the coral, especially in the immediate vicinity of the beach and OWB was in pretty bad shape. There was definitely a lot of fish despite that and if you swim out a bit further to where the sailboats moor, the coral is much more alive. There is also a place called "the aquarium" that some of the tours take you to and at that location, the coral was excellent. I also did a drift in the pass and having done it, I definitely would not attempt the pass on your own without a guide.
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