Hotels in Tikehau

Tikehau: Pink-Sand Atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago

Tikehau is a coral atoll in French Polynesia's Tuamotu Archipelago, roughly 300 km northeast of Papeete on Tahiti. The atoll's lagoon — one of the most fish-dense in the Pacific — stretches approximately 26 km across and draws divers, snorkelers, and researchers who come to count its manta rays, blacktip reef sharks, and dense schools of barracuda. The village of Tuherahera on the southwestern rim holds most of the resident population of around 500 people and the island's single airstrip.

Where to Stay

Accommodation ranges from small family-run pensions to mid-range overwater bungalow resorts concentrated near Tuherahera. Properties are few — typically under 20 bookable options — so availability tightens considerably between July and August and over the French school holidays in October.

Practical Tips

• Getting there: Air Tahiti operates scheduled flights from Papeete-Faaa Airport to Tikehau; flight time is approximately 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Currency: French Polynesian franc (XPF); cards accepted at resorts, cash preferred at pensions.
• Best diving window: April through November offers calmer seas and better visibility in the lagoon passes.
• Pack light layers for evenings, even in the dry season, as trade winds cool the motu after sunset.