Fakarava, French Polynesia

Fakarava, inner lagoon from a pontoon near the village of Rotoava, French Polynesia
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fakarava-ponton-rotoava.jpg
Author: Frédéric Jacquot


Fakarava is a coral atoll in French Polynesia, in the South Pacific. It is on the western part of the Tuamotu Archipelago, and is the second largest coral atoll in the Tuamotu group. Its nearest neighbor is Taou Atoll some 14 km to the northwest.

Fakarava covers 100.5 sq km (38.8 sq mi) and has a population of around 1,600 people (2012 estimate). The first European to explore it was Russian explorer Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen in 1820. The inhabitants were converted to the Roman Catholic faith by Belgian Jesuit missionary Honoré Laval in 1849.

Today Fakarava is a biosphere reserve recognized by UNESCO. It has crystal-clear waters. Visitors come here to enjoy water-related activities.

Visiting Fakarava

There are a limited number of flights to Fakarava from Rangiroa and Manihi.

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