A Complete Guide to Rangiroa, French Polynesia (Part 2)

Rangiroa is a hidden gem in the depths of the Pacific. A two-hour flight from Bora Bora and you are transcended into a simple life filled with bicycles, dolphin shows, sharks, and crystal clear waters.

If you visit at any time other than July and August, prepare yourself for a private island atmosphere.

Much simpler and more laid-back than its glamorous counterpart, Bora Bora, Rangiroa is a must-visit French Polynesian island for a one-of-a-kind vacation.

Rent bikes and ride the island up and down.

We hope you enjoy watching this video about The Most Amazing Place in French Polynesia, Rangiroa

Source: A Lovely Planet

Where to eat

Aside from wine grapes and coconuts, very few other products grow well on coral, so virtually all food is imported from Tahiti.

The restaurants, found primarily in hotels, offer French cuisine with a focus on local seafood, as well as international options like pasta and pizza.

Of course, the island's coral wine is offered as an accompaniment.

Outside the hotels, there are a handful of shops, and many of them offer a selection of sandwiches to go to (usually ham or tuna) or lunches to go.

Outside of hotels, the island's restaurants serve primarily French or Chinese cuisine.

There are also a handful of "Snacks" (short for Snack Bar) and Rolottes (food trucks) in Avatoru.

Visitors staying in self-catering tables must inform their host, at the latest, before breakfast, if they will be dining out in the evening.

Getting there

To get to Rangiroa from the US, you will need to connect from Tahiti. The island is eight hours from Los Angeles or San Francisco, the two gateways to the continental US with direct service to Tahiti.

Air Tahiti, the national airline of French Polynesia, offers several daily flights between Tahiti and Rangiroa. Many flights operate nonstop between the two islands; the travel time is one hour.

While daily service is available from Tahiti, travelers planning to arrive directly from other popular destinations such as Bora Bora, Fakarava or Tikehau should check with Air Tahiti on which days of the week direct flights to Rangiroa are available from their point of origin.

Moving

There are several car rental companies in Rangiroa with offices at the airport, but the rates can be steep.

Resorts offer hourly rentals, which may be a better value. An hour is more than enough time to drive slowly to each end of Avatoru.

Most attractions and tours offer boarding from the accommodation; For those who don't, the resort concierges or guesthouse hosts can arrange a taxi.

Both resorts and most guesthouses have bikes available to rent or rent.

Money Matters

• The French Pacific franc (CFP, colloquially known as franc) is the currency of French Polynesia.

The value is indexed to the euro.

• Tipping is rare in French Polynesia.

Tour guides seem to be an exception, although even they don't usually expect bonuses.

• Credit and debit cards are increasingly being accepted, but cash is still used more in Rangiroa, especially for purchases in small stores.

Many family-owned or individually managed tour operators also pay cash only; most will be happy to stop at an ATM at the beginning or end of the tour.

• There is an ATM conveniently located across the parking lot from the airport terminal.
• It might also be a good idea to bring some cash from Tahiti (there is an ATM at Faa'a International Airport for those with direct connections).

It is not common to negotiate the sale price of an item, with the exception of Tahitian pearls.

In that case, it is not uncommon to politely ask for a discount once, especially when purchasing multiple items.

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