Fakarava
Good to know
- Best time to go
- May to October; June for shark aggregation
- Budget
- $$$
- Accessibility
- limited
- Coordinates
- Open in maps
A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and the second-largest atoll in French Polynesia, Fakarava is a nearly rectangular coral atoll with two navigable passes connecting the ocean to the protected lagoon. The Garuae Pass, the largest pass in French Polynesia, produces a spectacular shark-wall dive where hundreds of grey reef sharks congregate in the current each June. The island's low-density tourism and strict environmental protections have preserved pristine coral formations.